![\"Northrop](\"https:\/\/cdn.satnow.com\/news\/png_20220809_121718_0000_637956247185206068.png\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Northrop Grumman Corporation and Firefly Aerospace have joined forces to provide an American-built first-stage upgrade for the Antares rocket and a new medium launch vehicle to serve commercial, civil and national security space launch markets. <\/p>\n
Firefly\u2019s propulsion technology utilizes the same propellants as the current Antares rocket, which minimizes launch site upgrades. The Antares 330 will utilize seven of Firefly\u2019s Miranda engines and leverage its composites technology for the first stage structures and tanks, while Northrop Grumman provides its proven avionics and software, upper-stage structures and Castor 30XL motor, as well as proven vehicle integration and launch pad operations. This new stage will also significantly increase Antares mass to orbit capability.<\/p>\n
The Antares 330 performance upgrade will enable Northrop Grumman to continue to support the company\u2019s current contracts while planning for future mission capabilities.<\/p>\n
\u201cThrough our collaboration, we will first develop a fully domestic version of our Antares rocket, the Antares 330, for <\/em>Cygnus space station<\/em> commercial resupply services, followed by an entirely new medium-class launch vehicle,\u201d<\/em> <\/strong>said Scott Lehr, vice president and general manager, launch and missile defense systems, Northrop Grumman<\/strong>. \u201cNorthrop Grumman and Firefly have been working on a combined strategy and technical development plan to meet current and future launch requirements.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cFirefly prides itself on being a disrupter in the new space industry and collaborating with a proven space pioneer like Northrop Grumman will help us continue that disruption,\u201d<\/em><\/strong> <\/strong>said Peter Schumacher, interim CEO, Firefly.<\/p>\n Firefly Aerospace is an emerging end-to-end space transportation company focused on developing a family of launch vehicles, in-space vehicles, and services to provide industry-leading affordability, convenience, and reliability to its government and commercial customers. Firefly’s launch vehicles, combined with their in-space vehicles, such as the Space Utility Vehicle (SUV) and Blue Ghost Lunar Lander, provide the space industry with a single source for missions from LEO to the surface of the Moon and beyond.<\/p>\n Northrop Grumman is a technology company, focused on global security and human discovery. Their pioneering solutions equip our customers with capabilities they need to connect, advance and protect the U.S. and its allies. Driven by a shared purpose to solve our customers\u2019 toughest problems, our 90,000 employees define possible every day.<\/p>\n