{"id":10301,"date":"2023-09-27T22:24:58","date_gmt":"2023-09-27T14:24:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp-productionenv-bjg9h2g2bgg5b8aa.southeastasia-01.azurewebsites.net\/news\/rapid-response-victus-nox-launch-success-open-new-possibilities-for-space-force-commercial-space-industry\/"},"modified":"2023-09-27T22:24:58","modified_gmt":"2023-09-27T14:24:58","slug":"rapid-response-victus-nox-launch-success-open-new-possibilities-for-space-force-commercial-space-industry","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/news\/rapid-response-victus-nox-launch-success-open-new-possibilities-for-space-force-commercial-space-industry\/","title":{"rendered":"Rapid response Victus Nox launch success open new possibilities for Space Force, commercial space industry"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure id=\"attachment_63852\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-63852\" style=\"width: 1024px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-63852 size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/VICTUS_NOX_FIREFLY_REMOTE_3-1HiRes-1024x681-1.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"681\" srcset=\"https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/VICTUS_NOX_FIREFLY_REMOTE_3-1HiRes-1024x681-1.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/VICTUS_NOX_FIREFLY_REMOTE_3-1HiRes-1024x681-1-300x200.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/VICTUS_NOX_FIREFLY_REMOTE_3-1HiRes-1024x681-1-678x451.jpeg 678w, https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/VICTUS_NOX_FIREFLY_REMOTE_3-1HiRes-1024x681-1-768x511.jpeg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-63852\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Proving a quick turnaround capability for the U.S. Space Force\u2019s Space System Command\u2019s Space Safari Program Office, the Victus Nox mission launches using a Firefly Aerospace Alpha rocket. Image: Firefly Aerospace<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Nearly two weeks after the successful launch of a payload for the U.S. Space Force\u2019s Space System Command, leaders from the branch along with launch provider, Firefly Aerospace, and satellite manufacturer, Millennium Space Systems, touted the importance and details of the mission during a press briefing on Tuesday.<\/p>\n<p>Lt. Col. MacKenzie Birchenough, the materiel leader for the SSC\u2019s Space Safari Program Office (an acquisition program office supporting USSPACECOM), said the Victus Nox mission was an important step forward in establishing what they term \u201cTactically Responsive Space\u201d (TacRS) missions.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe overarching purpose of this mission was to demonstrate our ability to rapidly\u2026 deter and, if necessary, respond to adversary threats in the space domain,\u201d Birchenough said.<\/p>\n<p>The Sept. 14 launch of the Victus Nox spacecraft on a Firefly Alpha rocket was the company\u2019s third launch to date and demonstrated a record turnaround time for a mission from end-to-end.<\/p>\n<p><iframe id=\"twitter-widget-0\" scrolling=\"no\" frameborder=\"0\" allowtransparency=\"true\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" class=\"\" style=\"position: static; visibility: visible; width: 0px; height: 0px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;\" title=\"X Post\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/embed\/Tweet.html?dnt=true&amp;embedId=twitter-widget-0&amp;features=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%3D%3D&amp;frame=false&amp;hideCard=false&amp;hideThread=false&amp;id=1702782757741502842&amp;lang=en&amp;origin=https%3A%2F%2Fspaceflightnow.com%2F2023%2F09%2F27%2Frapid-response-victus-nox-launch-success-open-new-possibilities-for-space-force-commercial-space-industry%2F&amp;sessionId=a5896800c8566556a854dbbf22e3602b5a5bf095&amp;theme=light&amp;widgetsVersion=6a3ad42b224df%3A1778106238597&amp;width=550px\" data-tweet-id=\"1702782757741502842\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\" data-twitter-extracted-i1782462065031603747=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">As images of Firefly\u2019s Alpha rocket soaring through the night sky were captured  across the southwest United States, a team of passionate Fireflies flawlessly executed a mission that has never been done before \u2014 launching after a 24-hour notice.<\/p>\n<p>Here\u2019s how the U.S. Space Force\u2019s\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/TcEjpHqYyi<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Firefly Aerospace (@Firefly_Space) September 15, 2023<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>After receiving the contract for the mission in 2022, both Firefly and Millennium entered into a six-month, so-called \u201chot standby\u201d phase of the operation. Within those months, at any point, they could be given an alert that kicked off the 60-hour window during which the satellite would need to be delivered to Vandenberg Space Force Base (VSFB) to undergo final launch preparations.<\/p>\n<p>Once on orbit, Millennium had a 48-hour goal to have the satellite in an operational state.<\/p>\n<p>Millennium got the spacecraft to VSFB, tested it and mated it to the launch adapter in less than 58 hours, compared to the standard timeframe of weeks to months. They were able to do so by pulling one of their spacecraft buses from an existing production line that was eight months into the manufacturing process.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFive plus years ago, Millennium didn\u2019t have an active production line, but now we have several and really its because we\u2019re focused on national security space, just like Firefly is,\u201d said Jason Kim, the CEO of Millennium Space Systems, a subsidiary of Boeing. \u201cThere\u2019s a lot of threats, adversary threats out there and we\u2019re trying to get ahead of them.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>On the launch side, Firefly was able to get its Alpha rocket to the pad, complete all pre-launch requirements and fuel it within the first 24 hours and launch within the first window at 7:28 p.m. PDT (0228 p.m. UTC on Sept. 15).<\/p>\n<p>Firefly CEO Bill Weber said having a rapid response-type of mentality is something that he wants the company to maintain moving forward.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe entire team worked as a unified force. We set new standards, I think, that the rest of the industry is going to meet, and this will be the expected standard going forward,\u201d Weber said. He later added that they would \u201cnot inject risk in order to meet a timeline.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019re not looking for a trophy or a merit badge to be able to say that we got it done in 24 hours. We want mission success,\u201d Weber said. \u201cWhat we believe we just proved is that we can do things in parallel that used to be done in serial. We can get a lot more efficient about steps that we were never pushing for any kind of speed. That it is possible to do that without creating risk in the mission.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Millennium space was also able to get the satellite in operation order in 37 hours, beating its 48-hour goal.<\/p>\n<h4>Benefits of speeding up<\/h4>\n<p>In discussing the Victus Nox mission on Tuesday, Lt. Col. Justin Beltz, the materiel leader and chief of the SSC Small Launch and Targets Division, said it was a concerted effort to pivot on their part and improve upon the previous 21-day launch record set on June 13, 2021, by the SSC\u2019s TacRL-2 mission.