Image source: topwar.ru
A software failure of guidance, navigation and control (GNC) in the upper stage of the Alpha launch vehicle of the American private company Firefly Aerospace did not allow the Lockheed Martin satellite to be put into a predetermined orbit. As a result, the payload was placed in a lower orbit.
In a statement from the company dated February 20, it is reported that during the Fly the Lightning mission, the upper stage of the launch vehicle could not work according to plan due to an error in the GNC software. A software glitch occurred at the final stage of putting the satellite into orbit, the rocket launch took place on December 22 last year. As a result of this malfunction, the upper stage and the Lockheed Martin demonstration satellite remained in orbit with a low perigee of about 215 kilometers, and on February 10, the satellite entered the dense layers of the Earth's atmosphere and burned down.
During the investigation of the incident, which was attended by Firefly Aerospace specialists and third-party independent experts, it was revealed that "an error in the program did not allow the system to send the necessary impulse commands to the reaction control system (RCS) engines before the second stage." Other details of the reasons for the software failure are not disclosed. It is only known that the RCS were used to ensure the correct orientation of the stage and adjust the fuel in the rocket engine.
At the same time, Firefly Aerospace Executive Director Bill Weber said he was satisfied with the work of the team of experts investigating the causes of the software failure. He added that the Alpha launch vehicle remains reliable and in demand in the commercial space launch market. The company does not intend to abandon the four planned launches of this rocket this year, although Weber found it difficult to answer exactly when the next launch will take place.
Currently, Firefly Aerospace specialists are working to fix the GNC software bug and implement other changes to more accurately identify similar problems in the future. Brett Alexander, Director of Revenue for the private aerospace company, expressed confidence that this incident would not slow down the implementation of previously planned programs.
In addition to launching satellites into orbit under contracts with commercial and government customers, the company plans to deliver cargo to orbit and the surface of the Moon. In addition, according to the future Firefly Aerospace mission, flights to the nearest planets of the Solar System, such as Mars and Venus, have been announced. Moreover, the company promises not only the delivery of payloads into space and to celestial bodies, but also the return to Earth of samples of collected materials. For lunar missions, it is proposed to use its own Firefly Blue Ghost lander. The company's website states that the first mission to the far side of the Moon should take place in 2026.
In addition, Firefly Aerospace, together with the American military industrial company Northrop Grumman, is developing a new medium-class launch vehicle (MLV) capable of launching loads weighing more than 16,000 kg into low Earth orbit. The first launch of the MLV is planned to take place in 2025, but the company is already inviting customers to conclude contracts for cargo delivery services to space using an untested launch vehicle.
However, the services of a private aerospace company founded in 2014 have already become interested in the US National Intelligence Agency, which signed a contract with Firefly Aerospace at the end of January to launch Alpha Rocket rockets. The company's website says the agreement is for 10 years with a maximum value of $700 million for all fixed-price orders.
