Summer Myatt
Boeing’s Millennium Space Systems subsidiary and Firefly Aerospace have moved into a six-month hot standby phase for a Space Systems Command-led Tactically Responsive Space mission, called VICTUS NOX, and will wait for a callup to launch the payload within 24 hours.
Once the Space Force issues a launch notice, the mission team will encapsulate and bring the payload to a launch pad at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California to facilitate fueling operations and integration with Firefly’s Alpha rocket, the companies said in a joint release published Wednesday.
The team expects VICTUS NOX to provide space domain awareness once deployed into low-Earth orbit.
“The U.S.’s ability to rapidly respond to on-orbit needs is critical to our national defense, particularly in today’s evolving space environment,” said Lt. Col. MacKenzie Birchenough, materiel leader for SSC’s Space Safari program office.
Bill Weber, CEO of Firefly Aerospace, said the company is proud to provide the U.S. Space Force and the country with the capability to launch on-demand to back national security missions.
