Super Slow-Mo Rocket Engine Test ft. BBC and the Slow Mo Guys Firefly Aerospace 2023-05-03 | Spencer Kelly, his team at BBCClick, and Gavin from the Slow Mo Guys got a behind-the-scenes look at our Texas-based rocket test & production site (a.k.a. the Rocket Ranch).This video was licensed by Firefly Aerospace through April 2025
Meet the Engineer Who Is Always Prepared for a Roadtrip! Firefly Aerospace 2024-10-16 | From Austin to the Andes, Ben Kobe has always had a knack for getting machines moving. Ben once fixed a radiator on a road trip in Peru and helped design Blue Ghost’s propulsion system. An Austin native and University of Texas alum, Ben is our Spacecraft Propulsion Lead responsible for fluid system design, analysis, component testing, component integration and all of the testing necessary to ensure a successful mission to the Moon. #ghostriders Learn more about Blue Ghost Mission 1! fireflyspace.com/missions/blue-ghost-mission-1
Meet the Engineer Whos Passion is Inspiring the Next Generation Firefly Aerospace 2024-10-09 | For some, engineering is just a job, but for Alex Kaplan, it’s a mission to inspire the next generation. A Richmond, Virginia native, Deep Run High School graduate, and Virginia Tech Hokie, Alex grew up with a passion for space exploration. Now, his work is headed to the Moon! With a master’s from Stanford University, Alex is proud to see #BlueGhost evolve from concept to reality, soon to operate on the lunar surface. “There’s something extraordinary about placing hardware in the one place visible from anywhere on Earth,” Alex shares. #GhostRiders
Meet the Lunar Mission Operations Engineer with Australian Roots Firefly Aerospace 2024-10-02 | From down under to the Moon! Jaxon Liebeck, an Aussie and graduate of Manjimup Senior High School and University of Texas as Austin, admits he moved to the opposite side of the globe so he could pursue a career in aerospace. As a Mission Operations Engineer for Firefly, Jaxon is part of the team that will be following BGM1’s journey to the Moon from launch to landing. #GhostRiders
Meet the Payload Manager Whose School Project Sparked His Ambitions to Join New Space Firefly Aerospace 2024-09-25 | Before he gets to check that windows-down, coast-to-coast road trip off his bucket list, Tyler Gilchrist’s work is roadtripping thousands of miles more - to the Moon! It's something that this Spacecraft Payload Manager says will be “an achievement of a lifetime.” Tyler, a Colorado native and Chatfield High School Littleton and Metropolitan State University of Denver alum, says Blue Ghost has been a true team project and opportunity to soak up the knowledge of others. #GhostRiders
Meet the Engineer Bringing Her Familys Dreams to the Moon Firefly Aerospace 2024-09-18 | Space is a family affair for Annie Vo-Cohen! She fell in love with space as a young girl, literally following in the footsteps of her aunt and uncle, walking the same hallways at NASA Marshall Spaceflight Center before finding her way to Firefly as an Assembly, Integration and Test Engineer on #BlueGhost. Annie, a Massachusetts native, Holbrook High School grad, and University of Texas alum, will sit on console for #BGM1 as Assistant Flight Director for Operations. #GhostRiders
Meet the Welder Working on the Next Lunar Lander Firefly Aerospace 2024-09-10 | Just call James Holster the Lone Welder! James is the lead, and only, spacecraft welder on Blue Ghost. Originally from Moreno Valley, California, one of his most memorable moments from his 3.5 years with Firefly was finishing the last welds for the main engine – which took 18 hours to complete!fireflyspace.com/missions/blue-ghost-mission-1
Meet the Hobbyist Seamstress Helping Design the Next Lunar Lander Firefly Aerospace 2024-09-05 | From designing costumes to engine blankets and thermal protection systems, Sarah Geist brings sci-fi and fantasy to life! This Alabama native, Space Camp USA graduate, and Auburn alum is a Soft Goods Responsible Engineer who designs MLI, or multilayer insulation, to protect #BlueGhost from the harsh environments of space and the Moon. #GhostRiders
Meet the Team Developing the Blue Ghost Lunar Lander Firefly Aerospace 2024-09-03 | As we get ready to shoot for the Moon, let’s get to know the talented Fireflies from all over the world who are about to make history with our Blue Ghost lunar lander. These individuals are forging a highway to the Moon by enabling regular lunar access, advancing lunar research, and laying the groundwork for humans to have a lasting lunar presence. Stay tuned over the coming weeks as we share stories of our #GhostRiders, including their passions, innovation, and relentless drive to push the limits of space exploration.
