Alpha becomes the first of the US 1-ton rockets to reach its target orbit.

The US military just proved it can get satellites into space super fast::Alpha becomes the first of the US 1-ton rockets to reach its target orbit.

  • AutoTL;DR@lemmings.worldBEnglish
    16·
    10 months ago

    This is the best summary I could come up with:

    The US Space Force took a step toward this goal two years ago with a mission called Tactically Responsive Launch-2, or TacRL-2.

    The mission was then launched within 21 days, on June 13, 2021, by a solid-fueled Pegasus rocket built by Northrop Grumman.

    It contracted with the US launch company Firefly to put a spacecraft called “Victus Nox” into orbit within 24 hours of receiving the go command from the military.

    “The success of Victus Nox marks a culture shift in our nation’s ability to deter adversary aggression and, when required, respond with the operational speed necessary to deliver decisive capabilities to our warfighters,” said Lt. Gen. Michael Guetlein, commander of Space Systems Command, in a statement released early Friday morning.

    “Our combined commercial and government team executed the mission with record speed, agility, and flexibility, adding a critical capability to address national security needs.”

    With this success, Firefly now intends to ramp up production of the Alpha rocket—which is capable of delivering about 1 metric ton to low-Earth orbit—for a more operational cadence of missions.

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