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOur respective government team had their day job at the different bases that they work and so, when we got called to alert status, everyone immediately picked up the phone and booked flights to Vandenberg Space Force Base,\u201d Beltz said. \u201cWe transited out there and planned to stay for the duration of the mission. That was what was required to enable that kind of speed.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Beltz and his colleagues said this demonstration is an important step on being able to stand up the full ability for TacRS missions starting in 2026, a goal that SSC leaders said was achievable.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe set the bar really high with Victus Nox, so it\u2019s going to be very difficult to top that, but we want to continue to push commercial industry as hard as we can because we know the threats are not going to slow down,\u201d said Maj. Jason Altenhofen, the deputy branch chief of Space Safari. \u201cWe need to leverage the competition, the commercial base, as much as possible because we want to get faster and that goes for build to on-orbit ops.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Going into this mission, Beltz said there were a suite of seven possible flight profiles that Firefly was ready to perform. He said the goal is to be able to establish more nimble rapid response capability, both in location as well as orbital destination. That includes, he said, continuing to work alongside other federal agencies for operations like this, such as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAs we head towards the future, we need to kind of tease apart the tension between speed and flexibility and get to the point where we\u2019re hitting both in full,\u201d Beltz said.<\/p>\n<p>Firefly said for its part, it is looking towards increasing its launch capabilities by bringing Space Launch Complex 20 (SLC-20) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station online. Weber said construction is ongoing.<\/p>\n<p>\u201c[Victus Nox] was flight three. We could probably fly up through flight eight out of Vandenberg. Somewhere in the six, seven, eight timeframe for Alpha flights, SLC-20 will come online and we\u2019ll be able to fly East and West Coast missions,\u201d Weber said. \u201cWe\u2019re about a year, maybe a year-and-a-quarter calendar-wise away from that capability coming online there.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Beltz said the actions that they\u2019re taking now are a response from what he and others describe as increasing aggression in the space domain. He pointed to an incident in 2019 when Russian satellites \u201ccozied right up to an important United States satellite,\u201d noting that at the time, \u201cthe (response) playbook was very limited.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThose conversations have directly prompted our ability to do this kind of mission and so, that very much is the focus,\u201d Beltz said. \u201cI am sure that over the years and decades, this kind of mission will play out in a way that nobody is predicting today, but the important thing is that we\u2019re addressing kind of a clear threat and making sure that the United States can respond.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_63853\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-63853\" style=\"width: 1024px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-63853 size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/VN-Hot-Standby-1024x747-1.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"747\" srcset=\"https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/VN-Hot-Standby-1024x747-1.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/VN-Hot-Standby-1024x747-1-300x219.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/VN-Hot-Standby-1024x747-1-678x495.jpeg 678w, https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/VN-Hot-Standby-1024x747-1-768x560.jpeg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-63853\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Alpha launch provider, Firefly, and payload provider, Millennium, moved into the hot standby phase and wait for the VICTUS NOX callup. Image: Firefly Aerospace<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h4>Eyeing the future<\/h4>\n<p>Regarding funding, $30 million was requested for this TacRS program missions in each FY24 and FY25.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think we fully recognize that that\u2019s not going to scale to a fully operational solution,\u201d Altenhofen said. \u201cThese demonstrations are really about proving capabilities, proving that we can do it and then we\u2019re working through the budget process to figure out what right size of funding is needed to make a truly operational, repeatable capability for the future.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The contracts for launch providers and satellite manufacturers are open and officials described them as robust, but declined to specify which others competed.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cLaunch providers view these responsive missions as a key part of the value proposition,\u201d Beltz said. \u201cThe ability for these systems to focus on a timeline like this and execute to it, it\u2019s pretty important and I think you\u2019ve probably seen each company in that segment, kind of seek to specialize in some way.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The next such demonstration TacRS mission is called \u201cVictus Haze,\u201d which represents a partnership between the Space Safari Program Office and the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU). It\u2019s goal is to \u201cfocus on end-to-end execution using commercial capabilities.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Birchenough said they are applying lessons learned from Victus Nox to Victus Haze.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think you could walk through every single phase and every single step of this and kind of refine those processes and that\u2019s really what this mission was all about,\u201d she said. \u201cWe certainly intend to roll as many of those lessons learned as we can into Victus Haze and our future efforts.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Contracts for Victus Haze will be awarded in the Fall of 2023. A launch timeframe has not yet been announced.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Proving a quick turnaround capability for the U.S. Space Force\u2019s Space System Command\u2019s Space Safari Program Office, the Victus Nox mission launches using a Firefly Aerospace Alpha rocket. Image: Firefly Aerospace Nearly two weeks after the successful launch of a payload for the U.S. Space Force\u2019s Space System Command, leaders from the branch along with [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10301","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10301"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10301"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10301\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10301"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10301"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10301"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}