FIREFLY AND SERENITY GUERILLA MARKETING

Firefly Fourth Flight "Fly the Lightning" Rescheduled to Dec 22, 2023

POSTED BY: SECOND
UPDATED: Friday, July 5, 2024 04:24
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Thursday, September 2, 2021 10:51 AM

SECOND

The Joss Whedon script for Serenity, where Wash lives, is Serenity-190pages.pdf at https://www.mediafire.com/two


Firefly emphasizes first Alpha launch a test flight

by Jeff Foust — September 2, 2021

VANDENBERG SPACE FORCE BASE, Calif. — Firefly Aerospace is ready for the first orbital launch attempt of its Alpha rocket on a flight that is as much about collecting vehicle data as it is about reaching orbit.

The Alpha rocket is scheduled to lift off during a four-hour window that opens at 9 p.m. Eastern Sept. 2 from Space Launch Complex 2 here. The company has a two-hour backup window Sept. 3. Weather is favorable for the launch.

The inaugural Alpha launch is primarily a demonstration mission for the new small launch vehicle. “It’s a test flight,” Lauren Lyons, chief operating officer of Firefly, said during a tour of the company’s launch control center Sept. 1. “Our really big goal is to get Alpha to space. If we can get to orbit, even better. If we can open up that fairing and deploy those satellites, even better. Our goals are to collect as much data as we possibly can and take Alpha as far as it can go.”

While Alpha is designed to carry up to one metric ton of payload to orbit, this inaugural flight is carrying less than 100 kilograms. The Dedicated Research and Educational Accelerator Mission (DREAM) includes several cubesats as well as “non-technical” payloads, such as memorabilia and photos. The mission will also test a plasma thruster Firefly intends for use on its Space Utility Vehicle tug and an 18-square-meter drag sail contributed by Purdue University to help deorbit the upper stage.

Rather than launch to the south into a polar orbit, as typically used for missions from Vandenberg, Alpha will launch to the west, placing the payloads into a retrograde orbit 300 kilometers high at an inclination of 137 degrees. That also reduces the payload capacity of the vehicle.

Firefly took that approach for range safety on its first launch. “We’re taking a really safe trajectory,” said Tom Markusic, chief executive of Firefly. “If we were flying due south, we’d have a very tight corridor we’d have to go down though. Here, we have a very wide corridor so that, if the vehicle’s not tracking quite right, it gives us an opportunity to get back on track without having to terminate the mission.”

If this launch is successful, Firefly could be ready to perform its second Alpha launch, and first with a commercial customer, as soon as December. Markusic said the company has a couple prospective payloads lined up for the launch. “A lot of it depends on the relative success of this launch and the amount of risk customers are willing to take,” he said. “That will determine which customers would be on that second flight.”

Markusic, like Lyons, emphasized that the primary purpose of the launch is to collect data about how Alpha performs in flight. “It’s a flight test, so getting data is success,” he said. “The more data we get, the better.”

The only thing he is worried about is not the rocket itself but holddown clamps at the base of the vehicle that must release with precise timing to allow the vehicle to lift off. “I worry about one of them hanging up and causing us to lose the rocket before it’s had a chance to give us some flight data,” he said, adding those clamps have been extensively tested. “I can accept if we ultimately find another problem that we could have only found in flight, but I just can’t accept a ground system causing us to lose a mission.”

https://spacenews.com/firefly-emphasizes-first-alpha-launch-a-test-fli
ght/

The Joss Whedon script for Serenity, where Wash lives, is Serenity-190pages.pdf at https://www.mediafire.com/two

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Thursday, September 2, 2021 11:48 AM

THG



One of Jeff Belzos engineiers left and went to Firefly. It feels wierd posting that.

T


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Thursday, September 2, 2021 1:38 PM

SECOND

The Joss Whedon script for Serenity, where Wash lives, is Serenity-190pages.pdf at https://www.mediafire.com/two


Quote:
Originally posted by THG:

One of Jeff Belzos engineers left and went to Firefly. It feels wierd posting that.

T

Bezos lost a contract so his highest paid, most ambitious engineers quit to go work where there is long-term work at a larger salary. Engineers know their fast-moving careers can't wait for a very slow-moving court to decide:

"Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin sues NASA over denied moon lander contract"
https://www.space.com/blue-origin-sues-nasa-over-moon-lander-contract

The Joss Whedon script for Serenity, where Wash lives, is Serenity-190pages.pdf at https://www.mediafire.com/two

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Thursday, September 2, 2021 1:49 PM

SECOND

The Joss Whedon script for Serenity, where Wash lives, is Serenity-190pages.pdf at https://www.mediafire.com/two


Watch Firefly launch their FIRST EVER orbital rocket, Alpha!
894 waiting Scheduled for Sep 2, 2021


We will go live at T-60 minutes, so you can use the YouTube notification to know they are 60 minutes from launch] Also stay tuned to our twitter feeds for additional updates - http://twitter.com/erdayastronaut

Firefly Aerospace is the next private rocket company that aims to achieve orbit with its brand new Alpha launch vehicle. Alpha will lift off from Vandenberg Space Force Base, USA, and targets a 300 km low Earth orbit (LEO) in which it will deploy multiple payloads. On board of the FLTA001 DREAM mission will be Firefly’s DREAM payloads, which consist of technical and non-technical payloads, ranging from CubeSats and DNA samples, to pictures of loved ones.

