Firefly Ready To Try Again

Last September, when Firefly last appeared here, it was after their first attempt at making orbit ended in a Flight Termination Event - loss of the vehicle and failure of the mission.  Thanks to a heads up from Ars Technica's Rocket Report, we learn that Firefly will make its second attempt to reach orbit with its Alpha rocket in May, having received government approval to resume launch operations.  The company recently completed a $75 million round of fundraising along with some reorganization, all of which resulted in approval from the Fed.gov to resume operations. 

The government halted Firefly's launch operations at Vandenberg in late 2021, saying Ukrainian software entrepreneur Max Polyakov's venture must sell his 50 percent stake in Firefly. The divestiture came late last month, soon after Russia invaded Ukraine. Separately, Firefly also closed a $75 million fundraising round led by AE Industrial Partners, which Markusic said means that the company's broader growth plan is "fully funded." This is good news for Firefly as it seeks to get Alpha flying regularly and to develop its Blue Ghost lunar lander.

Their first attempt at orbit was from Vandenberg Space Force Base and they will resume operations there.  CEO Tom Markusic says the company “worked methodically and cooperatively with the government” to both complete the divestment, as well as to add “security protocols” at the company.  After these changes, Markusic said the company now has “full access to our facilities to go back and launch” from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.

Firefly will next transport its second Alpha rocket from its headquarters near Austin, Texas, to California, and aims to launch as soon as it can.

They feel that they understand and addressed the issue that cost the first mission, so they're ready to go try again.  

The first Firefly Alpha, first stage, prior to shipment to Vandenberg in '21.  Firefly Aerospace photo.