Firefly Aerospace, an end-to-end space transportation company, today announced it signed a launch agreement with Lockheed Martin to support a technology demonstration mission that will launch aboard Firefly’s Alpha vehicle.

“Firefly’s flight-proven hardware and rapid launch capabilities are well-aligned with Lockheed Martin’s mission needs, and we’re proud to serve as one of their launch providers,” said Bill Weber, CEO of Firefly Aerospace. “We have the infrastructure, technologies, systems, and a dedicated team in place to provide on-demand launch services for both government and commercial customers.”

Firefly’s Alpha rocket provides affordable and responsive launch services with the capability to lift more than 1,000 kg to low Earth orbit. The vehicle utilizes Firefly’s patented tap-off cycle propulsion technology and carbon composite sandwich structures to reduce mass and costs and improve strength and reliability. As a launch provider, Firefly provides an important capability to Lockheed Martin in supporting access to space for its key spacecraft technologies.

“We are working with Firefly because of their innovative performance in offering access to space for small payloads on Firefly Alpha,” said Dan Tenney, vice president, strategy and business development, Lockheed Martin Space. “We look forward to collaborating with them, as we focus on creating a resilient launch environment for our upcoming technology demonstration.”