{"id":12695,"date":"2020-01-23T22:31:10","date_gmt":"2020-01-23T14:31:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp-productionenv-bjg9h2g2bgg5b8aa.southeastasia-01.azurewebsites.net\/news\/firefly-confirms-fire-during-first-stage-test\/"},"modified":"2020-01-23T22:31:10","modified_gmt":"2020-01-23T14:31:10","slug":"firefly-confirms-fire-during-first-stage-test","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/news\/firefly-confirms-fire-during-first-stage-test\/","title":{"rendered":"Firefly confirms fire during first stage test"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>EDITOR\u2019S NOTE:&nbsp;<\/strong>Updated with additional details and video from Firefly.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_43155\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-43155\" style=\"width: 555px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-43155\" src=\"http:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/alphahotfire.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"555\" height=\"318\" srcset=\"https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/alphahotfire.jpg 555w, https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/alphahotfire-300x172.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 555px) 100vw, 555px\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-43155\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Firefly Aerospace tweeted this picture Wednesday evening, writing that teams were loading liquid oxygen into a test version of the company\u2019s Alpha booster in preparation for the first hotfire qualification test of the rocket\u2019s first stage. Credit: Firefly Aerospace<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Firefly Aerospace confirmed a \u201ctest anomaly\u201d resulted in a small fire on a vertical test stand in Central Texas Wednesday evening. The fire occurred during the first attempt at a full-scale qualification test-firing of a first stage for Firefly\u2019s Alpha small satellite launcher.<\/p>\n<p>In a statement issued Wednesday night, Firefly said the fire did not endanger any employees or local residents near the company\u2019s test site in Briggs, Texas, located north of Austin.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDuring testing this evening we experienced a test anomaly resulting in a small fire on our test stand,\u201d the company said. \u201cThe fire was quickly extinguished by our fire suppression systems on the stand and the local community emergency response team quickly responded.<\/p>\n<p>Firefly said in an initial statement late Wednesday that the test stand and Alpha first stage were intact after the fire.<\/p>\n<p>Eric Salwan, a Firefly spokesperson, said Thursday that the company is still evaluating the condition of the first stage.<\/p>\n<p>Firefly released a video later Thursday showing the fire, which developed moments after ignition of the first stage during a hold-down test-firing on a stand at the company\u2019s Texas test site.<\/p>\n<p><iframe id=\"twitter-widget-0\" scrolling=\"no\" frameborder=\"0\" allowtransparency=\"true\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" class=\"\" style=\"position: absolute; visibility: hidden; width: 0px; height: 0px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;\" title=\"X Post\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/embed\/Tweet.html?dnt=false&amp;embedId=twitter-widget-0&amp;features=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%3D%3D&amp;frame=false&amp;hideCard=false&amp;hideThread=false&amp;id=1220492329469054977&amp;lang=en&amp;origin=https%3A%2F%2Fspaceflightnow.com%2F2020%2F01%2F23%2Ffirefly-confirms-anomaly-and-fire-during-first-stage-hotfire-test%2F&amp;sessionId=e23194e5aa025a733a937065b3f4215b73107049&amp;theme=light&amp;widgetsVersion=6a3ad42b224df%3A1778106238597&amp;width=550px\" data-tweet-id=\"1220492329469054977\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-twitter-extracted-i1782696685554631667=\"true\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Yesterday evening we attempted to hotfire test the Alpha first stage for the first time. Unfortunately, after the four Reaver engines ignited, an engine bay fire developed (flame jet to the left in video). The system immediately shut itself down and the fire was quickly pic.twitter.com\/YGYcEshrd9<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Firefly Aerospace (@Firefly_Space) January 23, 2020<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>An image released by Firefly of the rocket on the test stand after the fire appeared to show no obvious signs of damage.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe are carefully reviewing data, inspecting hardware \u2026 and performing root cause analysis to assess and mitigate the cause of the anomaly before we return to testing,\u201d Firefly said.<\/p>\n<p>Before the test-firing Wednesday, Firefly Aerospace tweeted an image of a first stage for the company\u2019s Alpha rocket on a vertical test stand at the Briggs facility. In the tweet, Firefly wrote&nbsp;that teams were loading liquid oxygen into a test version of the company\u2019s Alpha booster in preparation for the first hotfire qualification test of the rocket\u2019s first stage.<\/p>\n<p>Firefly later deleted the tweet after local authorities responded to reports of an \u201cexplosion\u201d at the test facility in Central Texas, and ordered the closure of roads in the area and the evacuation of nearby residents.<\/p>\n<p>Officials later clarified that no explosion occurred. Tom Markusic, Firefly\u2019s CEO, told KXAN \u2014 the NBC television affiliate in Austin \u2014 that a fuel leak resulted in the small fire on the test stand.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_43179\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-43179\" style=\"width: 678px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-43179\" src=\"http:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/EPAPTw3WkAUjUDi.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"678\" height=\"1204\" srcset=\"https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/EPAPTw3WkAUjUDi.jpeg 678w, https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/EPAPTw3WkAUjUDi-169x300.jpeg 169w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 678px) 100vw, 678px\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-43179\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Firefly shared this image of the Alpha rocket\u2019s first stage on a test stand at the company\u2019s facility in Briggs, Texas. The image taken Thursday \u2014 after the fire \u2014 appears to show no obvious signs of damage to the vehicle. Credit: Firefly Aerospace<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Firefly was gearing up for the first in a series of full-scale first stage hotfire tests on a vertical stand at Briggs to verify design and operation of the stage. The first stage of Firefly\u2019s Alpha launcher, which the company previously said could be ready for a first flight this spring, is powered by four Firefly-built Reaver engines consuming kerosene and liquid oxygen propellants.