Read more about this mission here by checking out our Prelaunch Preview!! - https://everydayastronaut.com/flta001-dream-alpha/

And see how Alpha compares to some other small sat launchers by watching our video about some of these new and upcoming rockets! -



The Joss Whedon script for Serenity, where Wash lives, is Serenity-190pages.pdf at https://www.mediafire.com/two

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Thursday, September 2, 2021 2:45 PM

THG


Quote:
Originally posted by second:
Quote:
Originally posted by THG:

One of Jeff Belzos engineers left and went to Firefly. It feels wierd posting that.

T

Bezos lost a contract so his highest paid, most ambitious engineers quit to go work where there is long-term work at a larger salary. Engineers know their fast-moving careers can't wait for a very slow-moving court to decide:

"Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin sues NASA over denied moon lander contract"
https://www.space.com/blue-origin-sues-nasa-over-moon-lander-contract

The Joss Whedon script for Serenity, where Wash lives, is Serenity-190pages.pdf at https://www.mediafire.com/two



Agreed

T


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Thursday, September 2, 2021 8:34 PM

THG


T


Watch Firefly launch their FIRST EVER orbital rocket, Alpha!





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Thursday, September 2, 2021 8:39 PM

THG





I just saw you posted the live launch video two. Nicely done I'm currently watching it.

T


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Thursday, September 2, 2021 8:49 PM

THG





He called the engines reaver engines.

T


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Friday, September 3, 2021 1:40 AM

SECOND

The Joss Whedon script for Serenity, where Wash lives, is Serenity-190pages.pdf at https://www.mediafire.com/two


Firefly Alpha rocket explodes during first orbital flight attempt





Everything looked good for the first 2.5 minutes of the flight. But the two-stage, 95-foot-tall (29 meters) Alpha then suffered a fatal problem, exploding in a dramatic fireball high in the California sky.

https://www.space.com/firefly-aerospace-first-alpha-rocket-launch-fail
ure

The Joss Whedon script for Serenity, where Wash lives, is Serenity-190pages.pdf at https://www.mediafire.com/two

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Friday, September 3, 2021 11:34 AM

THG





Damn shame

T


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Friday, September 3, 2021 1:59 PM

SECOND

The Joss Whedon script for Serenity, where Wash lives, is Serenity-190pages.pdf at https://www.mediafire.com/two


Video shows the explosion twice - once at normal speed and again at half speed.

Firefly Alpha did a double somersault, which broke its back.
I have no idea why the engines steered the rocket to do a flip.



Here is how to do a somersault without breaking your back.

How to Do a Somersault | Gymnastics



The Joss Whedon script for Serenity, where Wash lives, is Serenity-190pages.pdf at https://www.mediafire.com/two

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Friday, September 3, 2021 5:50 PM

SECOND

The Joss Whedon script for Serenity, where Wash lives, is Serenity-190pages.pdf at https://www.mediafire.com/two


According to a mission overview distributed by Firefly before the launch, the vehicle was supposed to reach the speed of Mach 1 67 seconds after liftoff, followed by maximum dynamic pressure nine seconds later. However, launch controllers did not report that the vehicle was supersonic until 2 minutes and 20 seconds after liftoff, about 10 seconds before the vehicle exploded.

A statement from Vandenberg Space Force Base made it clear that Space Launch Delta 30 “terminated” the mission, which it likely did upon detecting the subpar performance of the rocket.

https://gizmodo.com/firefly-aerospace-rocket-explodes-during-inaugural
-test-1847614975


"Space Launch Delta 30 terminated the Firefly Aerospace Inc., Alpha rocket over the Pacific Ocean at 7:01 p.m. Pacific Time after a successful lift off at 6:59 p.m. Pacific Time"

https://www.vandenberg.spaceforce.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/276
3829/firefly-alpha-terminated-mid-flight/

The Joss Whedon script for Serenity, where Wash lives, is Serenity-190pages.pdf at https://www.mediafire.com/two

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Sunday, September 5, 2021 8:16 AM

SECOND

The Joss Whedon script for Serenity, where Wash lives, is Serenity-190pages.pdf at https://www.mediafire.com/two


And thus, Firefly got cancelled for a second time, but it could have been worse:

The Nedelin Catastrophe
R-16 ICBM
October 24, 1960
Killed approximately 269 engineers, technicians, and military personnel including Chief Field Marshall Nedelin, while being prepared for launch.

