Firefly Aerospace – Spaceflight Now

In parallel with rocket development, Firefly launches lunar lander initiative

April 1, 2020 Stephen Clark

A souped-up version of the Israeli Beresheet moon lander built in Texas could be ready to carry NASA science and technology payloads to the lunar surface before the end of 2022, according to officials from Firefly Aerospace.

Firefly confirms fire during first stage test

January 23, 2020 Stephen Clark

Firefly Aerospace confirmed a “test anomaly” resulted in a small fire on a vertical test stand in Central Texas Wednesday evening. The fire occurred during the first attempt at a full-scale qualification test-firing of a first stage for Firefly’s Alpha small satellite launcher.

Aerojet Rocketdyne, Firefly to collaborate on propulsion

October 28, 2019 Stephen Clark

Firefly Aerospace and Aerojet Rocketdyne have announced a strategic partnership to collaborate on rocket propulsion, an agreement that could lead to Firefly’s use of Aerojet’s AR1 engine in a new medium-lift launcher.

Firefly to build U.S. version of Israeli Beresheet lunar lander

July 10, 2019 Stephen Clark

Firefly Aerospace, a Texas-based company which is already developing a small satellite launcher, has signed an agreement with Israel Aerospace Industries to build lunar landers in the United States and carry NASA science instruments to the moon, officials announced Tuesday.

Firefly offering free launch for research and educational payloads

June 18, 2019 Stephen Clark

Firefly Aerospace is asking academic institutions, startup companies and the public to submit ideas for payloads to launch, free of charge, on the inaugural orbital flight of the company’s Alpha rocket next year from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.

NASA to soon announce winner of first commercial lunar lander competition

May 21, 2019 Stephen Clark

Within days, NASA is expected to select a winner from a roster of nine eligible companies to try and become the first commercial entity to accomplish a soft landing on the moon with a robotic spacecraft. The privately-developed probe would be the vanguard in a series of unpiloted missions intended to deliver science instruments to the lunar surface and prepare for a human expedition as soon as 2024.

Q&A with Steve Clarke, deputy associate administrator for exploration in NASA’s science division (members only)

November 29, 2018 Stephen Clark

It’s Steve Clarke’s job to merge the goals of space scientists with NASA’s strategic plans for exploring the solar system, two factors which are not always in lock-step, as the space agency seeks to return humans to the moon, and eventually send astronauts to Mars.

NASA picks nine companies to compete for commercial lunar lander missions

November 29, 2018 Stephen Clark

NASA announced Thursday nine companies that will be eligible to compete for up to $2.6 billion in contracts over the next decade to ferry scientific instruments and tech demo payloads to the moon aboard commercial robotic landers, a first step in what agency officials said will foster expanded private investment in deep space exploration and an eventual return of humans to the lunar surface.

Firefly’s commercial satellite launcher to use Delta 2 pad at Vandenberg

May 2, 2018 Stephen Clark

A commercial rocket under development by Firefly Aerospace will conduct its first orbital test flight in 2019 from a launch pad at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California that will become vacant with the retirement of the venerable Delta 2 booster later this year, the company announced Tuesday.