Update: I have heard everyone was laid off at Firefly. In addition, there are reports there was an arbitrator’s ruling earlier this month in the case brought by Virgin Galactic against its former head of propulsion, Tom Markusic, who co-founded Firefly. The ruling was that Markusic had taken proprietary information when he left Virgin Galactic. This is the type of ruling that dries up funding sources for startups, which would […]
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“Firefly Space Systems”
Video Caption: Soul of the Machine tells the stories of designers and engineers that work to bring products with global impact to life. Episode 2 features Tom Markusic, CEO of Firefly Space Systems and one of the world’s leading propulsion engineers, who has set out to revolutionize the way we get to space. He and his team are rapidly working toward their first launch of NASA satellites set for March […]
CubeSats (Credit: ESA/Medialab)
The Small Satellite 2016 Conference got underway today in Logan, Utah. Although I was not able to make it, I’ve been able to follow the conference via Twitter. A number of small satellite launch companies provided updates on launch vehicles they are developing. There is information below on Firefly Space Systems, Nammo, Rocket Crafters, Rocket Lab, Super Strypi, Vector Space Systems and Virgin Galactic.
Information came from the following Tweeters who are attending the conference:
- Jeff Foust @jeff_foust
- C. G. Niederstrasser @RocketScient1st
- David Hurst @OrbitalDave.
Enjoy!
(more…)
Space News reports the British government has awarded contracts totaling approximately $2 million to five groups for feasibility studies on launching out of the United Kingdom. Airbus Safran Launchers, the prime contractor for Europe’s Ariane 5 and future Ariane 6 rockets, which has said was interested in a small-satellite launcher in addition to commercializing its work on a suborbital space-tourism vehicle. Deimos Space UK associated with Firefly Space Systems of […]
Washington D.C. (CSF PR) – The Commercial Spaceflight Federation is excited to announce the addition of three new associate members: Calspan Corporation, Firefly Space Systems, and TIP Technologies.
“The commercial spaceflight industry is developing and innovating at an ever-increasing pace,” said CSF president Eric Stallmer. “With the recent expansion of membership we have brought on board three different companies focusing on areas ranging from systems testing, small satellite launches, to quality assurance software. This diversity is a testament to the vast reach and influence of the rapidly growing commercial space sector.”
The 1st of 12 engines has been mounted and tested on our aerospike live ring. pic.twitter.com/pcqbds8ZEq — Firefly Space (@Firefly_Space) June 10, 2016
SpaceNews reports on the latest litigation in satellite land: Orbital ATK is facing a lawsuit from its former partner in the ViviSat satellite servicing venture, claiming Orbital improperly shut down the joint venture to pursue the servicing business on its own. In a suit filed April 29 with the Supreme Court of the State of New York, U.S. Space LLC alleges that Orbital ATK violated the terms of a management […]
SpaceShipTwo after being released for its final flight. (Credit: Virgin Galactic/NTSB)
By Douglas Messier
Managing Editor
Virgin Galactic’s former vice president of propulsion, Thomas Markusic, has accused Richard Branson’s space company of lying about the safety and performance of its SpaceShipTwo suborbital tourism vehicle.
“Dr. Markusic was forced to separate from VG [Virgin Galactic] because the company was defrauding the public about the ability of the vehicles to reach space and was utilizing rocket engine technologies that have a high probability of causing catastrophic failure and loss of life,” according to the document.
Tom Markusic
In Virgin Galactic’s arbitration procedure against its former Vice President of Propulsion, Tom Markusic, Sir Richard Brnason’s space tourism company has sought a broad range of documents in its effort to prove that Markusic violated his employment contract and took proprietary information in setting up a rival company, Firefly Space Systems.
Earlier this week, Firefly co-fouder and board member P.J. King filed suit in Los Angeles seeking to set aside a subpoena signed by arbitrator Louise LaMothe seeking documents from him. Virgin also has requested documents from Firefly and director Michael Blum.
The information below shows the documents requested in the subpoenas served to King, Firefly and Blum. The materials include employment contracts, organizational charts, specifications for engines and launch vehicles, development schedules, financial statements and other documents.
CEDAR PARK, Texas, October 14, 2015 (Firefly PR) — Firefly Space Systems, Inc., a New Space leader in the development of dedicated small satellite launch vehicles has been selected by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to conduct a demonstration CubeSat launch by March 2018. The Venture Class Launch Services (VCLS) contract to Firefly is valued at $5.5M.
Mark Wiese, chief of the Flight Projects Office for NASA’s Launch Services Program (LSP), based at Kennedy Space Center, described VCLS contracts as representing “NASA’s investment in the future of the commercial launch industry for SmallSats.”
Since there hasn’t been a dedicated launcher available, CubeSats have flown into orbit as auxiliary payloads that are released after the booster has achieved the primary mission. They have also been sprung into the orbital void from canisters aboard the International Space Station to conduct research missions. In both cases though, the CubeSats are at the mercy of the primary payload and the orbit it must fly in.