On eve of first launch, Firefly revamps board of directors, may go public

Enlarge / Firefly Aerospace is targeting a launch in mid-March for its Alpha rocket. (credit: Firefly Aerospace)

As Firefly Aerospace nears the debut of its Alpha rocket, with a first launch attempt expected in mid-March from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, the company's chief executive is looking ahead to the future.

"The company is at an inflection point now where we've been in this hardcore development mode for Alpha," said Tom Markusic, chief executive of Firefly, in an interview. "Our goals going forward are to transition from a development company to an operating company. And we're also of course interested in the next growth phase of the company, which is to expand beyond launch vehicles and put increasing emphasis on spacecraft."

To that end the company is moving to aggressively raise new funding and is shaking up its board of directors. Gone is investor Max Polyakov, and in are two senior members of the US government community. All of this comes as Firefly is expected to roll its completed rocket out to its launch site in California in two weeks and perform one or more hotfire tests. The company is projecting a launch between March 15 and 22.

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