Starts at 15 minutes 50 seconds into video.



The Joss Whedon script for Serenity, where Wash lives, is Serenity-190pages.pdf at https://www.mediafire.com/two

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Sunday, September 5, 2021 12:11 PM

THG


Quote:
Originally posted by second:

Video shows the explosion twice - once at normal speed and again at half speed.

Firefly Alpha did a double somersault, which broke its back.
I have no idea why the engine steered the rocket to do a flip.




Because they used one gimbal instead of two. Just a stupid guess. In a gimbaled thrust system, the engine or just the exhaust nozzle of the rocket can be swiveled on two axes (pitch and yaw ) from side to side.

T


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Thursday, September 9, 2021 9:25 AM

SECOND

The Joss Whedon script for Serenity, where Wash lives, is Serenity-190pages.pdf at https://www.mediafire.com/two


Firefly Aerospace traces rocket launch failure to premature engine shutdown

The main propellant valves for one of Alpha's four first-stage engines closed.

"The vehicle continued to climb and maintain control for a total of about 145 seconds, whereas nominal first-stage burn duration is about 165 seconds. However, due to missing the thrust of 1 of 4 engines, the climb rate was slow, and the vehicle was challenged to maintain control without the thrust vectoring of engine 2," Alpha representatives wrote in a Twitter thread on Sunday.

"Alpha was able to compensate at subsonic speeds, but as it moved through transonic and into supersonic flight, where control is most challenging, the three-engine thrust vector control was insufficient and the vehicle tumbled out of control. The range terminated the flight using the explosive Flight Termination System (FTS). The rocket did not explode on its own," they added.

"We will report [the] root cause of the anomaly at the end of the investigation. In collaboration with the FAA and our partners at Space Launch Delta 30, we'll return to conduct Alpha Flight 2 as soon as possible," Firefly wrote in the Twitter thread.

More at https://www.space.com/firefly-aerospace-rocket-failure-engine-shutdown

The Joss Whedon script for Serenity, where Wash lives, is Serenity-190pages.pdf at https://www.mediafire.com/two

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Thursday, September 9, 2021 9:45 AM

SECOND

The Joss Whedon script for Serenity, where Wash lives, is Serenity-190pages.pdf at https://www.mediafire.com/two


In a description accompanying the video, Firefly said that one of the four Reaver engines in the rocket’s first stage, designated engine 2, shut down 15 seconds into the flight. “It was an uneventful shutdown – the engine didn’t fail — the propellant main valves on the engine simply closed and thrust terminated from engine 2,” the company stated.

The rocket continued to ascend using the remaining three engines, but with reduced thrust. That would explain the underperformance apparent in the flight: according to the company’s press kit, the vehicle was supposed to reach Mach 1 67 seconds into the flight, but launch controllers did not report that the vehicle was supersonic until 2 minutes and 20 seconds after liftoff.

More at https://spacenews.com/firefly-alpha-failure-blamed-on-premature-engine
-shutdown/



The Joss Whedon script for Serenity, where Wash lives, is Serenity-190pages.pdf at https://www.mediafire.com/two

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Friday, September 10, 2021 9:48 AM

THG





Exciting

T


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Monday, September 13, 2021 8:48 PM

DUN

nods head


Reaver engine ??.Cool indeed.

You buy this ship, treat her proper, she'll be with you for the rest of your life.

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Wednesday, March 30, 2022 5:33 AM

SECOND

The Joss Whedon script for Serenity, where Wash lives, is Serenity-190pages.pdf at https://www.mediafire.com/two


New owners take helm of Firefly Aerospace in Cedar Park

Last September, the company launched its inaugural rocket but it was intentionally exploded minutes after lifting off.

CEDAR PARK, Texas — A private equity firm, AE Industrial Partners, has a new majority stake of Firefly Aerospace based in Cedar Park. The acquisition comes as the aerospace company makes arrangements for its second rocket launch after the first ended in an intentional blast over the Pacific Ocean.

Firefly Aerospace managed to fundraise roughly $75 million in a move led by AE Industrial Partners and, according to a report from KVUE's news partners at the Austin American-Statesman, Firefly says their value sits at around $1 billion.

The company set up shop in Cedar Park after initially being headquartered in California. Since its founding in 2014, Firefly has sought to position itself as a competitor in the small satellite market. The industry has seen an emerging number of launch providers to government and commercial customers to deliver payloads into space.

More at https://www.kvue.com/article/money/economy/boomtown-2040/new-owners-ta
ke-helm-of-firefly-aerospace-in-cedar-park/269-c396adde-0373-48a0-991f-81b651fc9c67

Firefly Aerospace @Firefly_Space tweeted:

Flight 2 is getting ready to head to our launch pad at Vandenberg Space Force Base. Get a behind-the-scenes look into our journey so far.

