Firefly Aerospace
Updated: 12/11/2025, 10:37:36 AM Wikipedia source
Firefly Aerospace, Inc. (Firefly) is an American aerospace firm based in Cedar Park, Texas. Firefly develops small- and medium-lift launch vehicles for commercial launches to orbit. Firefly's stated purpose is to increase access to space, similar to other private spaceflight companies. The company was formed when the assets of the former company Firefly Space Systems were acquired by EOS Launcher in March 2017, which was then renamed Firefly Aerospace.
Infobox
Company type
Public
Traded as
Nasdaq: FLY
Industry
Aerospace
Founded
March 2017; 8 years ago (2017-03)
Founder
Tom Markusic
Headquarters
Cedar Park, Texas, United States
Key people
Jason Kim (CEO)
Products
Alpha (small-lift launch vehicle)Eclipse (medium-lift launch vehicle)Blue Ghost (lunar lander)Elytra (space tug)
Number of employees
750 (2025)
Website
fireflyspace.com
Tables
· Launch vehicles › Firefly Alpha
FLTA001
FLTA001
Launch
FLTA001
Success/Failure
Fail
Date
9/2021
FLTA002
FLTA002
Launch
FLTA002
Success/Failure
Success
Date
10/2022
FLTA003
FLTA003
Launch
FLTA003
Success/Failure
Success
Date
9/2023
FLTA004
FLTA004
Launch
FLTA004
Success/Failure
Fail
Date
12/2023
FLTA005
FLTA005
Launch
FLTA005
Success/Failure
Partial Success
Date
7/2024
FLTA006
FLTA006
Launch
FLTA006
Success/Failure
Fail
Date
4/2025
| Launch | Success/Failure | Date |
| FLTA001 | Fail | 9/2021 |
| FLTA002 | Success | 10/2022 |
| FLTA003 | Success | 9/2023 |
| FLTA004 | Fail | 12/2023 |
| FLTA005 | Partial Success | 7/2024 |
| FLTA006 | Fail | 4/2025 |
References
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- "Lockheed Martin to buy up to 25 rocket launches from Firefly Aerospace"https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/lockheed-martin-buy-up-25-rocket-launches-firefly-aerospace-2024-06-05/
- "Firefly Space Systems charges full-speed toward low Earth orbit"https://arstechnica.com/science/2014/11/firefly-space-systems-charges-full-speed-toward-low-earth-orbit/
- "Next generation of space cowboys get ready to fly"https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn25861-next-generation-of-space-cowboys-get-ready-to-fly.html#.U9fLOuNdVuQ
- "Firefly Space – 7.26"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FbntJeYQvqg
- "Hawthorne-based rocket company to move to Texas"http://www.dailybreeze.com/business/20140911/hawthorne-based-rocket-company-to-move-to-texas
- Episode 15: DOWNLINK—Firefly Space Systems — Interviewhttp://www.theorbitalmechanics.com/show-notes/fireflyss
- "SpaceX Alum Goes After Falcon 1 Market With Firefly"http://aviationweek.com/space/spacex-alum-goes-after-falcon-1-market-firefly
- First Rocket Engine Test a Success for Firefly Space Systems Archived October 26, 2016, at the Wayback Machine, press rehttp://www.fireflyspace.com/news/ournews/first-rocket-engine-test-a-success-for-firefly-space-systems
- Space.comhttp://www.space.com/30508-firefly-rocket-engine-test-photo.html
- New Alpha rocket will launch test flights from KSC Archived May 9, 2022, at the Wayback Machine Florida Today, October 1http://www.floridatoday.com/story/tech/science/space/2015/10/14/ksc-awards-help-develop-small-satellite-launchers/73916514/
- "Former Propulsion Chief Accuses Virgin Galactic of Lying About SpaceShipTwo's Safety, Performance"http://www.parabolicarc.com/2016/01/12/propulsion-chief-accuses-virgin-galactic-lying-spaceshiptwos-safety-performance/
- "Firefly Space Systems furloughs staff after investor backs out"http://spacenews.com/firefly-space-systems-furloughs-staff-after-investor-backs-out/
- "Virgin Galactic Sues Firefly, Officers for Alleged Misappropriation of Trade Secrets"http://www.parabolicarc.com/2016/10/25/virgin-galactic-sues-firefly-officers-alleged-misappropriation-trade-secrets/
- "Firefly Space Systems assets to be sold"http://spacenews.com/firefly-space-systems-assets-to-be-sold/
- "Celebrate Independence Day by Buying a Rocket Test Facility"http://www.parabolicarc.com/2017/06/05/celebrate-independence-day-buying-rocket-test-facility/
- noosphereventures.comhttps://noosphereventures.com/max-polyakov/
- maxpolyakov.spacehttps://maxpolyakov.space/
