Firefly to Deploy Elytra Dawn Spacecraft for Pentagon’s Orbital Missions

The US Department of Defense has awarded Firefly Aerospace a contract to facilitate orbital missions using its Elytra Dawn space vehicle.

Under the deal, the craft will serve as a space maneuver system that will support a series of on-orbit tasks, such as space domain awareness operations in low-Earth orbit or “LEO” regions.

Among the capabilities that it will host are optical visible and infrared cameras, navigation units, and electrical payloads with interface modules.

Under the project, Firefly will leverage components from its proven launch vehicles, lunar landers, avionics, and propulsion systems to configure the Elytra for the project’s on-demand mobility and complex requirements.

The craft’s engine, called the Spectre, was recently used during a descent mission of the firm’s commercial lunar lander.

The Texas-based company is scheduled to launch the Elytra Dawn by 2027.

‘National Security’ Project in Space

Firefly’s contract is part of the Sinequone Project, a Defense Innovation Unit-led effort aiming to establish “cost-effective, responsive access” beyond geosynchronous orbit domains.

This effort is expected to address space-based challenges by producing on-demand products and services supporting the rapid launch of technologies.

To aid future operations in this “new domain of interest,” Firefly signed a grant last February to expand its manufacturing capabilities in the state of Texas.

The award further increases the production of the Elytra vehicle at a lower cost in support of on-orbit payload hosting, maneuverability, long-haul communication relays, and other responsive services in space.

“Firefly has proven our ability to rapidly and reliably launch, land, and operate in space as we continue to execute bold missions from LEO to lunar orbit and beyond,” Firefly Aerospace CEO Jason Kim commented on the latest contract.

“This national security mission will further demonstrate our ability to perform responsive on-orbit tasks when and where our customers need them with our highly maneuverable Elytra orbital vehicle.”