11:11 AM · Mar 29, 2022·Twitter Web App
https://twitter.com/Firefly_Space/status/1508839165638676484




The Joss Whedon script for Serenity, where Wash lives, is Serenity-190pages.pdf at https://www.mediafire.com/two

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Wednesday, March 30, 2022 3:47 PM

SECOND

The Joss Whedon script for Serenity, where Wash lives, is Serenity-190pages.pdf at https://www.mediafire.com/two


Flight Two

Type: Test Flight

Second test flight of the Firefly Alpha small sat launcher developed by Firefly Aerospace.

Projected To Launch
May, 2022

https://www.spacelaunchschedule.com/launch/firefly-alpha-flight-two/

The Joss Whedon script for Serenity, where Wash lives, is Serenity-190pages.pdf at https://www.mediafire.com/two

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Thursday, March 31, 2022 10:47 AM

THG



Good news TWO. Still, with everybody launching satellites into space, were going to need safe corridors out there to get past them.

T


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Thursday, March 31, 2022 8:19 PM

SECOND

The Joss Whedon script for Serenity, where Wash lives, is Serenity-190pages.pdf at https://www.mediafire.com/two


Quote:
Originally posted by THG:

Good news TWO. Still, with everybody launching satellites into space, were going to need safe corridors out there to get past them.

T

Even more good news: Flight three will carry satellites:

Flight Three, Firefly Alpha, Firefly Aerospace

Launch Status Date/Time May Change
Projected To Launch July, 2022

Third flight of the Firefly Alpha small sat launcher, carrying its first payload for NASA.

https://www.spacelaunchschedule.com/launch/firefly-alpha-flight-three

CubeSat Launch Initiative -- Firefly will launch 11 cubes.
https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/15.higginbotham_n
asa_town_hall_2021_smallsat-csli.pdf

The Joss Whedon script for Serenity, where Wash lives, is Serenity-190pages.pdf at https://www.mediafire.com/two

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Friday, April 1, 2022 2:19 PM

THG


Yea more satellites...

T


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Wednesday, July 13, 2022 9:54 AM

SECOND

The Joss Whedon script for Serenity, where Wash lives, is Serenity-190pages.pdf at https://www.mediafire.com/two


Eric Berger - 6/2/2022

Firefly ran afoul of rules set by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, CFIUS. In December 2021, the Air Force blocked Firefly from working at the Vandenberg launch site due to these CFIUS complications with the company's primary investor, Ukrainian Max Polyakov. Eventually, the issue was resolved this spring after Polyakov sold his interest in Firefly, and Firefly regained access to the launch site. But it was a messy and distracting situation at a time when Firefly needed to focus on reaching orbit.

Alpha Flight One

During Alpha's debut flight last September, one of the rocket's four Reaver engines stopped firing after an electrical connector failed, closing one of the engine's main propellant valves. This sent a signal to the Reaver engine to shut down.

After the flight, Firefly engineers found that pins inside the electrical conductor had been subjected to higher than anticipated vibrations and sheared off. "Because this was a unique vibrational environment, this is probably a phenomenon we could only see in flight," Markusic said.

He explained that the engines on Alpha were some of the first Reavers the company had built, and they "ran a little rougher" than recent engines the company has built. Because the newer flight engines operate with fewer vibrations, he does not think the problem of the electrical pins shearing off will recur.

Nevertheless, the company has taken the precaution of moving the electrical conductor higher on the vehicle, where there are fewer vibrations, and also given it a dedicated mounting bracket to further isolate it. "That problem is not going to happen again," Markusic said.

Alpha Flight Two

Firefly noted one other issue on Alpha's first flight that it hadn't expected. As the engines moved and rumbled during ascent, the rocket's body began to oscillate in phase with the motion of the engines. This is known as the "tail wags the dog" phenomenon.

Engineers had not observed the rocket oscillating at the same frequency as the engines on the test stand, because the stand itself absorbed that motion. Markusic said that, because the engineering team now understands this phenomenon with Alpha, it can be addressed with some modest changes to the rocket's guidance and navigation software.

There are other reasons for confidence heading into the next orbital launch attempt. This is the second build of Alpha, so the hardware is more mature. A lot of the parts and sections of the booster simply fit better, Markusic said, making for a more solid overall build. There is also less wear and tear. Before the first Alpha launched, it had been test-fired 18 times. The second rocket has been tested once.

"We're feeling really good about this second mission," he said. "I fully expect the second flight to go to orbit, but we’re going to see minor anomalies." Probably his biggest concern is igniting and flying Alpha's second stage, which was not tested during the first launch.

The hardware for flight two is already on site at Vandenberg. Markusic said the company is still waiting for final range availability and launch approval from the Federal Aviation Administration, but there is a tentative launch date set for July 17, (which has since been moved to September 2022.)

