Firefly Aerospace
Firefly Aerospace is a vertically integrated U.S. space and defense company that designs, manufactures, and operates the Alpha and Eclipse launch vehicles, Blue Ghost lunar landers, Elytra orbital vehicles, and AI-enabled defense software, serving primarily NASA, the U.S. Space Force, and DoD.
- Company typePublic
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersCedar Park, United States
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
Firefly Aerospace firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Firefly Aerospace
- Legal name
- Firefly Aerospace Inc.
- Website
- https://fireflyspace.com
- Company type
- Public
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1,001–5,000 employees
- Short description
- Firefly Aerospace is a vertically integrated U.S. space and defense company that designs, manufactures, and operates the Alpha and Eclipse launch vehicles, Blue Ghost lunar landers, Elytra orbital vehicles, and AI-enabled defense software, serving primarily NASA, the U.S. Space Force, and DoD.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Firefly Aerospace industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Space Launch and Spacecraft Manufacturing
- NAICS
- Guided Missile and Space Vehicle Manufacturing (336414), Guided Missile and Space Vehicle Propulsion Unit and Propulsion Unit Parts Manufacturing (336415), Other Guided Missile and Space Vehicle Parts and Auxiliary Equipment Manufacturing (336419), Search, Detection, Navigation, Guidance, Aeronautical, and Nautical System and Instrument Manufacturing (334511)
- SIC
- Guided Missiles & Space Vehicles & Parts (3760), Search, Detection, Navagation, Guidance, Aeronautical Sys (3812)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Launch Vehicles & Orbital Rockets (IMABACAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Spacecraft & Satellites (Civil/Commercial) (IMABACAB), Military Space Systems (Defense Spacecraft) (IMABACAC), Spacecraft Avionics, Flight Computers & Software (IMABACAI), Spacecraft Propulsion (In-Space) & Thrusters (IMABACAE)
Keywords
Where Firefly Aerospace is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Cedar Park
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices6 records
Markets served
Firefly Aerospace business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Launch Vehicle Services (Alpha): Firefly generates revenue by launching payloads (SmallSats, CubeSats, dedicated satellites) aboard its Alpha rocket from U.S. domestic launch sites (Vandenberg, Wallops, Cape Canaveral) and international sites (Esrange, Sweden). Revenue is one-time per mission, booked through multi-launch agreements (e.g., 25-launch agreement with Lockheed Martin, 20-launch with L3Harris). Alpha Block 2 upgrades improve reliability for national security applications.
- Lunar Lander and Spacecraft Services (Blue Ghost): Revenue from delivering commercial, NASA, and government payloads to the lunar surface and lunar orbit via Blue Ghost landers and Elytra orbital vehicles. Firefly has been awarded 5 NASA CLPS task orders supporting 4 lunar missions. Revenue is project-based per mission (e.g., $93.3M for Mission 1, $179M for Gruithuisen Domes, $177M for south pole mission). Paired with Elytra for end-to-end cislunar services.
- Defense Software and AI (SciTec): Following the November 2025 acquisition of SciTec (~$160M), Firefly generates recurring government contract revenue from defense software analytics, AI-enabled data fusion, and sensor systems. SciTec provides cloud-based fusion software for Air Force CBC2 program and is a prime contractor on the Space Force's Golden Dome Space-Based Interceptor program (up to $3.2B across 20 awards). Revenue model is contract-based (firm fixed-price, OTA agreements) with recurring government customer relationships.
- Orbital Vehicle Services (Elytra): Elytra vehicles provide in-space maneuverability, delivery, imaging, domain awareness, and communications relay services. Revenue comes from dedicated missions (e.g., MoonFall drone delivery contract worth $75M) and rideshare configurations on Blue Ghost missions. Elytra Dawn is rapidly deployable for on-demand LEO services. Five years of operational life for Elytra Dark in lunar orbit supports extended service revenue.
