Firefly Aerospace’s Post

Our Elytra spacecraft aced environmental testing, bringing us one step closer to launch! The rigorous tests included vibration and thermal vacuum testing to replicate the harsh conditions during launch and subject the vehicle to extreme temperatures, confirming its resilience and reliability. Stay tuned for the next milestone and learn more on the mission here: https://lnkd.in/gxPE5hwR

Before he gets to check that windows-down, coast-to-coast road trip off his bucket list, Tyler Gilchrist’s work is roadtripping thousands of miles more - to the Moon! It's something that this Spacecraft Payload Manager says will be “an achievement of a lifetime.” Tyler, a Colorado native and Chatfield High School and Metropolitan State University of Denver alum, says Blue Ghost has been a true team project and opportunity to soak up the knowledge of others. #GhostRiders

At Firefly, we take vertical integration to another level. Our Automated Fiber Placement (AFP) machine not only supports Alpha and MLV, it's also building carbon composite structures for our spacecraft, including our first Elytra Dark development structure for Blue Ghost Mission 2 to the far side of the Moon. Elytra Dark will serve as the transfer vehicle for our Blue Ghost lunar lander and serve as a comms relay for 5+ years on orbit. Learn more about BGM2 here: https://lnkd.in/gSSUD23G

The industry said it could not be done, and we nailed it! We’re incredibly honored to receive this year’s Allison Award from the Air & Space Forces Association for the most outstanding contribution by industrial leadership to national defense with our record-breaking VICTUS NOX Mission, supporting the United States Space Force's Tactically Responsive Space initiatives with our partners at Millennium Space Systems, A Boeing Company! “Victus Nox proved to both Government and Industry, that (Tactically Responsive Space) can be done. It proved to our adversaries that we have the capability to do that, and it became the new standard upon which we are going to grade new providers in the future.” - Gen. Michael A. Guetlein, Vice Chief of Space Operations, United States Space Force (CSIS Tactical Space Event, Jan.2024) https://lnkd.in/gUzgXYTc

Space is a family affair for Annie Vo-Cohen! She fell in love with space as a young girl, literally following in the footsteps of her aunt and uncle, walking the same hallways at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center before finding her way to Firefly as an Assembly, Integration and Test Engineer on #BlueGhost. Annie, a Massachusetts native, Holbrook Middle-High School grad, and The University of Texas at Austin alum, will sit on console for #BGM1 as Flight Director for Operations. #GhostRiders

Built on legacy, engineered for the future: Our Miranda engine in development utilizes the same tap-off cycle architecture as our Reaver engine with a scaled-up turbopump, fluid system, and valve tech. This flight-proven design gives us added reliability, increased performance, and 5X the thrust from Reaver to Miranda.

OTD last year, our team of Fireflies showed the world Alpha’s responsive space capabilities during the United States Space Force's VICTUS NOX mission! We proved we can complete final launch preparations, encapsulate a payload, mate it to the rocket, and launch — all following a 24-hour notice. Since then, our responsive space operations have become standard for every Alpha launch.

Just call James Holster the Lone Welder! James is the lead, and only, spacecraft welder on Blue Ghost. Originally from Moreno Valley, California, one of his most memorable moments from his 3.5 years with Firefly was finishing the last welds for the main engine – which took 18 hours to complete!

From designing costumes to engine blankets and thermal protection systems, Sarah Geist brings sci-fi and fantasy to life! This Alabama native, Space Camp graduate, and Auburn University alum is a Soft Goods Responsible Engineer who designs MLI, or multilayer insulation, to protect #BlueGhost from the harsh environments of space and the Moon. #GhostRiders