WASHINGTON — Firefly Aerospace signed an agreement with L3Harris Technologies to launch three missions on Firefly’s Alpha rocket, the company announced Sept. 5.

Firefly’s Alpha rocket — designed to lift more than 1,000 kilograms to low Earth orbit — operates from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California. 

L3Harris’ space business builds satellites for DoD and the intelligence community.

The agreement with Firefly is for three dedicated launches on the Alpha vehicle targeted for 2026.  

L3Harris won $225 million contract

The three satellites are being designed and built by L3Harris under a $225 million U.S. government contract, a company spokesperson told SpaceNews. “These payloads will support the national security space mission,” the company said.

“Firefly is honored to support the ongoing mission needs of L3Harris as they continue to deliver satellite systems that advance our national security,” Bill Weber, CEO of Firefly Aerospace, said Sept. 5 in a news release.

The three missions will launch from Firefly’s Space Launch Complex SLC-2 launch site at Vandenberg Space Force Base.

Weber said Firefly is ramping up Alpha production at its rocket manufacturing and test site in Briggs, Texas, to support government and commercial launches, and is expanding its facilities to support the ongoing development of a new medium launch vehicle projected to launch in 2025.

Sandra Erwin writes about military space programs, policy, technology and the industry that supports this sector. She has covered the military, the Pentagon, Congress and the defense industry for nearly two decades as editor of NDIA’s National Defense...