NASA Selects Firefly Aerospace for NOAA QuickSounder Mission Launch

WASHINGTON, Sept. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — NASA has announced the selection of Firefly Aerospace, Inc., based in Cedar Park, Texas, to provide launch services for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration‘s (NOAA) QuickSounder mission. This mission is part of NASA’s Venture-Class Acquisition of Dedicated and Rideshare (VADR) launch services contract. The VADR contract framework gives NASA the ability to grant fixed-price awards during its five-year period, with a collective maximum value of $300 million across the contracts involved.

The QuickSounder mission represents a significant step towards NOAA’s next-generation satellite architecture for its forthcoming low Earth orbit program. This program is intended to provide mission-critical data for the National Weather Service, the U.S. weather industry, and global users. QuickSounder is the inaugural small satellite in NOAA’s New Environmental Observing Network (NEON), which aims to rapidly develop small to medium-sized satellites featuring Earth-observing instruments for various applications, including weather forecasting and climate monitoring.

Scheduled for launch readiness by February 2026, NASA will oversee the development and launch of the satellite, while NOAA will coordinate the funding, technical specifications, and post-launch operations. The collaboration emphasizes a partnership with commercial entities to design and construct the satellites and their scientific instruments.

For additional details regarding NASA and its programs, interested individuals are encouraged to visit the agency’s official website.

In related news, NOAA is enhancing its partnership with the Climate Mayors group to furnish U.S. cities with the latest climate data and decision support services. This initiative will help local governments in adapting to the increasing prevalence of extreme weather events driven by climate change, as highlighted by the Fifth National Climate Assessment.

Kate Wright, Executive Director of Climate Mayors, stated, “Impactful solutions only evolve from a deep understanding of climate science and what is truly at stake for cities in the face of climate change.” NOAA will supply resources and updates on climate tools and related high-impact weather events while collaborating with Climate Mayors on case studies and monitoring efforts.