More at https://arstechnica.com/science/2022/06/after-9-difficult-months-firef
ly-is-set-to-take-its-next-shot-at-orbit/

The Joss Whedon script for Serenity, where Wash lives, is Serenity-190pages.pdf at https://www.mediafire.com/two

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Tuesday, July 26, 2022 8:04 PM

SECOND

The Joss Whedon script for Serenity, where Wash lives, is Serenity-190pages.pdf at https://www.mediafire.com/two


Firefly works toward second Alpha launch. Firefly Aerospace is preparing for the second launch of its Alpha rocket in late August or early September, Space News reports. "Our target is in the next 45 to 60 days of being able to launch," Peter Schumacher, interim chief executive of Firefly, told the publication. "It’s really pending, at this point, range availability." The rocket itself is ready for flight, he said, other than performing a wet dress rehearsal and a static fire test, which he said would be done within two weeks of launch.

https://spacenews.com/firefly-gears-up-for-second-alpha-launch/

Modeling a rocket's debris ... The company is waiting on a launch license from the Federal Aviation Administration, which in turn depends on approval of a new debris model for the rocket. The revised debris model came after the first Alpha rocket exploded in flight when the range activated its flight termination system. Debris from the rocket, made primarily of carbon composite materials, fell outside of the range, including in nearby communities, although no damage was reported.

https://arstechnica.com/science/2022/07/rocket-report-a-heavy-lift-roc
ket-funded-by-crypto-falcon-9-damaged-in-transport/

The Joss Whedon script for Serenity, where Wash lives, is Serenity-190pages.pdf at https://www.mediafire.com/two

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Saturday, August 20, 2022 12:00 PM

THG


https://news.northropgrumman.com/news/releases/northrop-grumman-teams-
with-firefly-aerospace-to-develop-antares-rocket-upgrade-and-new-medium-launch-vehicle

CHANDLER, Ariz. – Aug. 8, 2022 – Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) and Firefly Aerospace have joined forces to provide an American-built first-stage upgrade for the Antares rocket and a new medium launch vehicle to serve commercial, civil and national security space launch markets.

“Through our collaboration, we will first develop a fully domestic version of our Antares rocket, the Antares 330, for Cygnus space station commercial resupply services, followed by an entirely new medium class launch vehicle,” said Scott Lehr, vice president and general manager, launch and missile defense systems, Northrop Grumman. “Northrop Grumman and Firefly have been working on a combined strategy and technical development plan to meet current and future launch requirements.”

https://news.northropgrumman.com/news/releases/northrop-grumman-teams-
with-firefly-aerospace-to-develop-antares-rocket-upgrade-and-new-medium-launch-vehicle


It's alive!!!

T


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Saturday, August 20, 2022 7:46 PM

SECOND

The Joss Whedon script for Serenity, where Wash lives, is Serenity-190pages.pdf at https://www.mediafire.com/two


Quote:
Originally posted by THG:

“Northrop Grumman and Firefly have been working on a combined strategy and technical development plan to meet current and future launch requirements.”

https://news.northropgrumman.com/news/releases/northrop-grumman-teams-
with-firefly-aerospace-to-develop-antares-rocket-upgrade-and-new-medium-launch-vehicle
The partnership means Northrop Grumman will replace the current Antares rocket, which is built in Ukraine and powered by Russian engines, with a more powerful version (called the Antares 330) that can carry heavier payloads.

The move removes Northrop Grumman's dependency on Ukraine and Russia for critical components of the Antares rocket, which the company uses to fly Cygnus cargo ship missions to the International Space Station for NASA.

https://www.space.com/northrop-grumman-firefly-replace-russian-engines
-antares-rocket

The Joss Whedon script for Serenity, where Wash lives, is Serenity-190pages.pdf at https://www.mediafire.com/two

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Saturday, August 20, 2022 9:28 PM

6IXSTRINGJACK


Quote:
Originally posted by second:
The move removes Northrop Grumman's dependency on Ukraine and Russia for critical components of the Antares rocket...


Well... That doesn't sound very "patriotic". We're supposed to be okay with $15/gal of gas to support Ukraine according to Steven Colbert, right?

I guess Northrop Grumman doesn't care about Ukraine just like everybody else doesn't care about Ukraine.


Womp Womp

--------------------------------------------------

Falsus in unum, falsus in omnibus

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Sunday, August 21, 2022 12:36 AM

SECOND

The Joss Whedon script for Serenity, where Wash lives, is Serenity-190pages.pdf at https://www.mediafire.com/two


Quote:
Originally posted by 6IXSTRINGJACK:
Quote:
Originally posted by second:
The move removes Northrop Grumman's dependency on Ukraine and Russia for critical components of the Antares rocket...


Well... That doesn't sound very "patriotic". We're supposed to be okay with $15/gal of gas to support Ukraine according to Steven Colbert, right?

