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Firefly Aerospace
Receives Statement of Support from the United States Air
Force for Use of Vandenberg Air Force Base Space Launch
Complex 2 West
May 1, 2018
Firefly Aerospace, Inc. (Firefly), a developer of
orbital launch vehicles for the small to medium
satellite market, announced that the United States
Air Force (USAF) has issued a "Statement of Support for
the Firefly Aerospace Program, Alpha and Beta Launch
Vehicles" to utilize Vandenberg Air Force Base (VAFB)
Space Launch Complex 2 West (SLC-2W) for future launches
of the Firefly Alpha and Beta launch vehicles.
"Firefly Aerospace is greatly appreciative that NASA
and the USAF support the transition of SLC-2W to a
commercial launch site dedicated to the launch of
Firefly vehicles," said Firefly CEO Dr. Tom Markusic.
"SLC-2W has been an incredible asset for US space
missions for over 50 years. We are humbled and honored
that Firefly Alpha and Beta launch vehicles will be
adding many successful missions to the already storied
history of SLC-2W."
30th Space Wing Commander, Colonel Michael S. Hough,
stated: "We are excited to be currently working with a
new launch provider, Firefly, at Vandenberg Air Force
Base. This is a new commercial space lift provider
seeking to launch commercial satellites from SLC-2W."
Firefly's Director of Launch, Brad Obrocto, added:
"Converting an active government launch site to
commercial operation is substantially less complex and
costly than the greenfield development of a new launch
site, saving Firefly years of facility development and
substantial capex dollars. This enables Firefly to stay
on track for Alpha's first flight by the third quarter
of 2019 and ramp up to monthly launches by the end of
2020. The accommodation of Firefly launch by the USAF
significantly enhances Firefly's ability to service the
full spectrum of government and commercial customers
from one location and advances Firefly's vision of
'Making Space for Everyone.'"
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