Firefly Aerospace

Firefly Aerospace intends to make a second attempt to launch the seventh mission of its Alpha rocket by early next calendar year.

Firefly Aerospace will pay $855 million to acquire defense technology company SciTec, the Texas-based startup said on Oct 5.

The U.S. Space Force’s next neighborhood watchdog spacecraft could be the first operational system capable of on-orbit refueling.

The first stage of an Firefly Aerospace Alpha rocket being prepared for launch on a commercial mission for Lockheed Martin was destroyed Sept. 29.

Firefly Aerospace has sold data it collected during its lunar land Blue Ghost Mission 1 to NASA for $10 million.

Firefly Aerospace is looking at potential ways to secure a share of the space-based interceptor market emerging from the Pentagon’s Golden Dome effort.

True Anomaly next year aims to achieve key milestones to underpin the defense space startup’s growth strategy, including the first demonstration of its Jackal spacecraft in geosynchronous orbit.

The $28.4 billion that defense technology startups raised from venture capital through June puts the sector on track for one of its best years ever.

Firefly Aerospace padded its financial coffers with $868 million through its Aug. 7 listing that saw the company close the day valued at almost $8.5 billion.

NASA has entered agreements with six aerospace companies for studies focused on the use of orbital transfer vehicles to reach various challenging orbits.

Moving a satellite from the ground to orbit in hours offers a new edge in space deterrence.

NASA has awarded Firefly Aerospace a $176.7 million task orde for the delivery of two microrovers and three scientific payloads to the lunar south pole in 2029.

Firefly Aerospace would raise up to $632 million in capital as part of its initial public offering based on the upper end of the company’s proposed listing price.

Firefly’s decision to head to the public markets adds to the theme of startups championing their national security credentials to validate their growth plans.

Firefly Aerospace plans to offer ultraviolet and visible spectrum imaging of the Moon from a lunar-orbiting satellite.

Northrop Grumman is adding $50 million to a joint project with Firefly Aerospace to design, own and operate a new Delta II-class medium-lift launch vehicle.

Interlune has won two contracts to sell thousands of liters of helium-3 excavated from the Moon’s surface and to deliver the rare gas to Earth.

Our roundup of the main aerospace and defense stories making the news this week.

A mission to showcase a new Lockheed Martin multipurpose, midsize satellite bus was lost following a troubled launch of Firefly Aerospace’s sixth Alpha rocket.

Near Earth Autonomy is to provide a miniaturized autonomy system to support the demonstration of autonomous resupply in contested environments.

The U.S. Space Force’s Commercial Space Office is planning a launch-based version of its Commercial Augmentation Space Reserve effort.

The Defense Innovation Unit is partnering with Firefly Aerospace to use its Elytra spacecraft for a responsive on-orbit mission due to launch in 2027.

The newcomers can bid for Lane 1 work once they complete a successful first flight.

Contractor Firefly Aerospace has exceeded the mission requirements for 10 NASA lunar payloads.

Success was all the sweeter when Firefly, with its debut spacecraft, not only landed on the Moon, but operated for more than 14 days on the lunar surface.