Firefly Aerospace’s Alpha Rocket Mishap Investigation Report Out; Failure Due to Software Error

(Photo: Wikimedia Commons/Airman 1st Class Kadielle Shaw)
Firefly Aerospace's Alpha Rocket Mishap Investigation Report Out; Failure Due to Software Error

Firefly Aerospace investigated the mishap involving its Alpha rocket in December. The space agency revealed why the rocket failed to achieve its target orbit.

Firefly Aerospace Mishap Investigation Report

Firefly Aerospace launched the Alpha rocket on Dec. 22, carrying an electronically steerable antenna payload by aerospace giant Lockheed Martin to low Earth orbit (LEO). Due to some issues, the 95-foot-tall rocket failed to deliver its payload to its target orbit. Firefly immediately started an investigation, which just wrapped up.

"The investigation determined the mishap was due to an error in the Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GNC) software algorithm that prevented the system from sending the necessary pulse commands to the Reaction Control System (RCS) thrusters ahead of the stage two engine relight," Firefly wrote in a statement on Tuesday.

Firefly is currently putting corrective measures in place to guarantee that the GNC software problem is fixed, including procedural modifications to identify and stop such problems in the future. The company added that Alpha will soon be prepared to take off again.

Firefly emphasized that although the software glitch slowed the "Fly the Lightning" mission, it did not end their goal. Notwithstanding these difficulties, Alpha placed the payload in an orbit that enabled its mission partner to accomplish their primary goals effectively, which included quickly commissioning the satellite after insertion.

According to Firefly's mission description before launch, the payload was intended to "demonstrate faster on-orbit sensor calibration to deliver rapid capabilities to U.S. warfighters."

ALSO READ: Japan to Launch Mug-Sized Wooden Satellite to Reduce Space Pollution

Firefly's Alpha Payload ESA

When the mishap happened, the onboard Alpha rocket was an Electronically Steerable Antenna (ESA) payload demonstrator. It was the company's investment in advanced technology to perform missions faster once in orbit.

Based on an innovative, proprietary design, Lockheed Martin expected to calibrate the new ESA sensor in a fraction of the time it takes to operationalize traditional on-orbit sensors, which historically can take months to be powered on, fully calibrated, and ready to perform their mission.

The payload demonstrator extends Lockheed Martin's significant investment in scalable wideband ESA technology development to showcase an actual on-orbit capability. The technology is critical to future remote sensing architectures.

"Our customers' mission needs and operational tempo have increased dramatically," said Maria Demaree, vice president and general manager of National Security Space at Lockheed Martin Space. "We designed this technology to showcase how a highly producible ESA antenna could be built, launched, and quickly calibrated and fielded on orbit, in support of 21st Century Security."

The ESA payload is constructed utilizing a unique, scalable architecture that uses dependable commercial components for rapid mass production. It was integrated into a Terran Orbital Nebula small satellite bus for this demonstration.

The payload, dubbed Tantrum, was created at Lockheed Martin Space's Ignite division. This new team was formed with three primary goals in mind: conducting exploratory research and development, quickening the pace of technological advancement, and, finally, launching novel products.

In addition, Lockheed Martin is building several other independently funded technology demonstrator spacecraft, such as the Tactical Satellite, which will showcase on-orbit processing, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities, and Pony Express 2, which will further demonstrate mesh networking among satellites. The goal of this continuous investment plan is to establish new capabilities and technological maturity through the use of on-orbit demonstrations.