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takyon [soylentnews.org] writes:

Firefly's Alpha rocket reaches orbit on second launch [spacenews.com]

Firefly Aerospace's Alpha launch vehicle reached orbit on its second launch Oct. 1, more than a year after the vehicle's first launch failed.

The Alpha rocket lifted off from Space Launch Complex 2 at Vandenberg Space Force Base at 3:01 a.m. Eastern. The rocket's upper stage achieved orbit nearly eight minutes later. After a circularization burn, the upper stage deployed its payloads, and Firefly declared "100% Mission success" [twitter.com] about one hour and 45 minutes after liftoff.

[...] The "To The Black" test flight carried several satellites to be deployed into a 300-kilometer orbit inclined at 137 degrees. The Teachers in Space – Serenity 3U cubesat is designed to collect basic flight data for use by educators. NASA's TechEdSat-15 3U cubesat includes several technology demonstration payloads, such as an "exo-brake" intended to provide a targeted reentry of the cubesat. A PicoBus deployer carried six PocketQube satellites for AMSAT Spain, Fossa and Libra Space Foundation.

Firefly, Millennium Space selected for U.S. Space Force rapid-launch demonstration [spacenews.com]

The U.S. Space Systems Command announced Sept. 30 it selected Firefly Space Transport Services and Millennium Space Systems to conduct a demonstration of a rapid-response space mission to low Earth orbit in 2023.

The companies will perform a Tactically Responsive Space (TacRS) mission as part of a broader effort by the U.S. Space Force to accelerate the timeline for deploying payloads to orbit.

Firefly Aerospace [wikipedia.org].

Previously: Rocket 'Terminated' in Fiery Explosion Over Pacific Ocean [soylentnews.org] (2021)
Northrop Grumman Picks Firefly to Replace Russian Engines on Antares Rocket [soylentnews.org]
Watch Firefly Aerospace Try to Reach Orbit for 1st Time Sunday [soylentnews.org]

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