Hot Fire Summer - Lightning Engine Campaign Firefly Aerospace 2024-08-30 | Our test team had quite the hot fire summer! Just on Lightning (Alpha's stage 2 engine), we've made incredible progress during the qualification campaign... ▪ 26 days of testing with a total run time of over 42 minutes▪ 48 total hot fires, 4 surpassing 200 seconds; and▪ Over 1 million revolutions on the turbopump!
Blue Ghost Mission 1 - The Road Trip Begins! Firefly Aerospace 2024-08-26 | Our Blue Ghost road trip has begun! First stop: NASA JPL. Here the lander will go through a series of tests to ensure the integrated vehicle can withstand various flight environments during launch, transit, and landing on the Moon.
GO For Test - MLV Stage 1 Development Tank Complete Firefly Aerospace 2024-08-21 | We're not just moving fast on our Miranda engines... our Medium Launch Vehicle (MLV) structures are also making strides! The team has taken everything they've learned from Alpha's carbon composites and scaled them up for MLV. The first stage propellant tank is now on the stand at our Rocket Ranch and ready for development testing. Then we'll qualify the full-length structure next. Exciting times ahead!
Rocket Launch Recap - Noise of Summer Firefly Aerospace 2024-08-13 | Alpha lit up the night sky across the SW United States just before Independence Day! Relive the excitement of our Noise Of Summer mission that launched 8 NASA CubeSats. Learn more here: fireflyspace.com/missions/noise-of-summer
Blue Ghost Mission 1 Firefly Aerospace 2024-07-30 | We're going to the Moon! As Blue Ghost gets ready to ship for final environmental testing, get a behind-the-scenes look of how we got here and the mission ahead. Stay tuned for more on Blue Ghost Mission 1 in the coming months ahead of the Q4 2024 launch. Learn more here: fireflyspace.com/missions/blue-ghost-mission-1
3+ Minute Rocket Engine Hot Fire! Firefly Aerospace 2024-07-24 | On July 12, just 24 hours after completing a 60 second hot fire, the Firefly team completed mission duty cycle on its full-length Miranda engine with a 206 second hot fire, matching the longest engine burn during flight.
Miranda Engine 60 Second Hot Fire Test Firefly Aerospace 2024-07-12 | Volume on! We completed a 60 second hot fire test of our full length Miranda engine! All of which was designed, built, and tested at our Rocket Ranch in Briggs, TX.follow us on social media:Instagram: instagram.com/fireflyaerospaceX: twitter.com/Firefly_SpaceLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/fireflyspaceFacebook: facebook.com/fireflyspace
Alpha FLTA005 Noise of Summer Firefly Aerospace 2024-07-04 | Alpha FLTA005, a mission called Noise of Summer, supports Firefly’s Venture-Class Launch Services Demo 2 contract with NASA that serves to validate the capabilities of launch vehicles that support a new launch class and provide more access to space for small satellites and spacecraft. The Alpha FLTA005 Noise of Summer mission is prepared to launch no earlier than July 3, 2024. A 30-minute window begins at 9:03PM PST. Noise of Summer will launch from Firefly’s SLC-2 complex at the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.For more details on the Alpha FLTA005 Noise of Summer mission and live stream, visit fireflyspace.com/missions/noise-of-summerFirefly Aerospace is an end-to-end space transportation company with launch, lunar, and on-orbit services. Headquartered in central Texas, Firefly is a portfolio company of AE Industrial Partners (“AEI”) focused on delivering responsive, reliable, and affordable space access for government and commercial customers. Firefly’s small- to medium-lift launch vehicles, lunar landers, and orbital vehicles provide the space industry with a single source for missions from low Earth orbit to the surface of the Moon and beyond. For more information, visit www.fireflyspace.com.
Scrub - First Attempt Alpha FLTA005 Noise of Summer Firefly Aerospace 2024-07-02 | Alpha FLTA005, a mission called Noise of Summer, supports Firefly’s Venture-Class Launch Services Demo 2 contract with NASA that serves to validate the capabilities of launch vehicles that support a new launch class and provide more access to space for small satellites and spacecraft. Firefly will conduct Alpha FLTA005 as another responsive space operation, which includes transporting the payload fairing to the launch pad and mating it to Firefly’s Alpha rocket within hours of the scheduled liftoff, compared to weeks in a typical operation.The Alpha FLTA005 Noise of Summer mission is prepared to launch no earlier than July 1, 2024. A 30 minute window begins at 9:00PM PST. Noise of Summer will launch from Firefly’s SLC-2 complex at the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.For more details on the Alpha FLTA005 Noise of Summer mission and live stream, visit fireflyspace.com/missions/noise-of-summerFirefly Aerospace is an end-to-end space transportation company with launch, lunar, and on-orbit services. Headquartered in central Texas, Firefly is a portfolio company of AE Industrial Partners (“AEI”) focused on delivering responsive, reliable, and affordable space access for government and commercial customers. Firefly’s small- to medium-lift launch vehicles, lunar landers, and orbital vehicles provide the space industry with a single source for missions from low Earth orbit to the surface of the Moon and beyond. For more information, visit www.fireflyspace.com.
