What Happened
Firefly Aerospace to Launch NASA's Investigation of Convective Updrafts (INCUS) Mission
Firefly Aerospace has been awarded a fixed-price NASA VADR contract for a dedicated Alpha launch of the Investigation of Convective Updrafts (INCUS) mission. The Alpha rocket will launch from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia, carrying three satellites that will study the behavior of tropical storms and thunderstorms. Firefly Aerospace is an end-to-end space transportation company with launch, lunar, and on-orbit services. The company was awarded the contract by NASA’s Venture-Class Acquisition of Dedicated and Rideshare (VADR) program. This is Firefly’s third Alpha launch for NASA, following a successful launch last summer and a scheduled launch from Vandenberg Space Force Base for NASA QuickSounder in 2026. For more information, visit www.fireflyspace.com. The article was first reported by Firefly Aerospace.