TACC & ANSYS Power Firefly Space Systems

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fireflyThis week Firefly Space Systems announced a collaboration with ANSYS and TACC to help design next-generation rockets. The collaboration will will enable Firefly to accurately and rapidly progress through its engineering development process as it moves closer to its first launch.

ANSYS software is crucial in assisting Firefly solve our most complex design challenges through fast, accurate and reliable engineering simulation,” said Jared Cuneo, Firefly Director of Structures Analysis.

Meanwhile, TACC’s Stampede supercomputer, one of the most powerful supercomputers in the world, will provide the backbone on which Firefly runs its ANSYS software analysis. “TACC and UT Austin are both proving to be integral and hugely valuable partners, not only through Stampede, but also via their top-notch engineering talent who are now part of the Firefly team,” added Firefly’s Human Resource Manager Christina Kang.

By combining ANSYS with Stampede, a complex simulation of a rocket subsystem that would normally require a considerable amount of time on a typical workstation will now be accurately achieved in just mere seconds. This combination of resources will ultimately lead to a significant reduction of costs and time on the overall development of Firefly launch vehicles.

The bottom line here is what used to cost hundreds of millions of dollars is rapidly becoming available in the single digit millions,” said Firefly CEO Thomas Markusic. “We are offering small satellite customers the launch they need, for a fraction of what it has cost historically, at around $8 or 9 million – the lowest cost in the world. It’s far cheaper than the alternatives, without the headaches of a multi manifest launch. This new partnership is an important milestone for us as we move forward to our first launch.”

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