Firefly Aerospace Announces DREAM Payload Participants

Media Source: Firefly Aerospace

CEDAR PARK, Texas, Nov. 19, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — Firefly Aerospace (Firefly) announced this past summer the Dedicated Research and Education Accelerator Mission (DREAM), a global competition to host academic and educational payloads as rideshare participants on the inaugural flight of the Firefly Alpha launch vehicle. Today we are happy to announce the payloads selected to fly on Alpha’s maiden flight to support and stimulate STEM on a global basis.  There are 26 DREAM payloads representing 7 different countries.

The payloads are broken down into two categories, nontechnical and technical. Nontechnical payloads include children’s artwork, messages from children in pediatric hospitals and photographs of previous space missions. Technical payloads range from 3U to 27U satellites supplied by prominent universities and nonprofits from around the globe.

Nontechnical DREAM Payload Participants:

• Anderson High School Robotics Program
• Animal Packers
• AstroGrams
• Audrey’s Space Dream
• Boys and Girls Club of Truckee Meadows
• Brady Nilsson
• Brian Lunos
• Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University’s Spaceflight Sciences Policy and Operation Club
• Izumiya-Hotaru Photographs for Education and Environments
• Liam Fjellstedt
• LifeShip
• Madison West Rocket Club
• Mission Microgravity
• Morija Girls Rocket Program
• NAET ArtFlight
• Noosphere Art Challenge
• Pichardo STEM Educational Foundation
• St. Paul Elementary School
• Think Beyond

Technical DREAM Payload Organizations:

• Fossa Systems (Non-profit Juvenile Association)
• Hawaii Science and Technology Museum – 501c3
• Naval Postgraduate School, Center for Network Innovation and Experimentation (CENETIX)
• Purdue University
• Teachers in Space, Inc. – 501c3
• University of Cambridge
• University of Southern California, Space Engineering Research Center (USC SERC)

DREAM payloads will be co-manifested with commercial payloads on the first Alpha launch. Firefly plans to share its DREAM payload stories on its social media starting in late November.

“We are honored to have received so many outstanding submissions that promote STEM globally,” said Firefly CEO Dr. Tom Markusic. “From an all girl’s STEM rocket program in Lesotho to leading edge technology demos from distinguished universities, the DREAM payloads embody Firefly’s ethos of ‘Making Space for Everyone.’” 

“In 1993 I was on the ASUSat-1 team and we were given the opportunity to launch our first satellite on a donated rideshare slot to LEO,” said Firefly VP of Mission Assurance Shea Ferring. “That program propelled so many of us into the aerospace industry and it is now great to give back with a similar opportunity to multiple university programs. We look forward to providing similar opportunities on future missions to support and encourage STEM students that their dreams do come true.”