Firefly Aerospace has acquired Spaceflight Inc. to strengthen its 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. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
Commenting on the acquisition, Bill Weber, CEO of Firefly Aerospace, said: “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. 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.”
Weber added: “With high market demand for our on-orbit services and rapid response missions, this acquisition uniquely positions Firefly to respond immediately to our customers’ needs. We look forward to welcoming this team into our incredible Firefly family!”
The addition of Spaceflight brings added capabilities that complement Firefly’s vertically integrated product line, including launch, lunar, and in-space vehicles. Firefly’s Alpha launch vehicle is manifested through 2023 with the US Space Force, NASA, and other commercial customers, as the company concurrently builds a new medium launch vehicle in collaboration with Northrop Grumman. Firefly’s Blue Ghost lunar lander is scheduled to complete the first of two missions to the Moon next year with NASA as the anchor customer, and Firefly’s Space Utility Vehicle has a mission scheduled early next year to demonstrate the vehicle’s on-orbit capabilities.
Firefly is a portfolio company of AE Industrial Partners, a US-based private equity firm specializing in aerospace, defence and government services, space, power and utility services, and speciality industrial markets.
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