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Firefly AerospaceFirefly AlphaSpace Launch Complex 2W, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

FLTA003 (VICTUS NOX)

Launched

September 15, 2023 · 02:28 UTC

Launch Successful
Victus Nox

Summary

FLTA003 (VICTUS NOX) launched on a Firefly Aerospace Firefly Alpha from Space Launch Complex 2W, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA on September 15, 2023 at 02:28 UTC. The launch window ran from 01:57 to 03:19 UTC. It was Firefly Aerospace's 3rd launch, 1st this year and humanity's 6,517th orbital launch attempt. It was the 3rd Firefly Alpha flight and the 1st this year. The payload was bound for low Earth orbit (LEO). It reached a 483 × 538 km orbit inclined 97.3°. One object from this launch is catalogued.

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Vehicle
Firefly Alpha · Firefly Aerospace
Booster
No booster details on record.
Mission
Government/Top Secret · Low Earth Orbit (LEO)for USSF
Milestone
3rd Firefly Alpha flight · 1st this yearFirefly Aerospace's 3rd launch1st this yearhumanity's 6,517th orbital launch attempt149th orbital launch attempt this year

Flight preview

Orbit: as tracked

97.3°Inclination
483 × 538 kmPerigee × apogeefrom mean elements
94.7 minPeriodfrom mean elements
85.1°Ascending node
1127 d agoElement epoch2023-09-15 07:12 UTC · stale

VICTUS NOX · NORAD 57861 · 2023-142 · Space-Track

Show the numbers for orbit elements
Object
TBA - TO BE ASSIGNED
Object ID
2023-142A
Epoch
2023-09-15 07:12:05 UTC
Mean motion
15.20726783 rev/day
Eccentricity
0.0040213
Inclination
97.3196°
Ascending node
85.0964°
Arg. of perigee
238.8003°
Mean anomaly
246.1589°
Element set
999
Rev at epoch
3
B*
0

Perigee, apogee and period are Kepler figures from the catalogued mean elements, not a propagated state. Published orbit: LEO. Ascent drawn from padside's representative profile.

Catalogued objects

1 catalogued: 1 payload; none still in orbit

  • VICTUS NOX · NORAD 57861 · re-entered January 28, 2025

Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org

About this launch

Third flight of the Firefly Alpha small sat launcher, carrying a payload for the US Department of Defense.

Pad

Map of Space Launch Complex 2W

Space Launch Complex 2W, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

95th launch from Space Launch Complex 2W, 1st this year · 729th from Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

Local pad time at liftoff: Sep 14, 7:28 PM PDT, in twilight

99 launches from this pad · 919 from Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

348 days after the previous launch from this pad

All launches from Vandenberg SFB, CA, USAOpen in maps

Updates

Launch success with satellite deployed.

Cosmic_Penguin · Sep 15, 2023 · source

Show 3 earlier updates

  • Liftoff.

    Cosmic_Penguin · 9/15/2023 · source

  • Adding probable launch window

    Nosu · 9/14/2023 · source

  • NET May

    Cosmic_Penguin · 2/8/2023 · source

Questions

When did FLTA003 (VICTUS NOX) launch?

FLTA003 (VICTUS NOX) launched on September 15, 2023 at 02:28 UTC. The launch window ran from 01:57 to 03:19 UTC.

Where can I watch FLTA003 (VICTUS NOX)?

Coverage: 24 Hour Rocket Launch Operations in 1 Minute!. Watch the replay

What rocket launched FLTA003 (VICTUS NOX)?

Firefly Alpha, flown by Firefly Aerospace. Firefly Alpha spec sheet

Where did FLTA003 (VICTUS NOX) launch from?

Space Launch Complex 2W, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA. Liftoff was Sep 14, 7:28 PM PDT local time at the pad.

What orbit did FLTA003 (VICTUS NOX) reach?

It reached a 483 × 538 km orbit inclined 97.3°.

How many satellites did FLTA003 (VICTUS NOX) launch?

1 payload from this launch is catalogued, no longer in orbit (Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org).