11:32 AM EDT, 05/29/2025 (MT Newswires) -- Northrop Grumman ( NOC ) said Thursday it has invested $50 million in Firefly Aerospace for their joint development of medium-lift launch vehicle called Eclipse.

Eclipse is being built using technologies from Northrop's Antares rocket and Firefly's Alpha rocket, with qualification testing already underway, Northrop said.

Eclipse is designed to carry up to 16,300 kg of cargo to low Earth orbit or 3,200 kg to geosynchronous transfer orbit, addressing a gap in the medium launch market, according to the company.

The first launch is planned for 2026 from Wallops Island, Virginia, and the rocket will support various missions, including space station resupply, commercial, and national security operations, Northrop said.

Price: 477.67, Change: +2.35, Percent Change: +0.49