Firefly Aerospace to Launch NOAA's QuickSounder Environmental Satellite on Alpha Rocket

Firefly Aerospace has been awarded a NASA Venture-Class Acquisition of Dedicated and Rideshare (VADR) mission to launch the QuickSounder environmental satellite on its Alpha rocket in 2026. The mission is the first project supporting NOAA’s Near Earth Orbit Network (NEON) program, which aims to launch small to medium-sized satellites with Earth-observing instruments. Firefly’s Alpha rocket will provide fast, flexible, and direct launch services to support the NEON program. The mission will be launched from Firefly’s SLC-2 launch site at Vandenberg Space Force Base. Firefly Aerospace is an end-to-end space transportation company with launch, lunar, and on-orbit services. The company is a portfolio company of AE Industrial Partners and is focused on delivering responsive, reliable, and affordable space access for government and commercial customers. For more information, visit fireflyspace.com. This article was first reported by Firefly Aerospace.