I guess Northrop Grumman doesn't care about Ukraine just like everybody else doesn't care about Ukraine.


Womp Womp
If it wants to stay in business, a Capitalist business like Northrop Grumman must have its engines no matter how long the Ukraine/Russian War goes on or who wins, which means it will NOT buy engines from either Russia or Ukraine. Capitalists do NOT play favorites, choosing Ukraine or Russia, unless the Capitalist is a fool destined to go out of business when the wrong side wins. That is how a successful Capitalist's business works, 6ix.

A Capitalist's business also sets its own prices for gasoline to make the maximum profit and it does not set prices to please politicians or customers of gasoline. Customers want low price but lower prices are wrong if the business is run to be as profitable as possible. That is how Capitalism works, 6ix.

There are a few countries where the politicians set prices of gasoline, but that is because those countries' businesses are not controlled by Capitalists.

The Joss Whedon script for Serenity, where Wash lives, is Serenity-190pages.pdf at https://www.mediafire.com/two

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Monday, August 29, 2022 9:28 AM

THG

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Monday, August 29, 2022 10:37 AM

6IXSTRINGJACK


Quote:
Originally posted by second:
Markusic declined to identify the specific component or its supplier, but said it was one of the few major components that the company did not develop in-house.


That's because it's coming from Russia.

Better build it in-house if you ever want to get your little hobby rocket to go anywhere. Russia's too busy warding off NATO to have any time for this dumb shit.

--------------------------------------------------

Falsus in unum, falsus in omnibus

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Monday, August 29, 2022 12:47 PM

SECOND

The Joss Whedon script for Serenity, where Wash lives, is Serenity-190pages.pdf at https://www.mediafire.com/two


Quote:
Originally posted by 6IXSTRINGJACK:
Quote:
Originally posted by second:
Markusic declined to identify the specific component or its supplier, but said it was one of the few major components that the company did not develop in-house.


That's because it's coming from Russia.

Better build it in-house if you ever want to get your little hobby rocket to go anywhere. Russia's too busy warding off NATO to have any time for this dumb shit.
This is the story 6ix is responding to:

Firefly announced Aug. 19 that it had set a Sept. 2 date for the first launch of its Alpha rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The announcement came a day after the small launch vehicle performed a successful 15-second static fire test on the pad at Vandenberg.

In an interview during the 36th Space Symposium here Aug. 24, Tom Markusic, chief executive of Firefly, said the only milestone left before the scheduled launch is finalizing paperwork. “The static-fire test was perfect,” he said. “If we had let the rocket go it would have flown. All the data looks great.”

The company has extensively tested that rocket, including nearly 20 hot-fire tests. “This vehicle has definitely been put through its paces,” he said. “We’re ready to go.”

The rocket could have been ready sooner but for the delayed delivery of a component needed for its flight termination system. Markusic declined to identify the specific component or its supplier, but said it was one of the few major components that the company did not develop in-house.

“The vendor could not get the components qualified and delivered on time,” he said. “We’re a year behind schedule on that flight termination system.”

More at https://spacenews.com/firefly-aerospaces-alpha-rocket-ready-for-first-
launch/

The story goes on to say:

Firefly is also moving into the components business, starting with offering the engines it developed for Alpha to other customers. Markusic said Firefly has a contract to deliver about 50 engines to an unidentified company developing its own launch vehicle.

That’s a departure from the approach most companies have taken to be as vertically integrated as possible. “If you really want to get economies of scale, the more you can make, the better,” he said.

That components business will expand to other items, such as composite-overwrapped pressure vessels. “We have grander aspirations to have a large-scale e-commerce presence,” he said. “The dream is to point, click, and have a rocket engine the next day.”

The Joss Whedon script for Serenity, where Wash lives, is Serenity-190pages.pdf at https://www.mediafire.com/two

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Sunday, September 11, 2022 6:01 PM

SECOND

The Joss Whedon script for Serenity, where Wash lives, is Serenity-190pages.pdf at https://www.mediafire.com/two




The Joss Whedon script for Serenity, where Wash lives, is Serenity-190pages.pdf at https://www.mediafire.com/two

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Monday, September 12, 2022 8:51 PM

SECOND

The Joss Whedon script for Serenity, where Wash lives, is Serenity-190pages.pdf at https://www.mediafire.com/two


[SCRUBBED] Watch Firefly's Second Orbital Launch Attempt Of Their Alpha Rocket

Failed to launch on Sunday.

Failed to launch on Monday.

