Firefly Aerospace to launch Alpha FLTA005 from Vandenberg Space Force Base tonight

Firefly Aerospace is set for their Noise of Summer mission taking place tonight, launching the Alpha FLTA005 out of the Vandenberg Space Force Base, located near Lompoc, California.

Liftoff is tonight at 9:03 P.M. PDT. The livestream will begin T-30 minutes to liftoff.

This mission supports Firefly's Venture-Class Launch Services Demo 2 contract with NASA, awarded by NASA's Launch Services Program (LSP), an initiative that supports the launch of small satellites (SmallSats) to space to aid in exploration, technology demonstrations, scientific research, and educational investigations at NASA.

Alpha FLTA005 will transport eight CubeSats, a class of nanosatellites that provide a cost effective platform for science investigation, developed by U.S. educational institutions and nonprofits selected through NASA's CubeSat Launch Initiative (CLSI).

The graphic below shows an approximate timeline of the key milestones in the Noise of Summer Mission.