Can Max Polyakov Overcome The Darkness At Firefly Aerospace?

16th Jul 2024
Can Max Polyakov Overcome The Darkness At Firefly Aerospace?

While Orbital Today focuses on the UK space industry and comments on issues such as the threat to Mills Observatory, events in the U.S. can require more than just news reporting. Over the past few days, something of this nature has occurred, and it warrants editorial comment. 

Old problems at Firefly Aerospace

In a cosmic coincidence, space entrepreneur Max Polyakov, who saved Firefly Aerospace from going the way of Virgin Orbit, may have to reprise his role. 

The Ukrainian investor was removed from Firefly at the strong insistence of the U.S. Government during the 2021 runup to the broad-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia. Firefly’s Ukrainian departments, especially those involved in engine development in the city of Dnipro, were deemed too vulnerable to being captured by the invading forces. The threat to U.S. national security was becoming too great, and he left the company in early 2022. 

Two years on, the Dnipro facility and the Ukrainian space industry in general are still in Ukrainian hands. Washington has given Polyakov the green light to invest in aerospace in the U.S. again. This in itself is newsworthy, but not for the realm of commentary.

New Problems at Firefly: After CEO’s Alleged Inappropriate Relationship

What achieves a state change, though, is the report of deterioration at Firefly Aerospace. The U.S. space industry newsletter Payload reported on 15th July that Firefly CEO Bill Weber had been accused of sexual misconduct. If Payload is correct, the Firefly’s corporate culture in general took a dive following Polyakov’s departure. What is equally worrisome from the outset is that the company’s top legal counsel is conducting an internal investigation and that an outside firm was not engaged.

Whilst Firefly has achieved some impressive wins with its five (5) launches, these are now overshadowed by the conduct of its employees. In the UK, industry and government both are making concerted efforts to strengthen the role of women in space, and rightfully so. There are so many films glorifying the hitherto unseen presence of women in the space industry already – do we need to write out the scripts for more such films in real life yet again?

Max Polyakov and an internal victus nox

If he were to take the reins at Firefly Aerospace, Max Polyakov would in all likelihood be able to keep the company’s technical momentum going. But his Victus Nox would be the overcoming of the reported darkness in the company’s own culture, and this is likely to be a greater challenge.

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