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Problems with the upper stage of Firefly Aerospace’s Alpha launch vehicle caused Lockheed Martin’s experimental communications satellite to enter the wrong orbit. This was reported by Space.com, according
This was reported by Space.com, according to Ukrinform’s report.
Alpha was launched from California’s Vandenberg Air Force Base on Friday. It was supposed to deliver a payload, an electronically guided antenna (ESA) from Lockheed Martin, to low Earth orbit. It was supposed to demonstrate rapid orbit sensor calibration technology to provide rapid capability to US warplanes.
Firefly Aerospace said that initially everything went well, but that the Alpha booster “did not fully deliver its payload to the target orbit.” Communication with the spacecraft has been established and the mission continues.
The satellite will probably be calibrated after some time. Firefly representatives promised to investigate the cause of the incident.
This launch marked the fourth flight of Firefly’s Alpha rocket.
As Ukrinform reported, in February 2022, Ukrainian businessman Maksym Polyakov sold his shares in Firefly Aerospace at the request of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS). According to Bloomberg, representatives of the US government and aerospace industry have expressed fears that valuable technologies could go to Ukraine, Russia or other countries trying to develop missile programs.
Photo: Firefly Aerospace/NASASpaceflight.com/Trevor Mahlmann
Source: Ukrinform
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