by Douglas Messier
Managing Editor

Firefly Aerospace co-founder Tom Markusic is out as CEO, a move that comes three months after AE Industrial Partners (AEI) led a $75 million Series B funding round and completed its acquisition of a majority stake in the rocket company.

Firefly announced this week that Markusic transitioned to the role of full-time board member and chief technical advisor on Thursday, June 16. He remains “a significant minority investor” in the company, which is preparing for the second flight test of its Alpha small-satellite booster.

AEI Concurrently Closes its Previously Announced Strategic Investment in Firefly Aerospace

BOCA RATON, Fla., March 22, 2022 (AE Industrial Partners PR) — AE Industrial Partners, LP (“AEI”), a U.S-based private equity firm specializing in aerospace, defense and government services, space, power and utility services, and specialty industrial markets, announced today that it led a $75 million Series B financing round in Firefly Aerospace (“Firefly” or the “Company”), an emerging leader in economical launch vehicles, spacecraft, and in-space services. The Series B investment will support Firefly’s next stage of growth by providing capital for future Alpha flights, the Blue Ghost Lunar Lander Program, and the development of additional launch and in-space solutions. Concurrently, AEI completed its previously reported acquisition of Noosphere Venture Partners LP’s (“Noosphere Ventures”) stake in the Company. The transaction values Firefly above its May 2021 Series A valuation of more than $1 billion.

• $345 million cash-in-trust from Tailwind Two
• $50 million PIPE with participation from AE Industrial Partners, Beach Point Capital, Daniel Staton and Lockheed Martin
• $75 million of additional financial commitments from Francisco Partners and Beach Point Capital
• Transaction expected to close in first quarter of 2022

New York, NY. and BOCA RATON, FL. (October 28, 2021) — Tailwind Two Acquisition Corp. (NYSE:TWNT) (“Tailwind Two”), a special purpose acquisition company, and Terran Orbital Corporation, the global leader and pioneer in the development, innovation and operation of small satellites and earth observation solutions, jointly announced today that they have entered into a definitive business combination agreement.  Upon the closing of the transaction, the combined company (the “Company”) will operate as Terran Orbital Corporation, with plans to list on the NYSE under the symbol LLAP. The pro forma total enterprise value of the combined companies is approximately $1.58 billion. The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2022.

• Redwire is a pure play space infrastructure company providing critical technology and services to fast-growing national security, civil, and commercial markets
• Global space economy growing rapidly, projected to exceed $2 trillion in 2040
• Business combination values Redwire at a pro forma enterprise value of $615 million; transaction expected to deliver approximately $170 million cash to the Redwire balance sheet (assuming no redemptions)
• Includes a fully committed and oversubscribed $100 million common stock PIPE with participation by Senvest Management, LLC and Crescent Park Management, L.P.
• Proven management team and 50+ years of space heritage and deep customer relationships in space and aerospace
• Undisputed leader in rapidly expanding 3D printing/manufacturing and robotic assembly in space, which is critical to the future of space infrastructure solutions
• Strong financial foundation with current revenue, EBITDA, and free cash flow
• Projected 2021 revenue of $163 million and forecasted 72% 2021E – 2025E revenue CAGR, with positive and growing Adj. EBITDA and cash flow driven by an over $23 billion pipeline of identifiable contracts
• Current Redwire stockholders, Genesis Park stockholders and PIPE investors will hold shares in the combined company to be listed on the NYSE

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. and HOUSTON, March 25, 2021 (Redwire PR) — Redwire (or “the Company”), a leader in mission-critical space solutions and high reliability components for the next generation space economy, and Genesis Park Acquisition Corp. (NYSE: GNPK) (“Genesis Park”), a publicly traded special purpose acquisition company, announced today that they have entered into a definitive merger agreement that will result in Redwire becoming a publicly traded company. The transaction is expected to be completed by the end of the second quarter of 2021, and at that time, Genesis Park Acquisition Corp. will change its name to Redwire and the company will trade on the NYSE.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla., January 19, 2021 (Redwire PR) – Redwire, a new leader in mission critical space solutions and high reliability components for the next generation space economy, announced today that it has acquired Oakman Aerospace, Inc. (OAI) a leading provider of cutting-edge products and services related to digital engineering, spacecraft and satellite design and development, mission payload development, and data distribution services. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

“Oakman Aerospace adds a critical capability in digital engineering that will significantly enhance our space infrastructure solutions,” said Peter Cannito, Chairman and CEO of Redwire. “Their modular open systems architecture design and development approach and proprietary commercial off-the-shelf software suite is transforming the way future space capabilities are designed, developed, deployed and operated.”

JACKSONVILLE, Fla., October 29, 2020 (Redwire PR) – Redwire, a new leader in mission critical space solutions and high reliability components for the next generation space economy, announced today that it has acquired Roccor, a disruptive military and commercial hardware supplier in the rapidly growing small satellite market and a premier manufacturer of deployable booms, structures, antennas, thermal products, and solar arrays for the space industry. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.