<\/p>\n<p>A short, five-second firing of the first stage\u2019s four Reaver engines was planned Wednesday.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAt 6:23 p.m. local time, the stage\u2019s engines were fired, and a fire broke out in the engine bay at the base of the rocket\u2019s stage,\u201d Firefly said in a statement Thursday. \u201cThe 5-second test was immediately aborted and the test facility\u2019s fire suppression system extinguished the fire. The cause of the anomaly is under investigation.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFirefly engineers are reviewing test data from the stage to identify potential causes for the test failure, and Firefly will share results of that investigation once it is complete,\u201d the company said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFirefly is committed to workplace safety, and at no time during the test were Firefly operations personnel or the public in danger,\u201d the company said. \u201cFirefly is coordinating closely with local authorities and emergency response personnel as it investigates the anomaly and refines its contingency procedures.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The company said Dec. 30 that qualification testing of the Alpha launcher\u2019s first stage had started. The first stage is the last major piece of Firefly\u2019s privately-developed launcher to undergo qualification testing, and the test campaign was expected to include multiple test-firings.<\/p>\n<p>The first stage hotfire tests were expected to culminate in full-duration burns of all four Reaver engines lasting some 2 minutes, 45 seconds, the length of a first stage burn during a typical Alpha launch sequence. The four engines firing at full throttle generate more than 165,000 pounds of thrust, according to Firefly.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_43156\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-43156\" style=\"width: 811px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-43156\" src=\"http:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/ENXnOUFU0AAKJcJ-2.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"811\" height=\"984\" srcset=\"https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/ENXnOUFU0AAKJcJ-2.jpeg 811w, https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/ENXnOUFU0AAKJcJ-2-247x300.jpeg 247w, https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/ENXnOUFU0AAKJcJ-2-768x932.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/ENXnOUFU0AAKJcJ-2-678x823.jpeg 678w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 811px) 100vw, 811px\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-43156\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The engine bay on the first stage of Firefly\u2019s Alpha rocket. Credit: Firefly Aerospace<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Firefly announced in November the completion of qualification testing on the Alpha\u2019s second stage, which features a single kerosene-fueled Lightning engine.<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, preparations to modify and outfit Firefly\u2019s launch pad at Vandenberg Air Force Base continue ahead of the first orbital flight of the Alpha launch vehicle. Firefly plans to base its missions at Vandenberg from Space Launch Complex 2-West, where United Launch Alliance Delta 2 rockets launched before the Delta 2\u2019s retirement in 2018.<\/p>\n<p>Firefly\u2019s Alpha rocket will be capable of hauling up to 1,388 pounds (630 kilograms) of payload to a 310-mile-high (500-kilometer) sun-synchronous polar orbit.&nbsp;Firefly, based in Cedar Park, Texas, says it expects to sell a dedicated Alpha launch for $15 million per flight.<\/p>\n<p>The Alpha rocket is one of numerous new commercial small satellite launch vehicles in development, but Firefly\u2019s launcher is closer to its debut flight than most others in the market segment. And Firefly says the size of its rocket \u2014 which can carry heavier payloads than Rocket Lab\u2019s Electron or Virgin Orbit\u2019s LauncherOne \u2014 differentiates it from other prospective launch providers in the smallsat launch market.<\/p>\n<p>The fully-assembled Alpha launch vehicle will stand around 95 feet (29 meters) tall and measure nearly 6 feet (1.8 meters) in diameter.<\/p>\n<p>Firefly says it has more than 500 employees worldwide.<\/p>\n<p>Firefly Aerospace was previously named Firefly Space Systems before entering bankruptcy. The renamed company emerged from bankruptcy proceedings in 2017&nbsp;under new ownership.&nbsp;Noosphere Ventures, a Menlo Park, California-based firm led by managing partner Max Polyakov, now funds Firefly\u2019s rocket development program.<\/p>\n<p><b><i>Email the author.<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n<p><em><strong>Follow Stephen Clark on Twitter: @StephenClark1.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>EDITOR\u2019S NOTE:&nbsp;Updated with additional details and video from Firefly. Firefly Aerospace tweeted this picture Wednesday evening, writing that teams were loading liquid oxygen into a test version of the company\u2019s Alpha booster in preparation for the first hotfire qualification test of the rocket\u2019s first stage. Credit: Firefly Aerospace Firefly Aerospace confirmed a \u201ctest anomaly\u201d resulted [&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":[444,291,443,25,2380,1898],"class_list":["post-12695","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news","tag-alpha","tag-commercial-space","tag-firefly-aerospace","tag-launch","tag-reaver","tag-texas"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12695"}],"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=12695"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12695\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12695"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12695"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12695"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}