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Firefly Aerospace Acquires Spaceflight Inc.

Firefly Aerospace
Credit: Firefly Aerospace

Ibadan, 12 June 2023. – Firefly Aerospace has announced the acquisition of Spaceflight Inc. to strengthen Firefly’s on-orbit solutions and service the entire lifecycle of customers’ satellites and spacecraft. The acquisition further supports Firefly’s robust portfolio of low-cost space transportation services, including responsive launch and in-space mobility, on-orbit hosting and servicing, and lunar delivery operations. However, the announcement did not disclose the terms of the transaction.

Spaceflight’s flight-proven orbital vehicles provide payload deliveries, hosting, and transfer services. The Company has also supported the deployment of more than 460 payloads into space.

“This acquisition is the result of Firefly’s business plan to strengthen the company through organic growth in addition to accelerating its capabilities with strategic acquisitions,” said Bill Weber, CEO of Firefly Aerospace. “The combination of Spaceflight’s on-orbit experience with Firefly’s launch vehicles, Blue Ghost landers, and Space Utility Vehicles is an overnight game changer for our customers and investors.”

Spaceflight brings extra capabilities that complement Firefly’s vertically integrated product line, including launch, lunar, and in-space vehicles. Firefly’s Alpha launch vehicle currently manifests through 2023 with the U.S. Space Force, NASA, and other commercial customers, as the Company concurrently builds a new medium launch vehicle in collaboration with Northrop Grumman.

In addition, Firefly’s Blue Ghost lunar lander will tentatively complete the first of two missions to the Moon next year with NASA as the anchor customer. Likewise, Firefly’s Space Utility Vehicle has a mission to demonstrate the vehicle’s on-orbit capabilities early next year.

“With a high market demand for our on-orbit services and rapid response missions, this acquisition uniquely positions Firefly to respond immediately to our customers’ needs,” added Weber.

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