Firefly wins extension of launch contract with Lockheed Martin
Firefly announced yesterday that Lockheed Martin has awarded it a two year contract extension on a multi-launch contract using its upgraded Alpha-2 rocket.
The extension raises the number of launches to as many as 25, through 2031. The Alpha-2 rocket, first revealed in January 2026, is replacing the first version that completed its last launch in March. It will have extended tanks to give it more launch capacity.
The first launch of Alpha-2 however has been delayed from this summer to before the end of the year, according the company’s CEO during his second quarter earnings call with investors this week. In addition, the company also said it expects the first launch of its larger Eclipse rocket to occur in 2027. This rocket’s first stage will also be used by Northrop Grumman’s Antares rocket, which has been grounded now for several years because it no longer has access to the Russian engines it used in its first stage. To replace those engines, Northrop Grumman has invested $50 million in Firefly’s Eclipse.
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