Rescheduled to Mon • Sep 19th, 2022
5:00 PM - 9:00 PM CDT
https://www.spacelaunchschedule.com/launch/firefly-alpha-flta002-to-th
e-black/



The Joss Whedon script for Serenity, where Wash lives, is Serenity-190pages.pdf at https://www.mediafire.com/two

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Monday, September 12, 2022 8:57 PM

SECOND

The Joss Whedon script for Serenity, where Wash lives, is Serenity-190pages.pdf at https://www.mediafire.com/two


Firefly stops second launch attempt due to weather

https://www.lankatimes.com/firefly-stops-second-launch-attempt-due-to-
weather/

The Joss Whedon script for Serenity, where Wash lives, is Serenity-190pages.pdf at https://www.mediafire.com/two

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Tuesday, September 13, 2022 9:27 AM

6IXSTRINGJACK


What do you suppose the weather on Mars is like today?

Hope they've got a better landing plan than a launch plan, or we're never going to colonize Mars while we're still around.

--------------------------------------------------

Falsus in unum, falsus in omnibus

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Monday, September 19, 2022 5:04 PM

SECOND

The Joss Whedon script for Serenity, where Wash lives, is Serenity-190pages.pdf at https://www.mediafire.com/two


Firefly Aerospace Launch Rescheduled for Sep 29

Firefly Aerospace has moved their launch window to no earlier than September 29 due to weather and the potential for storms off the coast.

https://www.edhat.com/news/firefly-aerospace-launch-rescheduled-for-se
p-29

The countdown to next launch is here: https://www.spacelaunchschedule.com/launch/firefly-alpha-flta002-to-th
e-black/

The Joss Whedon script for Serenity, where Wash lives, is Serenity-190pages.pdf at https://www.mediafire.com/two

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Monday, September 19, 2022 9:25 PM

THG





Ok, good.

T


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Tuesday, September 20, 2022 5:09 AM

SECOND

The Joss Whedon script for Serenity, where Wash lives, is Serenity-190pages.pdf at https://www.mediafire.com/two


Firefly Aerospace @Firefly_Space

Launch Update: We have secured Sept. 30th at 12:01 AM - 2:00 AM PDT, with a backup on Oct. 1st with the same launch window. We are going #ToTheBlack in the black. View mission details: https://firefly.com/alpha-flight-2-to-the-black/

5:09 PM · Sep 19, 2022 ·Hootsuite Inc.
https://twitter.com/Firefly_Space/status/1571984878958256130

The countdown to next launch is here:
https://www.spacelaunchschedule.com/launch/firefly-alpha-flta002-to-th
e-black/

The Joss Whedon script for Serenity, where Wash lives, is Serenity-190pages.pdf at https://www.mediafire.com/two

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Saturday, October 1, 2022 11:54 AM

SECOND

The Joss Whedon script for Serenity, where Wash lives, is Serenity-190pages.pdf at https://www.mediafire.com/two


Firefly Alpha rocket delivers satellites to orbit for first time




The Joss Whedon script for Serenity, where Wash lives, is Serenity-190pages.pdf at https://www.mediafire.com/two

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Tuesday, October 4, 2022 9:28 AM

THG





And they're off.

T


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Sunday, October 23, 2022 7:45 AM

SECOND

The Joss Whedon script for Serenity, where Wash lives, is Serenity-190pages.pdf at https://www.mediafire.com/two


Firefly takes an early lead in the 1-ton rocket race
Eric Berger - 10/3/2022

Powered by four Reaver engines, the Alpha rocket lifted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base at 12:01 am local time (07:01 UTC) on Saturday, delivering several small payloads into low Earth orbit after relighting its upper stage. This success followed an initial launch attempt in September 2021, where one of the four Reaver engines failed during ascent.

In an interview shortly before Saturday's launch attempt, Firefly chief executive Bill Weber told Ars that the company was ready to break out not just as a launch company, but as a provider of spaceflight services. "Firefly is at the point where the only thing holding them back is execution," Weber said.

This is why Saturday's flight was critical. Firefly has a number of programs in development, including the ambitious "Blue Ghost" lunar lander that could fly to the Moon as early as 2023. The company is also developing an in-space reusable transport vehicle to go between Earth and the Moon, as well as other orbits. Finally, the company is working on the "Miranda" rocket engine, which will be used by Northrop Grumman for its Antares rocket, as well as a brand-new medium-lift vehicle the companies are jointly developing.

"Firefly needs maturity and scale to achieve its potential," said Weber, who became the company's new CEO earlier this year. He became the company's permanent leader after co-founder Tom Markusic stepped down as chief executive in June. As of Alpha's first flight, Firefly has about 450 employees, many of them at its headquarters in Texas, near Austin.

The company's partnership with Northrop Grumman is also notable, given that the major defense contractor had its choice of US rocket companies. After the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Northrop needed to find a new provider of engines for its Antares vehicle, which launches cargo to the International Space Station for NASA. It announced a partnership with Firefly this spring to jointly develop a new first stage.

