The fifth Firefly Aerospace Alpha could launch as soon as Monday night at Vandenberg Space Force Base for a mission to place eight CubeSats in orbit and again prove the rocket can be readied in a relatively short time. 

Alpha’s latest mission, dubbed Noise of Summer, is scheduled to lift off from Space Launch Complex-2 at 9:03 p.m. Monday within a 30-minute launch window.

“If you’re on the West Coast, this night launch may light up your sky, so be sure to tag Firefly with your best shots and use #NoiseofSummer,” Firefly representatives said Saturday. 

Eight CubeSats will travel aboard the Alpha rocket for Firefly’s Venture-Class Launch Services Demo 2 contract with NASA. That contract aims to validate the capabilities of new launch vehicles to provide more access to space for small satellites and spacecraft.

“The Firefly team has rapidly matured our Alpha rocket and our responsive launch operations to deliver the dependable one-metric-ton rocket the market is demanding,” said Bill Weber, CEO of Firefly Aerospace. 

“We’re proud to support this NASA mission that will not only prove out the capabilities of Alpha as a repeatable, reliable launch vehicle, but also advance our mission of making space for everyone by supporting some incredible student-led CubeSat initiatives,” Weber said. 

Firefly will conduct the mission as another responsive space operation, which includes transporting the payload fairing, or nose cone, to the launch pad and mating it to Firefly’s Alpha rocket within hours of the scheduled liftoff. 

Usually, that chore occurs weeks ahead of liftoff for a typical operation.

The eight small satellites were selected through NASA’s CubeSat Launch Initiative (CSLI) providing satellite developers at U.S. educational institutions and nonprofits with low-cost access to conduct scientific research and technology demonstrations in space. 

Satellites for this mission involve universities in Arizona, Washington, Kansas and Maine. Others include NASA centers and a nonprofit educational organization. 

“NASA benefits by having a mechanism for low-cost technology development and scientific research to help bridge strategic knowledge gaps and accelerate flight-qualified technology,” said Hamilton Fernandez, mission manager with NASA’s Launch Services Program. “The students benefit through hands-on experience, which develops the future workforce of the U.S. space industry.”

In 2020, NASA awarded Firefly Aerospace a fixed-price contract to fly small satellites to space under a Venture-Class Launch Services Demonstration 2 contract. 

NASA certified Firefly Aerospace’s Alpha rocket in May as a Category 1, which authorized its use during missions with high-risk tolerance.

The firm’s fifth Alpha rocket launch comes months after the fourth mission occurred with mixed results following liftoff from Vandenberg on Dec. 22.

A review of the flight data pinpointed the root cause and corrective actions after the second stage did not achieve the target orbit for payload deployment, Firefly officials said earlier this year.

“The investigation determined the mishap was due to an error in the Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GNC) software algorithm that prevented the system from sending the necessary pulse commands to the Reaction Control System (RCS) thrusters ahead of the stage two engine relight,” Firefly officials said. 

“Despite these challenges, Alpha deployed the payload in an orbit that allowed our mission partner to successfully complete primary mission objectives including rapid commissioning of the satellite following insertion.”

Firefly implemented corrective actions to resolve the software issue, including changes to detect and prevent similar issues in the future, the company said. 

Based in Texas and boasting 700 employees — dubbed Fireflies — the company builds small- to medium-lift launch vehicles, lunar landers, and orbital vehicles to provide more affordable, responsive, and reliable space access for government and commercial customers. 

The distinctive-looking rocket uses advanced carbon composite structures, patented propulsion technologies, and common components with a goal of improving reliability to deliver payloads at a lower cost.

A livestream of the countdown and launch will begin 30 minutes before the liftoff and can be found by clicking here.