Northrop Grumman Commits $50 Million to Firefly Aerospace to Drive Eclipse Medium Launch Vehicle

Northrop Grumman Commits $50 Million to Firefly Aerospace to Drive Eclipse Medium Launch Vehicle
by Clarence Oxford
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jun 02, 2025

Northrop Grumman Corporation has invested $50 million in Firefly Aerospace to accelerate the production of Eclipse, a medium launch vehicle the companies are developing together. Eclipse is advancing through flight hardware qualification, and more than 60 Miranda engine hot fire tests have already been conducted.

"Firefly is incredibly grateful for Northrop Grumman's investment that further solidifies our first-of-its-kind partnership to build the first stage of Antares 330 and jointly develop Eclipse," said Jason Kim, CEO of Firefly Aerospace. "Eclipse represents two powerful forces coming together to transform the launch market with decades of flight heritage, a rapid, iterative approach, and bold innovation. With a 16 metric ton to orbit capability, Eclipse is a sweet spot for programs like NSSL Lane 1 and a natural fit to launch proliferated constellations in LEO, MEO, GEO, and TLI."

Eclipse builds on Northrop Grumman's Antares rocket and Firefly's Alpha rocket, offering increased power, performance, production cadence, and payload capacity. It retains Antares' proven avionics, enhanced with a larger 5.4 meter payload fairing. Eclipse also leverages Firefly's work on the Antares 330 first stage, including scaled-up versions of Alpha's propulsion systems and carbon composite structures, enabling efficient production and testing.

The vehicle uses the same patented tap-off cycle architecture as Alpha's Reaver and Lightning engines, applying it to Eclipse's Miranda and Vira engines. Firefly completed a 206-second Miranda hot fire test, matching its longest flight burn time. Flight hardware, including propellant tanks, engine bays, and interstage structures, has been manufactured following development testing.

"Eclipse gives customers the right balance between payload capacity and affordability," said Wendy Williams, vice president and general manager, launch and missile defense systems at Northrop Grumman. "Our partnership with Firefly builds on our capacity to provide crucial space-based communication, observation, and exploration for civil and national security customers."

Positioned to fill a gap in an underserved market, Eclipse is capable of delivering 16,300 kg to low Earth orbit or 3,200 kg to geosynchronous transfer orbit. The rocket will initially launch from Wallops Island, Virginia, as early as 2026, supporting a range of missions from space station resupply to commercial and government payloads.