Part of a strategic collaboration to meet the growing demand for reliable in-space transport and access to geostationary orbit (GEO), Rogue Space has contracted Firefly as their first launch vehicle supplier targeting an initial launch in Q3 2023.
LACONIA, NH (August 30, 2021) Rogue Space Systems Corporation, a U.S. company that is developing a smart spacecraft program and is planning to offer transport, and in-space services to the growing space market, and Firefly Aerospace, a leading provider of economical and dependable launch vehicles, spacecraft, and in-space services, today announced they have signed a Launch Service Agreement (LSA). The agreement confirms that Rogue has secured the entire payload mass capacity aboard a Firefly Alpha rocket, scheduled for liftoff from Cape Canaveral in the fall of 2023.
In addition to being the anchor customer, Rogue Space will sign, manage, integrate, and deploy multiple customer payloads on the flight with their Fred OTV (Orbital Transport Vehicle) spacecraft. The agreement enables Rogue Space to offer their customers a cost-effective transport program for both dedicated and rideshare missions that require drop-offs at varying altitudes and inclinations in LEO and beyond.
“This partnership with Firefly is an exciting milestone for Rogue Space and will enable us to offer our small satellite customers, and the wider space community, reliable and cost-effective launch services, with the added support and capabilities of our Orbots,” said Jeromy Grimmett, CEO of Rogue Space. “As we drop off our customers, we will have our Orbots available for observation, and in some cases, robotic assistance, to help ensure their deployment is successful, and their satellite comes online. Rogue’s mission is to increase the reliability and mission success of our customers, and the space community at large.”
“Firefly is proud to be selected as the launch provider for the first mission of Rogue’s Fred OTV,” said Eric Salwan, acting Chief Revenue Officer at Firefly Aerospace. “This innovative OTV will accelerate the development of space economy. We look forward to many successful missions with Rogue.”
This first agreement with Firefly sets the foundation for several programs Rogue plans to announce in the coming weeks and months ahead. The intention is to build additional launch capacity with Firefly and other launch providers with the goal of setting a cadence of launches targeting small satellite operators that wish to leverage the value-added capabilities of Rogue’s various Orbital Robots (Orbots™) programs. Rogue is looking to begin seeding its Orbot services constellation into LEO (Low Earth Orbit) beginning in 2022.
About Rogue Space Systems Corporation
Rogue Space Systems Corporation is a Laconia, New Hampshire-based company that designs satellite vehicles and subsystems to provide on-orbit services to satellite operators. Founded in 2020, the Rogue team is building a fleet of Orbital Robots (Orbots™) that will perform a variety of services for orbital assets in LEO, MEO, and GEO including inspection, maintenance, repair, transport, and more. The fleet is supported by a first-of-its-kind AI-enabled sensory observation platform. For more information, visit: www.rogue.space.
About Firefly Aerospace
Firefly is developing a family of launch and in-space vehicles and services that provide industry-leading affordability, convenience, and reliability. Firefly’s launch vehicles utilize common technologies, manufacturing infrastructure and launch capabilities, providing LEO launch solutions for up to ten metric tons of payload at the lowest cost per kg in the small-launch class. Combined with Firefly’s in-space vehicles, such as the Space Utility Vehicle and Blue Ghost Lunar Lander, Firefly provides the space industry with a single source for missions from LEO to the surface of the Moon or beyond. Firefly is headquartered in Cedar Park, TX.
For more information please see: www.firefly.com
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