- "After a remarkable resurrection, Firefly may reach space in 2019"https://arstechnica.com/science/2019/02/firefly-returns-from-the-dead-with-a-larger-rocket-and-lunar-aspirations/
- AviationWeek.comhttps://aviationweek.com/defense-space/firefly-re-emerges-upgraded-alpha-rocket-design
- "The Major Airspace News Of 2017, Including Max Polyakov's Firefly Aerospace"https://mightygadget.co.uk/major-airspace-news-2017-including-max-polyakovs-firefly-aerospace/
- SpaceFlight Insiderhttps://www.spaceflightinsider.com/press-releases/max-polyakovs-firefly-aerospace-opens-rd-center-in-dnipro-city-ukraine/
- "Firefly Aerospace Opens Research and Development Center in Dnipro, Ukraine – Firefly Aerospace"https://web.archive.org/web/20190818092318/https://firefly.com/firefly-aerospace-opens-research-and-development-center-in-dnipro-ukraine/
- "Firefly Aerospace and York Space Systems partner to provide integrated satellite solutions"https://spacenews.com/firefly-aerospace-and-york-space-systems-partner-to-provide-integrated-satellite-solutions/
- "Firefly Aerospace Concept for Launch Vehicle with Moon Lander"https://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/firefly-aerospace-concept-for-launch-vehicle-with-moon-lander
- SpaceNewshttps://archive.today/20190709150514/https://spacenews.com/firefly-to-partner-with-iai-on-lunar-lander/
- "Firefly planning a major rocket assembly and launch facility in Florida"https://arstechnica.com/science/2019/02/firefly-planning-a-major-rocket-assembly-and-launch-facility-in-florida/
- Resurrected Firefly Aerospace will take over a launch site at busy Florida spaceport Archived November 26, 2021, at thehttps://www.theverge.com/2019/2/22/18234604/firefly-aerospace-cape-canaveral-florida-launch-site-slc-20
- Parabolic Archttp://www.parabolicarc.com/2019/12/17/original-firefly-shareholders-sue-fireflys-markusic-polyakov-alleging-fraud/
- "NASA Selects Firefly Aerospace for Artemis Commercial Moon Delivery in 2023"https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-selects-firefly-aerospace-for-artemis-commercial-moon-delivery-in-2023
- Firefly Aerospacehttps://firefly.com/firefly-completes-oversubscribed-75m-series-a-and-100m-secondary-transaction/
- "Firefly Alpha explodes during first launch"https://firefly.com/firefly-aerospace-conducts-first-test-launch-of-alpha-launch-vehicle/
- Vance, Ashleehttps://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-12-29/firefly-owner-max-polyakov-to-sell-stake-in-rocket-startup
- When the Heavens Went on Sale
- Space Newshttps://spacenews.com/ae-industrial-partners-to-acquire-stake-in-firefly-from-noosphere/
- "Northrop Grumman Teams with Firefly Aerospace to Develop Antares Rocket Upgrade and New Medium Launch Vehicle"https://news.northropgrumman.com/news/releases/northrop-grumman-teams-with-firefly-aerospace-to-develop-antares-rocket-upgrade-and-new-medium-launch-vehicle
- SpaceNews.comhttps://spacenews.com/northrop-grumman-and-firefly-to-partner-on-upgraded-antares/
- Ars Technicahttps://arstechnica.com/space/2023/09/firefly-and-space-force-demonstrate-ability-to-rapidly-launch-a-satellite/
- "Firefly Aerospace Tapped to Compete for US Spy Sat Launches"https://payloadspace.com/firefly-aerospace-tapped-to-compete-for-us-spy-sat-launches/
- SpaceNewshttps://spacenews.com/firefly-ceo-leaves-company/
- SpaceNewshttps://spacenews.com/firefly-aerospace-names-space-industry-veteran-jason-kim-as-new-ceo/
- Science Timeshttps://www.sciencetimes.com/articles/60555/20250821/nasa-selects-firefly-aerospace-carry-cmus-moonranger-rover-scientific-instruments-moons.htm
- Firefly Aerospacehttps://fireflyspace.com/news/firefly-awarded-177-million-nasa-contract-for-mission-to-the-moons-south-pole/
- CNBChttps://www.cnbc.com/2025/08/06/firefly-aerospace-fly-stock-ipo.html
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- Firefly Aerospacehttps://fireflyspace.com/missions/fly-the-lightning/
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- NASASpaceFlight.comhttps://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2024/07/firefly-noise-of-summer/
- NASASpaceFlight.comhttps://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2025/04/firefly-flta006/
