Space Force’s Victus Haze Mission Takes Off with True Anomaly and Firefly Partnership

18th Oct 2024
Space Force’s Victus Haze Mission Takes Off with True Anomaly and Firefly Partnership

Space defence technology company True Anomaly announced on Thursday, 17 October, that it had selected Firefly Aerospace’s Alpha rocket to launch its Jackal autonomous orbiter for the US Space Force’s Rapid Response Demonstration Mission, Victus Haze.

True Anomaly And Firefly Aerospace’s Multi-Launch Agreement

The new multi-launch agreement between Firefly Aerospace and True Anomaly includes three Alpha missions to provide rapid launch capability for the US Space Force’s Victus Haze Tactically Responsive Space (TacRS) mission, which is expected to launch no later than autumn 2025.

Firefly will launch two additional missions for True Anomaly between 2025 and 2027.

True Anomaly’s Jackal Autonomous Orbiter Vehicle (AOV) will support the U.S. Space Force Space Systems Command’s VICTUS HAZE mission by performing close orbit operations with another spacecraft built by Rocket Lab National Security.

Victus Haze Mission To Respond To Threats In Orbit

True Anomaly’s Jackal autonomous orbiting vehicle in production
True Anomaly’s Jackal autonomous orbiting vehicle in production. Credit: True Anomaly

In April, the Space Force awarded separate contracts to Rocket Lab and True Anomaly at Victus Haze to demonstrate proximity and approach operations with commercially built assets to counter irresponsible behaviour in orbit.

True Anomaly will use an upgraded version of its Jackal autonomous orbiter, which can perform multi-orbital missions with high acceleration and high delta-V propulsion that is being developed with its propulsion provider, Agile Space Industries.

What Does The Victus Haze Mission Entail?

True Anomaly’s Victus Haze mission involves four phases: assembly, hot standby, launch, and on-orbit operations. After developing and testing its Jackal orbiter in Denver, the spacecraft will be sent to Firefly’s facility at Vandenberg for fuelling, integration, and encapsulation. Once in the hot standby phase, they await the U.S. Space Force’s launch notification. Firefly will then have 24 hours to prepare and launch the Alpha rocket. After deployment, True Anomaly will begin on-orbit operations with Jackal, who will work alongside the Rocket Lab spacecraft.

Victus Haze Builds On The Success Of VICTUS NOX

The Victus Haze mission follows the VICTUS NOX TacRS mission, which included a rapid satellite launch provided by the Boeing Business Unit aboard Firefly’s Alpha launch vehicle on 15 September 2023 for a space awareness mission.

“After launching Victus Nox last year, the Firefly team is ready to hit the ground running to support another rapid launch for tactically sensitive space,” said Jason Kim, CEO of Firefly Aerospace.

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