ALS, Firefly Aerospace Ink Contract for Four Alpha Rocket Launches

Adaptive Launch Solutions, a satellite integrator and multi-manifest hardware provider, has agreed to conduct launch services with Firefly Aerospace's launch vehicle in response to small satellite demands from government operators and commercial owners.

Firefly said Wednesday its Alpha rocket will be used in four ALS-led smallsat launches starting 2021 under a multi-year agreement.

Phil Smith, CEO of ALS, said his company will provide launch services for flights two and three of the Alpha rocket in 2021. “These two missions offer our customers the earliest commercial launch opportunities on Firefly Alpha.”

He added ALS brings experience from the U.S. Space Force's Launch Manifest Systems Integrator effort that helps the military send small satellites to space.

Firefly Alpha is designed to deliver payloads to low Earth orbit and sun–synchronous orbit, offering launch options for both full vehicle and ride share customers. It can carry 1 metric ton of payload to LEO and 630 kg. in SSO.

The rocket manufacturer has been preparing its Vandenberg Air Force Base Space Launch Complex 2 launch site for the Alpha's maiden flight in 2021. Firefly has also passed both Stage 1 and Stage 2 acceptance tests for the rocket's Flight 1.