Launch Land Orbit Firefly Aerospace 2024-03-12 | Our Fireflies are gearing up for an epic year with our Alpha, Blue Ghost and Elytra missions. We will literally launch, land and orbit!
Alpha FLTA004 Fly The Lightning Firefly Aerospace 2023-12-22 | The Fly the Lightning mission will deploy an Electronically Steered Antenna (ESA) payload developed by Lockheed Martin to demonstrate rapid delivery of on-orbit capabilities for U.S. warfighters. As a secondary objective, the mission team will further demonstrate responsive space capabilities by tracking and improving the total working hours required from payload receival to launch readiness compared to Alpha FLTA003, the record-breaking VICTUS NOX mission.The Alpha FLTA004 Fly the Lightning mission is prepared to launch no earlier than December 22. The adjusted T-0 is 9:32:30 am PST with a 16 minute launch window.During the final launch operations, the team will transport the payload faring to the launch pad and mate it to Firefly’s Alpha rocket using similar responsive operations to VICTUS NOX. The launch is being observed by members of the U.S. Space Force Tactically Responsive Space team to inform future missions and the requirements for repeatable on-demand launch capabilities.Fly the Lightning will launch from Firefly’s SLC-2 complex at the Vandenberg Space Force Base in CaliforniaFor more details on the Alpha FLTA004 Fly the Lightning mission and livestream, visit fireflyspace.com/missions/fly-the-lightning/. Firefly Aerospace is an end-to-end space transportation company with launch, lunar, and on-orbit services. Headquartered in central Texas, Firefly is a portfolio company of AE Industrial Partners (“AEI”) focused on delivering responsive, reliable, and affordable space access for government and commercial customers. Firefly’s small- to medium-lift launch vehicles, lunar landers, and orbital vehicles provide the space industry with a single source for missions from low Earth orbit to the surface of the Moon and beyond. For more information, visit www.fireflyspace.com.
Record Breaking Rocket Launch - Victus Nox Recap Firefly Aerospace 2023-10-23 | Our #VICTUSNOX mission fundamentally changed how the space industry accesses space. Instead of spending weeks or months prepping a payload and rocket for launch, we condensed the timeline into 24 hours. Responsive space has been a concept for years, and our team showed the world that it's now possible.
Blue Ghost Lunar Lander Structure Complete Firefly Aerospace 2023-10-04 | We’re one step closer to landing on the Moon! The team completed development and assembly of our Blue Ghost lander's structure and fluid systems, a critical milestone for our first lunar mission in 2024 as part of NASA’s CLPS initiative. This passionate, hardworking team is dedicated to overcoming any challenge that comes our way, knowing the important role our lunar missions will have in paving the way for the future of space exploration and our nation’s growing lunar economy. #BlueGhost #ToTheMoonLearn more here: fireflyspace.com/news/firefly-aerospace-completes-blue-ghost-lunar-lander-structure-ahead-of-moon-landing-for-nasa
24 Hour Rocket Launch Operations in 1 Minute! Firefly Aerospace 2023-09-15 | The successful #VICTUSNOX mission demonstrates Firefly’s capability to launch on-demand and deploy assets when and where customers need them. Our combined commercial and government team executed the mission with record speed, agility, and flexibility, adding a critical capability to address our national security needs. SpaceForceDoD SLDelta30 #PartnersinSpace
Alpha FLTA003: Firefly Stands Ready for VICTUS NOX Firefly Aerospace 2023-08-30 | The Firefly team now stands ready for the 24-hour callup for the @SpaceForceDoD #VICTUSNOX responsive space mission. We've officially entered the "hot standby phase" and wait to receive the notice to launch and final orbit requirements. Firefly will then have 24 hours to update the trajectory software, encapsulate the payload, transport to the pad, mate, and launch our #AlphaRocket within the first available window!
