Lockheed Martin to launch 5G demonstration on Firefly rocket

ORLANDO, Fla. — Lockheed Martin announced plans to launch its Tactical Satellite (TacSat) aboard Firefly Aerospace’s Alpha rocket in 2025, marking the second mission in a multi-launch agreement between the aerospace giant and the upstart rocket company. 

The mission, funded internally by Lockheed Martin, aims to showcase cutting-edge technologies targeting the defense market.

TacSat, a compact spacecraft about the size of a mini-fridge, is built on a Terran Orbital Zuma bus — a platform Lockheed Martin also employs for the Space Development Agency’s military network. The satellite will carry an infrared imaging sensor and a 5G communications payload, both designed to address the Pentagon’s growing demand for “all-domain networks” that seamlessly link space assets with forces on the ground, at sea, and in the air.  

The 5G payload, described as providing “cellular-like networking,” is expected to enhance the resilience of satellite constellations while enabling real-time data sharing and improved coordination during military exercises. Meanwhile, the infrared sensor will bring a previously developed imaging technology into space for the first time, offering high-quality imagery for potential military applications.  

The TacSat mission is part of Lockheed Martin’s broader strategy to respond to the Department of Defense’s push for multi-domain operations. This concept envisions seamless communication across all branches of the military and their assets, from satellites to fighter jets and naval vessels.  

TacSat represents the second collaboration between Lockheed Martin and Firefly under their multi-launch agreement. The first mission, scheduled earlier, involves Lockheed Martin’s LM400 medium satellite platform. 

Firefly’s Alpha rocket, designed to launch up to 1,000 kilograms to low Earth orbit, has been gaining traction in the small-satellite launch market. 

Lockheed Martin said in a statement Dec. 9 that the TacSat spacecraft recently completed its final tests at the company’s facility in Littleton, Colorado. 

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