- Space-ng Acquisition (Autonomous Operations): Firefly Aerospace acquired Space-ng Inc. (June 2026) for AI-powered vision navigation and autonomous guidance systems. Space-ng's proven spacecraft software and camera hardware strengthen Blue Ghost lunar landers and Elytra orbital vehicles. Ethan Rublee (Space-ng CEO) joins as Chief Engineer of Software. Expected to expand autonomous space operations capabilities across existing product lines.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Multi-year contract | Alpha Launch Services - Mission-specific pricing |
| Unit Pricing | Multi-year contract | Blue Ghost Lunar Mission Services - Task-order based |
| Unit Pricing | Multi-year contract | Elytra Orbital Vehicle Services |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
Firefly Aerospace product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Firefly Aerospace develops and operates a vertically integrated portfolio of space and defense systems, including small-to-medium lift launch vehicles (Alpha, Eclipse), commercial lunar landers (Blue Ghost), multi-mission orbital transfer vehicles (Elytra), lunar imaging services (Ocula), and AI-enabled defense software (SciTec). The company delivers end-to-end cislunar services from Earth to lunar surface and orbit for U.S. government, defense, and commercial aerospace customers.
Product overview
Firefly Aerospace is a space and defense technology company offering a vertically integrated portfolio of launch vehicles, lunar landers, orbital vehicles, and AI-enabled services. Core products include Alpha (small-to-medium lift rocket), Eclipse (medium-lift vehicle with Northrop Grumman), Blue Ghost lunar landers, and Elytra orbital transfer vehicles. The company provides end-to-end cislunar services from Earth to Moon and beyond, integrating AI-powered autonomy through Space-ng acquisition. Recent additions include Ocula lunar imaging service and defense software through SciTec acquisition. Firefly operates from Texas headquarters with launch sites across the US and Sweden.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Blue Ghost: Blue Ghost lunar lander - the first commercial lunar lander to successfully land on the Moon, providing payload delivery and surface operations on the lunar surface
- Elytra
- Ocula
- Alpha
- Eclipse
- DREAM
- Gloworks
- Sol3
- Rocket Ranch
Products and services
- Alpha Launch Vehicle Small-to-medium lift launch vehicle; the only operational U.S. 1-ton class rocket, capable of delivering 1,030 kg to LEO and 630 kg to SSO. Features patented tap-off cycle engines (Reaver Stage 1, Lightning Stage 2) and carbon fiber composite airframe. For U.S. government and commercial aerospace customers.
- Eclipse Medium-Lift Launch Vehicle Medium-lift launch vehicle co-developed with Northrop Grumman, designed for reusability with return-to-launch-site capability. Can lift over 16,000 kg to LEO, featuring 7x Miranda engines (scaled tap-off cycle) and 5.4m payload fairing. For national security and commercial customers.
- Blue Ghost Lunar Lander Commercial lunar lander that delivers and hosts payloads anywhere on the lunar surface with up to 240 kg mass capacity and over 400W power. Supports lunar day and night surface operations. Features vision-based terrain relative navigation and hazard avoidance. For NASA CLPS, international space agencies (UAE MBRSC, ESA), and commercial payload customers.
- Elytra Orbital Vehicles Multi-mission orbital vehicles providing in-space maneuverability, payload delivery, space domain awareness, long-haul communications, and lunar imaging across cislunar space. Includes Elytra Dawn (LEO), Elytra Dusk (enhanced maneuverability), and Elytra Dark (maximum delta-V >2,900 m/sec for lunar orbit and beyond, five-year operational life). For government and commercial customers.
- Ocula Lunar Imaging Service First commercial lunar imaging service using high-resolution telescopes (0.2m resolution at 50km altitude) built by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, operating onboard Elytra vehicles in lunar orbit with NVIDIA Jetson-powered edge compute. Provides UV and visible spectrum imaging for mineral detection, surface mapping, and cislunar domain awareness. For government and commercial customers.
- SciTec Defense Software AI-enabled defense software providing data fusion, high-fidelity sensing, and command-and-control capabilities for national security missions. Includes Cloud-Based Command and Control (CBC2) supporting NORAD, USNORTHCOM, and PACAF and Space-Based Interceptor programs under Golden Dome missile defense architecture. For U.S. Air Force, Space Force, and other DoD agencies.
- Responsive Space Services Tactically responsive space services including VICTUS NOX and VICTUS SOL programs offering on-demand launch with 24-hour notice, and deployable launch systems with 7-day capability from any location, supporting sovereign launch capabilities for U.S. Space Force and national security customers.
