Friday, September 15, 2023

Firefly Aerospace Launches Rocket Out Of Vandenberg

commuters coming home from work were surprised by the sight of a rocket launch on Thursday night out of Vandenberg Air Force Base, as rocket developer Firefly Aerospace launched its first rocket into space. Firefly--which is based out of Texas--said it launched its Alpha rocket and deployed a spacecraft for the U.S. Space Force Space System Command. The company said the launch came after a 24-hour notice for final payload operations. The company said it is working with the Space Force to demonstrate the ability to "rapidly respond to on-orbit needs" during a conflict or in response to a national security threat. The launch was visible as far away as Arizona, although residents closer to the launch were unable to see the rocket, due to the marine layer.