INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Firefly Aerospace has signed an agreement with Spaceflight Inc
that provides Spaceflight with the majority of the payload capacity aboard a Firefly launch vehicle scheduled to take off from Vandenberg
Air Force Base in California sometime in 2021
Spaceflight is a ride-share service provider for space-bound payloads, working with other companies to pool resources and combine spacecraft
its first launch vehicle, will have a full payload capacity of 630 kilograms (around 1,400 pounds) to sun synchronous orbit, and Spaceflight
will manage singing and integrating payloads from a number of customers to fill that capacity
This agreement also includes a provision that extends longer-term to future missions, with Spaceflight on board to help secure customers to
join future Firefly Alpha launches as well.Already, Spaceflight has emerged as a leading company in the rocket ride-share market, providing
launch payload management services for 271 satellites across 29 different launches
Firefly is currently still in the testing phase for Alpha, but has made significant progress and continues its work despite the coronavirus
pandemic, despite some setbacks including a fire on the test pad in January.Firefly Aerospace still plans to fly Alpha for the first time
Should that initial test flight prove successful, the company should be in a good position to begin flying commercially in 2021.