Quantifiable outcome
- First successful commercial Moon landing (March 2, 2025, Mare Crisium) with >14 days surface operations and >5 hours lunar night operations — longest commercial lunar surface operations to date
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use Firefly Aerospace
Customer profileNamed customers15 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Firefly Aerospace technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
AI capability9 records
Feature7 records
Firefly Aerospace partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Space-ng Inc. (Acquired)coreFirefly Aerospace acquired Space-ng Inc. (June 2026) for approximately undisclosed amount. Space-ng specializes in AI-powered vision navigation and autonomous guidance systems for spacecraft. Proven during Firefly's Blue Ghost Mission 1 landing. CEO Ethan Rublee joins as Chief Engineer of Software. Space-ng's Sol3 camera hardware integrated into Firefly spacecraft for autonomous operations.
- NVIDIAcoreFirefly Aerospace partnered with NVIDIA Jetson to enable AI-powered edge compute on Elytra platforms for Moon imaging services. The Jetson platform powers AI-driven onboard processing capabilities for Ocula lunar imaging service, enabling real-time autonomous imaging analysis in cislunar space.
- Kratos Defense & Security SolutionsminorFirefly Aerospace joined Kratos MACH-TB 2.0 team for hypersonic testing (November 2025). Firefly's Alpha rocket supports hypersonic testing missions under this collaboration.
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL)coreLLNL built the high-resolution telescopes for Firefly's Ocula lunar imaging service. Telescopes onboard Elytra vehicles in lunar orbit achieve 0.2-meter resolution at 50km altitude — advancing capabilities of current U.S. orbiters. Ocula service launches as early as late 2026 on Elytra Dark during Blue Ghost Mission 2.
- Spaceflight Inc. (Acquired)coreFirefly Aerospace acquired Spaceflight Inc. (June 2023) to bolster on-orbit services. Spaceflight Inc. brings orbital transfer vehicle capabilities and secondary payload deployment services. The acquisition was subsequently followed by Firefly's Elytra vehicle program.
- Seagate SpacecoreSeagate Space (St. Petersburg, Florida startup founded by former Crowley Maritime executives) is developing a semi-submersible offshore launch platform called 'Gateway.' Signed MOU with Firefly Aerospace in April 2025 to develop an offshore launch platform for Alpha rocket. Seagate received Approval in Principle from American Bureau of Shipping (December 2025). Lockheed Martin joined the partnership in May 2026. Target: first demonstration launch in 2028; permanent offshore capability by late 2027.
- Lockheed MartincoreLockheed Martin signed a 25-launch agreement for Alpha rocket services (June 2024). LM 400 Tech Demo satellite launched on Alpha FLTA006 (April 2025). In May 2026, Lockheed Martin joined Seagate Space and Firefly in a strategic collaboration for sea-based national security launch using Firefly's Alpha rocket from Seagate's Gateway offshore platform. Alpha FLTA004 launched Lockheed Martin Millennium Space Systems satellite.
- Swedish Space Corporation (SSC)coreSSC and Firefly are collaborating to launch Alpha rockets from Esrange Space Center in Sweden. TSA signed between Sweden and the U.S. in June 2025. This enables the broader European market and tactically responsive space missions for NATO countries. Launch Complex 3C at Esrange being developed.
- L3Harris TechnologiescoreL3Harris signed a multi-launch agreement for up to 20 Alpha rocket launches (first agreement September 2023; second agreement August 2024). This represents one of Firefly's largest commercial launch commitments.
- Northrop GrummancoreNorthrop Grumman and Firefly are co-developing Eclipse, a medium-lift launch vehicle. Northrop Grumman invested $50M in Firefly (May 2025) to advance Eclipse. The companies also signed a 25-launch purchase agreement for Alpha rockets (June 2024) and a three-way collaboration with Seagate Space for sea-based launch (May 2026). Northrop Grumman previously provided Antares expertise informing Eclipse development.
- True AnomalyminorTrue Anomaly contracted Firefly Aerospace to launch its Jackal autonomous orbital vehicle for the U.S. Space Force VICTUS HAZE tactically responsive space mission (October 2024 announcement). Firefly provides launch services while True Anomaly provides the orbital vehicle.
Scale indicators12 records
Recent moves10 records
Expansion highlights7 records
Firefly Aerospace competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Rocket Lab: Closest direct competitor in small-to-medium lift launch (Electron/Neutron) and end-to-end space services (spacecraft, lunar, in-space). Both publicly listed space primes targeting government and commercial payloads with vertical integration.