Meet Our New Spacecraft Elytra Firefly Aerospace 2023-08-08 | Introducing Elytra: Our line of highly mobile and scalable orbital vehicles. Formerly known as our Space Utility Vehicle, Elytra offers more robust on-orbit solutions, including mobility, hosting, delivery, and servicing across cislunar space and beyond. As the wings of a firefly, Elytra (pronounced ella-truh) is extending our customers’ reach across space. Learn more here: fireflyspace.com/elytra
Working on Rocket Engines - Propulsion Engineer Job Spotlight Firefly Aerospace 2023-07-13 | Don’t take our word for it, learn from one of our propulsion engineers why Firefly is the best company on the planet to build your aerospace career. Check out our job openings working on our rocket, landers and spacecraft programs! fireflyspace.com/careers. #BecomeAFirefly #Hiring
We Are Firefly Firefly Aerospace 2023-06-21 | Whether we're launching, landing on the Moon, or orbiting in space, we are making space for everyone - We are Firefly" fireflyspace.com
Rocket Science - 80s Action Movie Edition Firefly Aerospace 2023-06-01 | While we take rockets very seriously, we still like to have a little fun. Now sing it with us... Revvin' up your engineListen to the rocket roarCarbon under tensionBeggin' you to launch and goHighway to the Rocket RanchRide into the Rocket Ranch
A Day in the Clean Room - Wes Anderson #shorts Firefly Aerospace 2023-05-10 | See what a typical day looks like working on a lunar lander in a clean room. That is, if Wes Anderson were filming. #wesanderson #shorts
Alpha Rocket - Test What We Fly Firefly Aerospace 2023-02-27 | Our team completed engine and stage testing on another Alpha rocket, and we are GO for launch integration. Firefly’s in-house, “test what we fly” approach further ensures mission success. Follow along for updates on our lead up to launch: twitter.com/firefly_space
FLTA002 Mission Recap: To the Black Firefly Aerospace 2023-01-25 | On October 1, 2022, Firefly made history. We successfully launched into orbit on our second attempt. As we ramp up for more Alpha launches in 2023, let’s take a look back at some never-before-seen footage of FLTA002 developed in collaboration with @cosmicperspectives. Want to receive future launch updates? Join our mailing list here: fireflyspace.com/news
Flight 2 To The Black Firefly Aerospace 2022-10-03 | On Oct 1st, 2022, Firefly Aerospace made history as we launched into orbit and successfully deployed all customer payloads on only our second attempt.With the success of this mission, Firefly is now the first company to launch and reach orbit from US soil in only its second attempt. Firefly also becomes the first and only US commercial space company with a rocket ready to take customers to space in the highly desired 1300kg payload lift class.
Teachers in Space Flight 2 Firefly Aerospace 2022-10-03 | Learn more about Teachers in Space and their mission Serenity that successfully launched on Firefly's first orbital mission FLTA002 "To The Black". Mission DetailsTo collect flight data during the mission and make it available to the educational community for analysis and comparison to data collected on other flights and vehicles.Typical data collected: Atmospheric pressure, Temperature, and Radiation via a matched pair of Geiger counters, one wrapped in experimental radiation protection material, one unwrapped
Firefly Launch Customers NASA TechEdSat-15 Firefly Aerospace 2022-10-03 | Learn more about NASA's TechEdSat-15 mission that successfully launched on Firefly's first orbital mission FLTA002 "To The Black" on Oct 1st at 12:01AM PDT.Mission Details:The TechEdSat-15 is a three-unit CubeSat that weighs 9.1 pounds and carries experiments that are being advanced in TechEdSat’s Nano-Orbital Workshop (NOW) rapid flight development series.TechEdSat-15’s primary experiment is a version of an exo-brake intended to survive much higher temperature environments – several hundred degrees – than in previous flights. It will demonstrate the next step forward in nanosatellites’ ability to target an Earth entry point.The exo-brake is a device that applies drag in Earth’s exosphere – the uppermost reaches of the atmosphere – to slow the speed of a satellite’s descent and change its direction. This experiment will permit the satellite to survive closer-to-peak heating, maintain telemetry, and assess the dynamics as the system enters the top of the atmosphere.Another experiment on TechEdSat-15 includes the Beacon And Memory Board Interface (BAMBI), which optimizes internal and external data transfer from the nanosatellite.The TechEdSat-NOW series has multiple research goals including using the exo-brake to de-orbit high-altitude nanosatellites at end of mission to reduce issues related to orbital debris. Additionally, drag modulation has uses for sample return from low-Earth orbit as well as tailoring orbits during aero-pass maneuvers for future planetary applications.
FLIGHT 2 THE BLACK Firefly Aerospace 2022-10-01 | Watch Firefly achieve orbit on their second attempt. Full success!
