Firefly Aerospace, an end-to-end space transportation company announced it successfully launched its Alpha Flight 5 (FLTA005) rocket and completed the payload deployment sequence as part of the company\u2019s Venture-Class Launch Services Demonstration 2 (VCLS Demo 2) contract with NASA.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The mission, called Noise of Summer, lifted off from Firefly\u2019s SLC-2 launch site at the Vandenberg Space Force Base at 9:04 p.m. PDT on July 3, 2024. Following payload deployment, Firefly successfully performed a second stage relight and plane change maneuver to further test and validate Alpha\u2019s on-orbit capabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe Firefly team knocked it out of the park,\u201d said Bill Weber, CEO of Firefly Aerospace. \u201cAs a NASA vendor for both launch and lunar services, we look forward to continuing this partnership and supporting the agency\u2019s larger space exploration goals from Earth to the Moon and beyond.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As a NASA VCLS Demo 2 task order, the successful mission further validates Alpha\u2019s capabilities to provide small satellite launches for NASA on a recurring basis. The mission\u2019s CubeSats were selected through NASA\u2019s CubeSat Launch Initiative (CSLI) that provides U.S. educational institutions and nonprofits with low-cost access to space.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe launch of Firefly Aerospace\u2019s demonstration mission marks one more way NASA is innovating for the benefit of humanity,\u201d said Hamilton Fernandez, mission manager for NASA\u2019s Launch Services Program. \u201cNASA is using CubeSat missions to demonstrate the capability of small rockets and build relationships with this new part of the U.S. launch vehicle industry.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At the time of this release, ongoing activities are underway by NASA and the CubeSat teams as they work to acquire signals for all satellites. Additional updates will be posted to the mission webpage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Looking ahead, Firefly is in the final testing phase for its next Alpha launch, FLTA006, in support of a dedicated commercial mission for Lockheed Martin. The Firefly team is concurrently ramping up for a responsive on-orbit Elytra mission that will launch on Alpha FLTA007 later this year while also working to complete the final readiness milestones for its first Blue Ghost mission to the Moon launching in Q4 2024.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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