Miles Jamison
Firefly Aerospace and L3Harris Technologies have entered into an agreement to extend their launch services partnership for five years.
The space transportation company said Wednesday it has signed a second deal with defense contracting company L3Harris to team up for a maximum of 20 launches using Firefly’s Alpha rocket, with two to four missions a year starting from 2027 to 2031.
The Alpha rocket will launch L3Harris spacecraft into low-orbit Earth from the SLC-2 launch site at the Vandenberg Space Force Base. In the previous contract, the two companies are set to launch three missions scheduled for 2026.
The Alpha rocket is designed to carry satellites weighing up to 1,030 kilograms to space. It is often used for small to medium-sized satellite missions for both government and commercial customers.
Peter Schumacher, interim CEO at Firefly Aerospace, reiterated the company’s commitment to meet the space needs of its customers.
“Firefly continues to see growing demand for Alpha’s responsive small-lift services, and we’re committed to providing a dedicated launch option that takes our customers directly to their preferred orbits,” added Schumacher.
Firefly finished its Briggs, Texas facility expansion early this year. The upgraded Rocket Ranch features an automated fiber placement machine that fabricates the carbon composite structures.
