Aerospace and defense company Northrop Grumman announced that it invested $50 million into Firefly Aerospace to support the production of Eclipse, a jointly developed medium launch vehicle.
The latest funds come as the vehicle’s flight hardware undergoes qualification testing and over 60 hot fire tests.
16,300 Kilograms of Cargo
Eclipse builds on Firefly’s Alpha launch vehicle and Northrop Grumman’s Antares rocket. The medium launch vehicle can reportedly deliver 16,300 kilograms of cargo to low-Earth orbit and 3,200 kilograms to geosynchronous transfer orbit.
Firefly used the same tap-off cycle design from Alpha’s Lightning and Reaver engines in the Eclipse’s Vira and Miranda engines. Additionally, Eclipse features a 5.4-meter payload fairing and includes scaled-up Alpha carbon composite structures and propulsion systems.
The company also completed a mission duty cycle with a 206-second hot fire test, matching the engine’s longest burning time during flight.
Providing Space-Based Capabilities
Northrop Grumman executive Wendy Williams stated that the company’s collaboration with Firefly advances its goal of providing crucial space-based observation, exploration, and communication for national and civil security customers.
2026 Launch
Firefly plans to launch Eclipse from Virginia as early as 2026, supporting commercial spacecraft, space station resupply, scientific payloads for international and domestic markets, and critical national security missions.
Image credit: Firefly Aerospace