- Intuitive Machines: Fellow NASA CLPS lunar lander prime (IM-1 Odysseus landing Feb 2024) with overlapping CLPS task order portfolio and complementary lunar delivery services. Direct competitor for NASA lunar payload contracts.
- Astrobotic Technology: Competing CLPS lunar lander provider (Peregrine, Griffin) competing for the same NASA Artemis-aligned payload delivery dollars. Comparable private-stage company targeting the same niche commercial lunar services market.
- Redwire Corporation: Public space technology company with comparable spacecraft, in-space services, and defense software capabilities (acquired by AEI portfolio). Overlapping product lines in space structures, avionics, and mission services.
Broad incumbents
- SpaceX: Dominant launch incumbent spanning smallsat rideshare (Transporter) through Falcon 9 medium lift and Falcon Heavy, plus Starship. Sets pricing benchmarks across Alpha and Eclipse's addressable markets and is the primary competitive threat in small-to-medium launch.
- Blue Origin: Established broad-space prime with New Glenn medium-lift launcher, Blue Moon lunar lander, and Blue Ring orbital transfer vehicle. Direct competitor to Eclipse MLV, Blue Ghost landers, and Elytra OTV services with much larger capital base.
- Northrop Grumman: Both a co-development partner and broader competitor in launch (Antares-derived Eclipse collaboration), spacecraft, and defense. Provides strategic investment ($50M) but also competes for Space Force and intelligence community launch awards.
Emerging players
- Relativity Space: Emerging medium-lift launch competitor (Terran R) using 3D-printed architecture and targeting similar small-to-medium and medium payload markets as Alpha and Eclipse. Partial overlap in commercial launch and Terran R's reusable design philosophy.
- Vast Space: Emerging commercial space station developer targeting NASA LEO destinations with complementary in-space services ambitions. Partially overlaps with Elytra orbital services and commercial space infrastructure roadmaps.
Others
- Kratos Defense & Security Solutions: Partner on MACH-TB 2.0 hypersonic testing team and adjacent provider of tactical space, drone, and defense software solutions. Comparable in government software and space domain awareness offerings competing for similar DoD budgets.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Firefly Aerospace social profiles
Digital presenceFirefly Aerospace compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Firefly Aerospace financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Firefly Aerospace leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles12 records
Firefly Aerospace subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries3 records
Firefly Aerospace funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds14 records
Investors20 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Firefly Aerospace M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A3 records
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Firefly Aerospace
What does Firefly Aerospace do?
Firefly Aerospace develops and operates a vertically integrated portfolio of space and defense systems, including small-to-medium lift launch vehicles (Alpha, Eclipse), commercial lunar landers (Blue Ghost), multi-mission orbital transfer vehicles (Elytra), lunar imaging services (Ocula), and AI-enabled defense software (SciTec). The company delivers end-to-end cislunar services from Earth to lunar surface and orbit for U.S. government, defense, and commercial aerospace customers.
Is Firefly Aerospace a public or private company?
Firefly Aerospace is a public company. It is classified as public and is currently operating.
When was Firefly Aerospace founded?
Firefly Aerospace was founded in 2017. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is Firefly Aerospace based?
Firefly Aerospace is headquartered in Cedar Park, United States, in the North America region.
How does Firefly Aerospace make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Launch Vehicle Services (Alpha) is the primary driver. The others are lunar Lander and Spacecraft Services (Blue Ghost), defense Software and AI (SciTec), orbital Vehicle Services (Elytra) and space-ng Acquisition (Autonomous Operations).
Who are Firefly Aerospace's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Rocket Lab, Intuitive Machines, Astrobotic Technology and Redwire Corporation. Broad incumbents are SpaceX, Blue Origin and Northrop Grumman. Emerging players are Relativity Space and Vast Space. Kratos Defense & Security Solutions is listed as an others.
Does Firefly Aerospace have an API?
No public API is recorded for Firefly Aerospace.
What industry is Firefly Aerospace in?
Firefly Aerospace's product category is Space Launch and Spacecraft Manufacturing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMABACAA, Launch Vehicles & Orbital Rockets, with a secondary code of IMABACAB, Spacecraft & Satellites (Civil/Commercial). Its NAICS code is 336414 and its SIC code is 3760.