Medium Launch Vehicle

rocket launching
Next-Generation-Medium-Launch-Vehicle-infographic

A New Medium Launch Vehicle 

Northrop Grumman and FireFly are co-developing a new medium launch vehicle (MLV) that combines the best flight-proven technologies, systems, and mission experience from both companies to fill a void in the underserved medium-lift market. Carrying more than 16,000 kg to low Earth orbit, MLV serves commercial, civil, national security, and international launch markets with competitive pricing to customers’ preferred orbits.

MLV will first launch from Virginia’s Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport on Wallops Island and is designed to be compatible with additional launch ranges on the east and west coast.




Built on the Success of the Antares and Alpha

MLV is an evolutionary successor to the Northrop Grumman Antares launch vehicle, offering a significant leap in power, performance, and payload capacity. The vehicle retains many flight-proven systems from the Antares program with additional upgrades, including a more powerful vacuum-based liquid second stage and an industry-standard 5 meter-class fairing that’s customizable to support multiple customer requirements. MLV also uses technologies from Firefly’s flight-proven Alpha vehicle, including patented tap-off cycle propulsion technology and carbon composite sandwich structures to reduce mass and costs, and improve strength and reliability.

About Antares Rocket About Alpha

MLV in the News

video announcement

Video: Rocket Engine Hot Fire!

Medium Launch Vehicle taking off from launch pad

Northrop Grumman Teams with Firefly Aerospace to Develop Antares Rocket Upgrade and New Medium Launch Vehicle

rocket engine test with green flames shooting out

Firefly Aerospace Completes First Miranda Engine Hot Fire Test

(fireflyspace.com)

rocket engine test with flames shooting out

Firefly Aerospace Completes Risk Reduction Testing for Critical Miranda Engine Components

(fireflyspace.com)

Media Inquiries

Northrop Grumman
Gabrielle Lemmon
(410) 993-7371

 
 
 

Business Development

Northrop Grumman
Nicole Jordan
(425) 306-6499

Firefly Aerospace
Aaron Prescott
(202) 834-8312