Eight CubeSats that are part of NASA’s CubeSat launch initiative have been integrated into Firefly Aerospace’s deployment hardware and are ready to be encapsulated in the payload of Firefly’s Alpha rocket. The launch, dubbed “Summer Noise,” will lift off early this summer from Space Launch Complex 2 at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.
College students from several schools, along with some NASA technicians, brought their small satellites to Firefly for integration with the rocket. The satellites are designed to perform a variety of scientific experiments and technical demonstrations including high-speed communications, cosmic ray detection, weather monitoring and new deorbiting techniques.
Students are deeply involved in all aspects of their mission, from developing, assembling and testing payloads to working with NASA’s launch vehicle integration teams. CubeSats are held to rigorous standards like those of primary spacecraft.
Firefly Aerospace is one of three companies selected under the NASA Launch Services Program Launch Services Demonstration 2 (VCLS Demo 2) contract awarded in December 2020. These VCLS Demo 2 missions can tolerate a higher level of risk and help create opportunities for new launches, helping to grow the launch vehicle market while increasing access to space for small spacecraft and scientific missions.
