Firefly Beta
A number of small- and medium-sized rockets are on the horizon, including Firefly Beta. The upcoming two-stage launch vehicle promises to “have lowest cost per [kilogram] to orbit of all launch vehicles in the 8,000 kg [17,600 pound] and under class,” according to the Texas-based private aerospace firm. The 198-foot-tall (60-meter) rocket, with an expected first launch in 2024, will feature a payload capacity of 11 tons to a 125-mile (200-km) low Earth orbit. It will even be capable of reaching geosynchronous transfer orbits.
