Firefly Aerospace selected to demonstrate launch, on-orbit services for DOD

Elytra. Source | Firefly Aerospace

In March 2024, Firefly Aerospace Inc. (Cedar Park, Texas, U.S.), an end-to-end space transportation company, signed an agreement with the U.S. Department of Defense’s (DOD) Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) to conduct a trade study on its capabilities to rapidly launch Firefly’s Elytra vehicles and support missions beyond geosynchronous orbit, referred to as xGEO. once complete, the trade study will provide the groundwork for up to two Firefly demonstration missions that will advance the DOD’s responsive access to xGEO.

A line of highly mobile and scalable orbital vehicles announced in 2023, Elytra offers on-orbit mobility, hosting, delivery and servicing across cislunar space and beyond. When launched on Firefly’s small- and medium-lift launch vehicles, Elytra can reportedly service the entire life cycle of government and commercial missions. Like a majority of the company’s products, the orbital vehicle line makes use of carbon fiber composites (see the main barrel), weighing in at just 32 pounds. Testing in March notes that Elytra is capable of withstanding 22,500 pounds of force — far surpassing the force expected during flight. 

“Firefly’s robust vehicle lines and proven responsive space capabilities put us in a position to rapidly service the vast region of space from GEO to the moon and beyond,” says Bill Weber, CEO of Firefly Aerospace. “As international and commercial initiatives ramp up in this region, the Firefly team is prepared to execute missions that support the growing infrastructure, provide space domain awareness and help protect our nation’s critical assets on and around the moon.”

“Firefly is accelerating commercial growth beyond GEO with our launch, lunar and orbital vehicles,” says Jana Spruce, vice president of spacecraft. 

The contract supports the DIU’s Sinequone project that aims to deliver cost-effective, responsive access to xGEO through both launch and orbital transfer services. Following completion of the study, Firefly will conduct up to two demonstrations to deliver multiple payloads to xGEO aboard its Elytra Dark spacecraft with the first mission completed within 18 months of receiving the approval to proceed. The missions will perform technology demonstrations to advance future operations in the xGEO environment.

In addition to this latest agreement, Firefly is ramping up for multiple upcoming responsive space missions, including a responsive on-orbit Elytra mission for the NRO that will launch aboard Alpha later this year and a study for DARPA on responsive on-orbit spacecraft hubs. These operations follow Firefly’s recent responsive launch for the U.S. Space Force’s VICTUS NOX mission that was successfully completed after a 24-hour notice.