Firefly Aerospace Gets DoD Contract to Aid Space Debris Removal

Firefly Aerospace has been awarded a U.S. Department of Defense contract to review a mission for removing space debris using its Elytra spacecraft. Upon completion of the review, Firefly will be eligible to compete for the next phase, involving launch and operations. The Elytra spacecraft is designed to rendezvous with client objects in low Earth orbit to survey and deorbit them. Additionally, Firefly is contracted to perform a space domain awareness mission with Elytra no earlier than 2027.

By Dean Seal

Firefly Aerospace said it was awarded a contract from the Defense Department to review a mission to deorbit satellites using Firefly's Elytra spacecraft.

The space and defense tech firm said that when the review is complete, it will be eligible to compete for the next phase of the mission execution, including launch and spacecraft operations.

As part of the mission design, Elytra would be launched into low Earth orbit and then maneuver to the client space object, conduct rendezvous proximity operations, survey and then complete the deorbit service.

The company is also contracted to perform a space domain awareness mission with its Elytra spacecraft no earlier than 2027, the company said.

Write to Dean Seal at dean.seal@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

August 13, 2026 17:02 ET (21:02 GMT)