Mission Log

Launch Provider

Firefly Aerospace

Country

United States of America

Founded

2014

Leadership

CEO: Peter Schumacher

Launch Record

4 success, 3 failed

Firefly Aerospace is an American private aerospace firm based in Austin, Texas, that develops small and medium-sized launch vehicles for commercial launches to orbit.

Type

Earth Science

Target Orbit

Sun-Synchronous Orbit

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.

Height

31.6 m

Diameter

1.82 m

Liftoff Mass

54.0 t

Liftoff Thrust

736.0 kN

Mass to LEO

1030.0 kg

Reusable

No

Launch Success

0

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. The Block 2 version features increased length and structural strength for both stages, optimized propellant tanks and consolidated in-house batteries and avionics.

Space Launch Complex 2W, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

SLC-2W was originally used for Delta, Thor-Agena and Delta II launches. After the last Delta II flight in 2018, SLC-2W was repurposed to launch Firefly Alpha rockets.