Firefly Flight 2 Road to Success Firefly Aerospace 2022-03-21 | Since our first test launch last September, we have been itching to get back to the pad. With the completion of acceptance testing of both stages, we are getting closer. Learn more about our journey to orbit.
Flight 2 ATP Firefly Aerospace 2022-02-18 | The Firefly team is laser-focused on reaching orbit this year. With the successful stage 2 hotfire today, both stages of our flight 2 Alpha vehicle have now completed acceptance testing and are ready for flight. See you on the pad.
Firefly Performs a Successful Static Fire Test on its Vandenberg Launch Pad Firefly Aerospace 2021-08-19 | Yesterday, August 18, Firefly performed a static fire test of the Alpha launch vehicle on its Vandenberg launch pad. The fully-fueled, flight-ready vehicle fired its first stage engines for fifteen seconds. The test was successful and clears the way for Firefly to make its first launch attempt, currently scheduled for September 2.
Firefly Alpha Flight 1 Stage 2 Acceptance Test Firefly Aerospace 2020-12-02 | Firefly has completed acceptance testing of Alpha Flight 1 Stage 2! The stage will now ship to Vandenberg and be integrated with Stage 1 in preparation for the first Alpha launch! #Firefly #MakingSpaceForEveyone
Alpha Flight 1 Stage 1 Arrives at Vandenberg Firefly Aerospace 2020-11-06 | Alpha Flight 1 Stage 1 Arrives at Vandenberg
Alpha Flight 1 Payload Fairing Separation Test Firefly Aerospace 2020-10-28 | Firefly’s fairing separation system was designed and manufactured in-house. It is “operationally resettable” so we are able to fully test each fairing prior to launch. Alpha Flight 1 fairing passed the test and is ready to fly!
Firefly Alpha Flight 1 Stage 1 Final Acceptance Test Firefly Aerospace 2020-10-10 | The Firefly Alpha Flight 1 Stage 1 passed its Final Acceptance Test yesterday! After a final inspection, it will be transported to Vandenberg Air Force Base in preparation for launch. Great work by the over 300+ Firefly team to achieve this important milestone! #Firefly #MakingSpaceForEveryone
Firefly Alpha Flight 1 Stage 1 Acceptance Testing Firefly Aerospace 2020-09-22 | Some additional footage of last weekend's Alpha Flight 1 Stage 1 acceptance testing. Check out the engines gimballing for the thrust vector control maneuvers. Volume up! #Firefly #MakingSpaceForEveryone
Firefly Alpha Flight 1 Stage 1 Firefly Aerospace 2020-09-20 | Today we performed a test of the Alpha flight first stage. The four Reaver engines performed 35 seconds of thrust vector control maneuvers, challenging the flame deflectors to constrain all that Reaver power! Today's test was a major step in Firefly's march to first flight.
Firefly Alpha Flight 1 Stage 1 Firefly Aerospace 2020-09-20 | Today we performed a test of the Alpha flight first stage. The four Reaver engines performed 35 seconds of thrust vector control maneuvers, challenging the flame deflectors to constrain all that Reaver power! Today's test was a major step in Firefly's march to first flight.
Firefly DREAM Payload Firefly Aerospace 2020-08-13 | The quest for space travel inspires STEM interest like no other endeavor. Firefly has promoted that interest by opening its doors to youth though Firefly Academy, the Base11 Challenge, and the Firefly International Rocket Event (FIRE). Firefly is taking their STEM commitment literally to the next level, by announcing a global competition to host academic and educational payloads, free of charge, on the inaugural flight of the Firefly Alpha launch vehicle.
Reaver Acceptance Testing Firefly Aerospace 2020-05-08 | Firefly Aerospace Reaver Acceptance Testing. High Speed Camera at 1,000 frames per second. May 6, 2020.
Flight Termination System Test Firefly Aerospace 2020-02-14 | A launch vehicle’s Flight Termination System (FTS) will destroy it if it deviates from the expected flight path. Although we hope that Alpha’s FTS never has to be activated, as a safety system it needs to be one of the most reliable components on the vehicle. Recently at our Briggs site we have been conducting tests to prove our FTS functionality using flight-configuration ordnance and an Alpha COPV at flight pressure and temperature. One such test was conducted inside a “sea van” shipping container. There was quite the battle over who got to push the button! #MakingSpaceForEveryone
Stage 2 Qualification 319 Second Mission Duty Cycle Firefly Aerospace 2019-11-26 | Great work by the entire Firefly team to complete qualification of the Alpha second stage. This build of the stage ran for a total of 949 seconds during the qualification campaign, including two Mission Duty Cycles and a successful relight after a simulated coast. On to Stage 1 Qualification!
