Firefly Alpha
ActiveFirefly 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
54.0 T -
Thrust
736.0 kN
Family
-
Name
Firefly Alpha -
Family
― -
Variant
― -
Alias
― -
Full Name
Firefly Alpha
Payload Capacity
-
Launch Cost
$15000000 -
Low Earth Orbit
1000.0 kg -
Geostationary Transfer
Orbit
― -
Direct Geostationary
― -
Sun-Synchronous Capacity
630.0 kg
Firefly Aerospace
Commercial
CEO: Peter Schumacher
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 | FLTA006 (Lockheed Martin Demo 1)
Firefly Aerospace | United States of AmericaVandenberg SFB, CA, USA
TBD March, 2025
Firefly Alpha | Jackal AOV
Firefly Aerospace | United States of AmericaVandenberg SFB, CA, USA
TBD December, 2025
Status: To Be Determined
Mission:
True Anomaly’s Jackal Autonomous Orbital Vehicle (AOV) will support U.S. Space Force Space Systems Command’s VICTUS HAZE Tactically Responsive Space (TacRS) mission with operations in orbit proximity with another spacecraft built by Rocket Lab National Security. The spacecraft, once completed, will remain on call until the U.S. Space Force provides the notice to launch. The Firefly team will then have 24 hours to transport the payload fairing to the pad, mate the fairing to the Alpha rocket, fuel the rocket, and launch within the first available window.
Low Earth OrbitFirefly Alpha | QuickSounder
Firefly Aerospace | United States of AmericaVandenberg SFB, CA, USA
TBD February, 2026
Status: To Be Determined
Mission:
QuickSounder is the first satellite mission of the Near Earth Orbit Network (NEON) program of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which aims to replace the current Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS) series of polar orbit weather satellites. This pathfinder mission will demonstrate NOAA's ability to launch a small satellite within 3 years, flying a refurbished Advanced Technology Microwave Sounder (ATMS) instrument to polar orbit.
Sun-Synchronous OrbitFirefly Alpha | FLTA005 (Noise of Summer)
Firefly Aerospace | United States of AmericaVandenberg SFB, CA, USA
July 4, 2024, 4:04 a.m.
Firefly Alpha | FLTA004 Fly the Lightning
Firefly Aerospace | United States of AmericaVandenberg 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 | United States of AmericaVandenberg SFB, CA, USA
Sept. 15, 2023, 2:28 a.m.
Firefly Alpha | FLTA002 (To The Black)
Firefly Aerospace | United States of AmericaVandenberg SFB, CA, USA
Oct. 1, 2022, 7:01 a.m.
Firefly Alpha | FLTA001 (Maiden Flight)
Firefly Aerospace | United States of AmericaVandenberg 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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