NASA has chosen Firefly Aerospace, Inc., based in Cedar Park, Texas, to provide launch services for the NOAA QuickSounder mission. This selection falls under NASA’s Venture-Class Acquisition of Dedicated and Rideshare (VADR) launch services contract. The contract enables the agency to issue fixed-price indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity awards throughout VADR’s five-year ordering period, with a total potential value of $300 million across all contracts.
The QuickSounder mission is a key component of NOAA’s forthcoming satellite framework for its low Earth orbit program. It aims to deliver vital data for the National Weather Service, the broader weather industry in the U.S., and additional global users.
QuickSounder marks the inaugural small satellite in NOAA’s Near Earth Orbit Network (NEON). This initiative, a collaboration between NOAA and NASA, seeks to innovate the development of a global environmental satellite system by swiftly creating small to medium-sized satellites equipped with Earth-observing instruments for applications in weather forecasting, disaster management, and climate monitoring. The launch of QuickSounder is scheduled for February 2026.
NASA will oversee the satellites’ development and launch for NOAA. As the mission lead, NOAA is responsible for funding, setting technical specifications, and managing operations after the satellite is launched. NOAA and NASA will collaborate with commercial entities to design and construct the network’s spacecraft and instruments.