Satellite Launching Company Heading To Austin, Texas
The California-based satellite launching and rocket technology company Firefly Space Systems is reportedly planning to relocate to Austin, Texas.
According to an article published by the Statesman.com, Firefly recently purchased some 200 acres of land in Burnet County, from which it plans to launch rockets. The rocket company confirmed the purchase shortly after, noting that it’s still searching for an area around Austin to relocate its headquarters.
One possibility that’s floating around is Firefly may set up base in Cedar Park – the northern part of Austin. Firefly’s headquarters is expected to hold 200 plus executives and employees.
Firefly Space Systems sets itself apart from other rocket and satellite launching companies in a few different ways, one of which is its focus on lightweight aerospike engines and self-pressurizing propellant. This combination results in greater payload capacity and lower costs for the client/customer.
Normally, rockets are boosted into orbit using reserves of pressurized inert gas that fill propellant tanks. Firefly’s design, however, uses a combination of pressurized methane and liquid oxygen, which subsequently maintains pressure and eliminates the need for inert gas reserves.
Firefly’s rockets are fully recoverable and reusable, further reducing the cost of a launch. Technical jargon aside, it’s a highly efficient and equally effective method for launching satellites into orbit.
Firefly Chief Executive Officer Thomas Markusic shared his thoughts on the current state of the rocket industry in a news interview, citing that his company’s launch services cost a fraction of what similar launch services used to cost.
“The bottom line here is what used to cost hundreds of millions of dollars is rapidly becoming available in the single digit millions,” said Thomas Markusic. “We are offering small satellite customers the launch they need, for a fraction of what it has cost historically, at around $8 or 9 million – the lowest cost in the world. It’s far cheaper than the alternatives, without the headaches of a multi manifest launch. This new partnership is an important milestone for us as we move forward to our first launch.”
So, when can you expect to see Firefly Space Systems launching rocket-propelled satellites into orbit from its new home in Austin? The company has yet to issue a date of completion, but analysts suggest it will likely occur within the next 1-2 years. The presence of Firefly’s headquarters in Austin will create hundreds of jobs while injecting millions of dollars into the city.
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