More Progress As Firefly Aerospace Prepares For Second Orbital Test Flight
Firefly Aerospace is one of many companies preparing for a big upcoming launch of their rocket. In this case, Firefly is working towards the second orbital test flight of Alpha. The first launch saw Alpha take flight and gain altitude before the team used the flight termination system to safely destroy the rocket. While not 100% successful, it was a good first attempt and taught the company a lot.
Now in July of 2022, Firefly is finishing some final tests before the second test flight, expected to happen in around one or two months. Over the past few weeks, Firefly has provided updates on Twitter and other sources on the company’s progress and plans. This includes the specific tests for the second flight and even progress towards the third test flight.
It’s clear that Firefly is fully focused on reaching orbit and doing everything in the company’s power to not only successfully reach the milestone but do it in a timely manner. A large list of other successful rocket companies have shown that reaching orbit is by no means easy in any way. Here I will go more in-depth into the recent updates from Firefly, what specific tests need to be completed, and what to expect in the coming months.
Recent Updates
Thankfully, Firefly has kept us updated on the current progress not only on the upcoming second test flight but also future plans. Back on July 4th Firefly tweeted saying, “Happy 4th of July!” This included an image of Firefly Alpha Flight 2 fully integrated vehicle at Vandenberg Space Force Base. In terms of this next launch, “Our target is in the next 45 to 60 days of being able to launch,” Peter Schumacher, interim chief executive of Firefly. He continued that “It’s really pending, at this point, range availability.” Specifically, Firefly is waiting on a launch license from the FAA for a debris model. Around a year ago when the company launched for the first time, they terminated the rocket and it spread debris outside the predicted area. “We have the unfortunate precedent of being the first large composite rocket ever to be terminated,” he said. “So when we did terminate, some of the pieces fell outside where this model predicted.” Other than the FAA approval, the only other things Firefly needs to do prior to launch are a wet dress rehearsal and static fire. Although these will be done within two weeks of launch.
The Vandenberg launch site is quite busy and has a list of government launches planned around the time Firefly is set to launch. “If they don’t move, we’ll probably be looking at a launch in the first or second week of September,” he said. “If those government launches are delayed for any reason, we might be able to sneak into the last week of August.” When talking about improving the rocket from the last attempt, “It’s around ensuring that the second flight, the product that is sitting out there, is the absolute best product that we can produce,” he said. “This rigor is really what is the difference and what is giving us the confidence that we think flight two is going to be successful.”
Next, on July 19th Firefly tweeted again this time mentioning, “Progress on Alpha Flight 3, our @NASA VCLS-2 mission. Stage 2 being lifted onto our test stand in Briggs, TX, in preparation for acceptance testing. This mission includes NASA’s first demonstration of autonomous swam technologies.” Back in late 2020 NASA’s Launch Services Program awarded multiple Venture Class Launch Services Demonstration 2 (VCLS Demo 2) contracts to launch small satellites (SmallSats) to space, including CubeSats, microsats or nanosatellites. Firefly Aerospace was one of three companies picked and was awarded the most money at just under $10 million. LSP supports the agency’s CubeSat Launch Initiative (CSLI) by providing launch opportunities to CubeSats that are awaiting launch. The VCLS Demo 2 contracts will launch CubeSats selected through the CSLI to demonstrate a launch capability for smaller payloads that NASA anticipates it will require on a recurring basis for future science missions. The Earth Science Division of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate has partnered with LSP to fund the VCLS Demo 2 contracts. These VCLS Demo 2 launches of small satellites can tolerate a higher level of risk than larger missions and will demonstrate – and help mitigate – risks associated with the use of new launch vehicles providing access to space for future small spacecraft and missions.
Finally, just a few days ago on July 20th, Firefly tweeted pointing out, “On this day in 1969, Neil Armstrong made history as the first person to set foot on the Moon. Firefly is helping lead our way back to the lunar surface with our @NASA CLPS mission scheduled for 2024. Our Blue Ghost lander is beginning to take shape.” It’s clear the company is making progress on Blue Ghost and working toward an ambitious Moon landing not long from now. The tweet also included a short video showing off some new animations of the lander and its real progress as well.
Firefly Alpha
Now that we know what Firefly has been up to and when we should expect the second launch, we can take a closer look at the first attempt and what the company has changed. The test began with a nominal countdown and lift off on September 2nd at 6:59 PM PDT and achieved a successful first stage ignition, liftoff from the pad, and progression to supersonic speed. During the flight, the launch vehicle experienced an anomaly that resulted in a safe termination of flight by the Range using the Flight Termination System (FTS). An initial review of flight data indicated that an electrical issue caused the shutdown of one of the four first stage Reaver engines.
During the two minutes and twenty-five seconds of flight, Firefly obtained a substantial amount of flight data that will be utilized to improve the design of future Alpha launch vehicles, including the second flight vehicle, which is currently getting ready for launch. Markusic also stated, “Firefly has been incredibly fortunate to have partners that share our vision and passion. The most difficult and perilous days of Firefly Aerospace were funded by Noosphere Ventures, founded by Max Polyakov. Early on, Max and I created the technological and business development roadmap – the first launch of Alpha being a hard-fought landmark achievement for the entire team.” He continued, “The Alpha launch vehicle was developed by a world-class group of talented and dedicated technical directors. Firefly’s Flight and Test Operations Department, led by Anne Chinnery, Brad Obrocto, and Sean Reilly, built Firefly’s launch facility and successfully conducted the first launch.”
Dr. Max Polyakov, Firefly’s Co-Founder said, “Alpha’s first launch was a historic day for Firefly. I salute and thank the team that has worked so hard to make the vision of Firefly a reality. In just four years, Firefly has developed and flown an orbital class launch vehicle and is building our Blue Ghost lunar lander to go to the Moon in 2023 — incredible accomplishments for such a short time!” “Firefly has conducted the first test flight of our Alpha vehicle. The day marked a major advancement for the Firefly team, as we demonstrated that we ‘arrived’ as a company capable of building and launching rockets,” said Tom Markusic, CEO of Firefly Aerospace. “Although the vehicle did not reach orbit, we acquired a wealth of flight data that will greatly enhance the likelihood of Alpha achieving orbit during its second flight. In short, we had a very successful first flight.”
Taking a closer look at the engines, Alpha utilizes well established propulsion technology. Both stages use common designs: copper regen-cooled LOx/RP-1 thrust chambers, a simple tap-off cycle which drives single shaft turbopumps, nozzle-mounted turbine exhaust manifolds, and hydraulic actuators. Innovations in Firefly engines include their simple “Crossfire” injector, tap-off geometry, dual-mounted electrically actuated, trimmable propellant main valves, and ultra-compact horizontal turbopump mounting. The upper stage engine, “Lightning,” includes a turbine-exhaust cooled refractory metal high area ratio nozzle extension. The first stage “Reaver” engines feature simple single axis gimballing. Consistent with the overall Alpha vehicle design, cost and performance are traded and optimized in Lightning and Reaver components to provide the best payload performance value. Firefly also uses advanced carbon-fiber composites for the entire airframe of Alpha, including the state-of-the-art, linerless, cryogenic propellant tanks. Composite materials are ideally suited to launch vehicle structures due to their high strength, low density, and tailorable material properties. This allows Firefly Alpha to lift heavier payloads than a similar metal rocket. All of which will be put to the test not long from now.
Conclusion
Firefly Aerospace is very close to the company’s long awaited second orbital test flight of Alpha. Right now the company is waiting on an FAA launch license, before a wet dress rehearsal and static fire. We will have to wait and see how it progresses and the impact it has on the space industry.