Firefly Alpha
Active Firefly AlphaFirefly Aerospace (FA)
Sept. 3, 2021
Description
Firefly Alpha (Firefly α) is a two-stage orbital expendable launch vehicle developed by the American aerospace company Firefly Aerospace to cover the commercial small satellite launch market. Alpha is intended to provide launch options for both full vehicle and ride share customers.
Specifications
-
Stages
2 -
Length
29.0 m -
Diameter
1.82 m -
Fairing Diameter
2.21 m -
Launch Mass
54 T -
Thrust
736 kN
Family
-
Name
Firefly Alpha -
Family
Firefly Alpha -
Variant
― -
Alias
― -
Full Name
Firefly Alpha
Payload Capacity
-
Launch Cost
$15000000 -
Low Earth Orbit
1000 kg -
Geostationary Transfer
Orbit
― -
Direct Geostationary
― -
Sun-Synchronous Capacity
630 kg
Firefly Aerospace
Commercial
Bill Weber
FA 2014Firefly Aerospace is an American private aerospace firm based in Austin, Texas, that develops small and medium-sized launch vehicles for commercial launches to orbit.
Upcoming Spaceflights
Firefly Alpha | FLTA005 (VCLS Demo 2 Mission Two)
Firefly Aerospace | USAVandenberg SFB, CA, USA
TBD May, 2024
Firefly Alpha | FLTA004 Fly the Lightning
Firefly Aerospace | USAVandenberg SFB, CA, USA
Dec. 22, 2023, 5:32 p.m.
Status: Launch was a Partial Failure
Mission:
Firefly’s Alpha rocket will launch Lockheed Martin’s new wideband Electronically Steerable Antenna (ESA) technology integrated on a Terran Orbital Nebula satellite bus. Developed within Lockheed Martin Space’s Ignite organization using a proprietary design, the ESA payload will demonstrate faster on-orbit sensor calibration to deliver rapid capabilities to U.S. warfighters.
Low Earth Orbit
Firefly Alpha | FLTA003 (VICTUS NOX)
Firefly Aerospace | USAVandenberg SFB, CA, USA
Sept. 15, 2023, 2:28 a.m.
Firefly Alpha | FLTA002 (To The Black)
Firefly Aerospace | USAVandenberg SFB, CA, USA
Oct. 1, 2022, 7:01 a.m.
Firefly Alpha | FLTA001 (Maiden Flight)
Firefly Aerospace | USAVandenberg SFB, CA, USA
Sept. 3, 2021, 1:59 a.m.
Status: Launch Failure
Mission:
First flight of the new Firefly Alpha small sat launcher developed by Firefly Aerospace. It will carry Firefly’s DREAM (Dedicated Research & Education Accelerator Mission), which includes various payloads like cubesats, personal items, pictures, DNA samples and more to inspire young people to pursue STEM education.
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