INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
In a perfect example of a small, new space startup teaming up with a legacy industry heavyweight with plenty of experience, Firefly is
teaming up with Aerojet Rocketdyne
Firefly Aerospace was founded in 2013 and has raised $21.6 million so far to bring its first product, the Alpha small satellite launch
vehicle, to market.Firefly is on track to make its crucial first launch in time for the February to March time frame next year, according to
Firefly founder and CEO Dr
progress and talk about the newly formed partnership between Firefly and Aerojet Rocketdyne.Firefly founder and CEO Tom MarkusicMarkusic was
joined by Aerojet Rocketdyne SVP of Space Business Jim Maser, and the two executives explained how Aerojet will provide engines for Firefly
enters into regular commercial service.Beta will be a medium launch vehicle, with greater cargo capacity compared to Alpha and a maximum
load of around 8.5 metric tons
produce 500,000 pounds of thrust, was the perfect solution.In general, Markusic and Maser both expressed the opinion that startup and
younger companies just getting into the industry are prime partners for older companies like Aerojet, which was founded in 1942 and has been
with someone with lots more experience
This partnership goes beyond just the engine supply arrangement, Markusic said, and will provide more far-ranging benefits for the
five kilowatt hull thruster that can be utilized on our OTV (orbital transfer vehicle), and advanced OTV, we could do some heavier missions
in cis-lunar space, and they also have a large corral of flight proven by proposed chemical thrusters that can be used on these other stages
advanced launch capabilities, and its ambitions extend even beyond launchers and to in-space manufacturing, which Markusic said is
attractive to the company since the ultimate way to reduce launch costs is to obviate the need for launch costs altogether