This new Antares 330 rocket will use seven Miranda engines and significantly increase the payload capacity of the existing Antares launch vehicle, which can lift about 8 metric tons to low Earth orbit. Firefly plans to hot fire test the Miranda engine for the first time during the first half of 2023 and is confident in the design because it is based on a scaled-up version of the now flight-proven Reaver engine.

https://arstechnica.com/science/2022/10/with-orbital-launch-firefly-ta
kes-an-early-lead-in-the-1-ton-rocket-race/

The Joss Whedon script for Serenity, where Wash lives, is Serenity-190pages.pdf at https://www.mediafire.com/two

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Monday, October 24, 2022 5:38 AM

6IXSTRINGJACK


Quote:
Originally posted by second:
"Firefly is at the point where the only thing holding them back is execution," Weber said.


Ahhhhh... The step that every green initiative Kickstarter campaign failed to deliver.

But those CGI mockups they claimed were working prototypes sure looked good though.

--------------------------------------------------

Falsus in unum, falsus in omnibus




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Monday, October 24, 2022 9:55 AM

6IXSTRINGJACK


Quote:
Originally posted by 6IXSTRINGJACK:
Quote:
Originally posted by second:
"Firefly is at the point where the only thing holding them back is execution," Weber said.


Ahhhhh... The step that every green initiative Kickstarter campaign failed to deliver.

But those CGI mockups they claimed were working prototypes sure looked good though.


It's safe for you to watch Thunderf00t's videos Second and Ted. He was against Brexit. He hated Boris Johnson. He hates Elon Musk and Donald Trump.


















--------------------------------------------------

Falsus in unum, falsus in omnibus

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Monday, October 24, 2022 9:59 AM

6IXSTRINGJACK


Oh... and if you wonder why an LED solar roadway wouldn't live up to the claim that it could melt snow, check this out...



Quote:
May 14, 2018

Around the mid-2000’s, the LED traffic light began making its way onto the scene. Recent developments in LED technology meant that energy efficient replacements for the standard incandescent lamp were beginning to appear. Municipalities rejoiced with the energy savings they provided, but in cold climates they weren’t met with quite as warm a welcome. Not producing sufficient heat to melt snow on their lenses, some drivers became confused by ambiguous signals and caused fatal accidents.


And just so you know this video is also safe for the both of you to watch, he supports the move to LEDs...

Quote:
This video tells the tale of why this newfound “problem” generated harsh criticism to the new technology, and explains why this reaction is entirely dumb and regressive.


Hopefully none of us get into an accident during the winter because of these.

... But at least they actually do work, otherwise.

But no... without a separate heating element that uses a LOT more energy than the LEDs do, you're not going to melt snow with your solar roadways.

--------------------------------------------------

Falsus in unum, falsus in omnibus

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Wednesday, November 2, 2022 9:42 AM

SECOND

The Joss Whedon script for Serenity, where Wash lives, is Serenity-190pages.pdf at https://www.mediafire.com/two


Next flight

Tue • Nov 29th, 2022
6:00 PM CDT

https://www.spacelaunchschedule.com/launch/firefly-alpha-flight-three/

The Joss Whedon script for Serenity, where Wash lives, is Serenity-190pages.pdf at https://www.mediafire.com/two

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Wednesday, November 2, 2022 6:56 PM

THG


Quote:
Originally posted by second:
Next flight

Tue • Nov 29th, 2022
6:00 PM CDT

http://www.spacelaunchschedule.com/launch/firefly-alpha-flight-three/



Good to know...

T

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Tuesday, November 8, 2022 6:24 PM

SECOND

The Joss Whedon script for Serenity, where Wash lives, is Serenity-190pages.pdf at https://www.mediafire.com/two


Firefly is seeking additional capital. Fresh off of putting the Alpha rocket into orbit, Firefly Aerospace is seeking to raise as much as $300 million in a private fundraising round, Reuters reports. The Texas-based company was valued at more than $1 billion when private equity firm AE Industrial Partners became its controlling shareholder in March, but it has not set a valuation for this round.

How much money is out there? ... The new funding would be used to help complete the construction of manufacturing facilities for Firefly's Alpha rocket in Cape Canaveral, Florida (California is where Firefly is now launching) and accelerate the development of a medium-lift rocket the company plans to build with Northrop Grumman. Given the challenges of raising new capital for space-based companies in the current environment, it will be interesting to see how much Firefly can tap into.

https://arstechnica.com/science/2022/11/rocket-report-sls-boosters-may
-expire-in-december-blue-origin-delivers-the-be-4s/

The Joss Whedon script for Serenity, where Wash lives, is Serenity-190pages.pdf at https://www.mediafire.com/two

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Thursday, November 10, 2022 4:07 AM

6IXSTRINGJACK


Typical KickScammer behavior.

--------------------------------------------------

I'm a Democrat now. Let's erase history, burn everything down and start over. China's going to end up owning everything anyways.

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Tuesday, November 15, 2022 7:39 PM

THG





T



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