In collaboration with SSC, Firefly set to
become first U.S. company to launch satellites from continental
Europe
CEDAR
PARK, Texas, June 27,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Swedish Space Corporation
(SSC) and U.S. space transportation company Firefly
Aerospace have signed a collaborative agreement to jointly
launch satellites with Firefly's Alpha rocket from the newly
inaugurated spaceport at Esrange Space Center in Sweden, starting in 2026. Together, Firefly
and SSC are establishing an orbital launch service in Europe with a flight-proven launch vehicle,
supporting commercial, civil, and defense customers.
"We're pleased to announce this historic collaboration that will
have a huge impact on the global launch market, not least in
Europe and the U.S.," said
Charlotta Sund, CEO at SSC.
"Reducing the current gap of orbital launch sites in Europe, this collaboration strengthens the
transatlantic link between Sweden
and the U.S. whilst offering unique space capabilities for the
Swedish NATO membership. We're looking forward to releasing
this competitive and well-proven launch service at Esrange in
northern Europe."
Owned and operated by SSC, Esrange has been operational since
1966, primarily supporting sounding rocket launches for
microgravity and atmospheric research. Newly expanded
infrastructure at Esrange now supports satellite launches,
making it a significant contribution to filling the demands for
orbital launch capabilities in Europe.
As part of the agreement with SSC, Firefly's Alpha
rocket will launch from Esrange Launch Complex 3C where pad
modifications are already underway. With the inaugural Alpha launch
scheduled for 2026, the new complex will support commercial
customers in the broader European market and enable tactically
responsive space missions to further advance national security for
NATO countries.
"The future of spaceflight requires more orbital launch sites
across the globe as we continue to see growing demand among
domestic and international launch customers," said Bill Weber, CEO at Firefly Aerospace. "Firefly
is incredibly humbled to partner with SSC and become the first U.S.
company to launch from continental Europe. Together, we're unlocking a
long-awaited capability for the European satellite market, and we
invite those waiting to fly with us on our flight-proven Alpha
vehicle."
The new launch service at Esrange will build on the success of
Firefly's orbital Alpha missions from the Vandenberg Space Force
Base in California and supplement
Firefly's new launch capability at the Mid-Atlantic Regional
Spaceport on Wallops Island,
Virginia. Capable of carrying 1,030 kg to low-Earth orbit,
Alpha recently launched a responsive space mission for the
U.S. Space Force following a 24-hour notice and continues to serve
as a responsive launch vehicle for government and commercial
customers.
About Firefly Aerospace
Firefly Aerospace is an
end-to-end space transportation company with launch, lunar, and
on-orbit services. Headquartered in central Texas, Firefly is a portfolio company of AE
Industrial Partners ("AEI") focused on delivering responsive,
reliable, and affordable space access for government and commercial
customers. Firefly's small- to medium-lift launch vehicles, lunar
landers, and orbital vehicles provide the space industry with a
single source for missions from low Earth orbit to the surface of
the Moon and beyond. www.fireflyspace.com.
About Swedish Space Corporation
Swedish Space Corporation (SSC) helps Earth benefit from Space.
Since the 70's, SSC has helped space organizations, companies,
other commercial actors and research institutes to get access to
space. Through our local presence on all continents and close to
700 committed employees, we offer specialist expertise in satellite
ground station connectivity, spacecraft operations, rocket and
balloon systems, launch services, flight test services and data
analytics. Among our strongest assets are Esrange Space Center in
northern Sweden, set to begin
launching satellites from Sweden
in 2025, as well as our global ground station network for satellite
communications: SSC Connect. www.sscspace.com
Media Contacts
Firefly Aerospace:
press@fireflyspace.com
Swedish Space Corporation:
Philip Ohlsson, Head of
Communications, +46 70 721 70 26,
philip.ohlsson@sscspace.com
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SOURCE Firefly Aerospace, Inc.