- "Firefly's commercial satellite launcher to use Delta 2 pad at Vandenberg"https://spaceflightnow.com/2018/05/02/fireflys-commercial-satellite-launcher-to-use-delta-2-pad-at-vandenberg/
- "Aerojet Rocketdyne, Firefly to collaborate on propulsion"https://spaceflightnow.com/2019/10/28/aerojet-rocketdyne-firefly-to-collaborate-on-propulsion/
- NASASpaceFlighthttps://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2021/10/reusability-small-launch-providers/
- Firefly Aerospacehttps://web.archive.org/web/20220812215802/https://firefly.com/beta/
- "Firefly Aerospace doubles Texas footprint to support testing of Antares 330, MLV rocket – Spaceflight Now"https://spaceflightnow.com/2024/02/28/firefly-aerospace-doubles-texas-footprint-to-support-testing-of-antares-330-mlv-rocket/
- Firefly Aerospacehttps://fireflyspace.com/mlv/
- SpaceNewshttps://spacenews.com/firefly-signs-multi-launch-agreement-with-l3harris/
- Payload Spacehttps://payloadspace.com/firefly-doubles-its-footprint-and-charts-a-course-for-launch-land-orbit/
- www.instagram.comhttps://www.instagram.com/fireflyaerospace/reel/C4vnEeVoJKq/
- Ars Technicahttps://arstechnica.com/space/2024/07/firefly-is-building-fast-and-breaking-things-on-path-to-a-reusable-rocket/
- Firefly Aerospacehttps://fireflyspace.com/news/northrop-grumman-invests-50-million-in-firefly-aerospace-to-advance-medium-launch-vehicle-named-eclipse/
- Firefly Will Replace Russian Engines On Antares Rocket With Beta Boosterhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oaJf2uxK_uA
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- Firefly Gamma Archived November 26, 2021, at the Wayback Machine, Firefly Aerospace, Accessed on November 30, 2019https://firefly.com/launch-gamma/
- "Firefly Aerospace Awards Contract to SpaceX to Launch Blue Ghost Mission to Moon in 2023"https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210520005731/en/Firefly-Aerospace-Awards-Contract-to-SpaceX-to-Launch-Blue-Ghost-Mission-to-Moon-in-2023
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- Firefly Genesis Archived January 27, 2021, at the Wayback Machine Firefly Aerospace Accessed on September 13, 2019https://firefly.com/genesis/
- "In parallel with rocket development, Firefly launches lunar lander initiative"https://spaceflightnow.com/2020/04/01/in-parallel-with-rocket-development-firefly-offers-details-on-lunar-lander-initiative/
- "Firefly wins NASA CLPS lunar lander contract"https://spacenews.com/firefly-wins-nasa-clps-lunar-lander-contract/
- The Vergehttps://www.theverge.com/2021/9/21/22670063/astra-firefly-reaver-rocket-engine-ip-agreement
- Fireflyhttps://web.archive.org/web/20210812233223/https://firefly.com/firefly-to-become-the-premier-supplier-of-rocket-engines-and-spaceflight-components-for-the-emerging-new-space-industry/
- SpaceNewshttps://spacenews.com/northrop-grumman-and-firefly-to-partner-on-upgraded-antares/
- Space.comhttps://www.space.com/firefly-aerospace-miranda-engine-hot-fire-test-photo
- Ars Technicahttps://arstechnica.com/space/2024/07/firefly-is-building-fast-and-breaking-things-on-path-to-a-reusable-rocket/
- "New Medium Launch Vehicle"https://fireflyspace.com/mlv/
- "Northrop Grumman Teams with Firefly Aerospace to Develop Antares Rocket Upgrade and New Medium Launch Vehicle"https://fireflyspace.com/news/northrop-grumman-teams-with-firefly-aerospace-to-develop-antares-rocket-upgrade-and-new-medium-launch-vehicle/
- Payloadhttps://payloadspace.com/firefly-doubles-its-footprint-and-charts-a-course-for-launch-land-orbit/
- "Elytra"https://fireflyspace.com/elytra/
- "Firefly to Deploy Elytra Dawn Spacecraft for Pentagon's Orbital Missions"https://thedefensepost.com/2025/04/08/pentagon-orbital-missions/
- "DIU's Sinequone Project Prototypes the Ability To Access Beyond GEO Leveraging Commercial Technology"https://www.diu.mil/latest/dius-sinequone-project-prototypes-the-ability-to-access-beyond-geo
- "Austin-area aerospace company selected by NASA for Commercial Lunar Payload Services Contract"http://www.fox7austin.com/news/local-news/austin-area-aerospace-company-selected-by-nasa-for-commercial-lunar-payload-services-contract