How to Watch Firefly’s Second Attempt to Launch Its Alpha Rocket

Firefly Aerospace is gearing up for one more go at launching its Alpha rocket, hoping that the small-lift launch car makes it to orbit this time after a fiery first try final yr.

The Texas-based firm is aiming for an orbital launch try on Monday at 6 p.m. ET, and the take a look at flight shall be streamed reside. You can tune in to look at the liftoff via Firefly’s website or through the feed under.

The 95-foot-tall (29–meter) rocket is about to launch from the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. Firefly designed Alpha to present low-price rides for small satellites. As a part of right now’s mission, dubbed “To the Black,” Alpha shall be carrying two small cubesats and 6 picosatellites. Provided by Teachers in Space, the Serenity cubesat will collect flight knowledge for academic functions, whereas TES-15, a collaboration between NASA and San Jose State University, will take a look at an “exo-brake” that may enhance drag as a way to de-orbit a satellite tv for pc. Meanwhile, Libre Space Foundation’s PicoBus will deploy six picosatellites to check out communication and distant sensing know-how.

The firm needs to have the ability to launch two Alpha rockets each month, with the single-use rocket designed to hold 2,580 kilos (1,170 kg) of cargo to low Earth orbit and 1,640 kilos (745 kg) to Sun-synchronous orbit.

But first, Alpha must ace its take a look at flight. The firm’s first try at launching the rocket, on September 2, 2021, didn’t precisely go as deliberate. One of Alpha’s 4 first-stage Reaver engines shut down unexpectedly about 15 seconds in, activating the flight termination system, and the rocket exploded in an enormous fireball above the Pacific Ocean. A yr later, Alpha is (hopefully) able to fly once more.

Alpha’s second take a look at flight was alleged to occur Sunday, however the rocket ran right into a little bit of bother, and the group scrubbed the launch try resulting from a drop in helium pressure. But, fingers crossed, the corporate can lastly watch Alpha fly with no explosive mishaps this time round. If all goes nicely, Firefly hopes to being common Alpha launches by the tip of the yr.

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