QuickSounder
Firefly Aerospace's Firefly Alpha Block 2 is set to launch QuickSounder no earlier than September 2026 from Space Launch Complex 2W, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA. The countdown above is shown in your local timezone; the status updates live as the flight moves from To Be Confirmed to Go, and if it slips or scrubs. QuickSounder is the first satellite mission of the Near Earth Orbit Network (NEON) program of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which aims to replace the current Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS) series of polar orbit weather satellites. This pathfinder mission will demonstrate NOAA's ability to launch a small satellite within 3 years, flying a refurbished Advanced Technology Microwave Sounder (ATMS) instrument to polar orbit.
See it in person — plan a viewing trip
Watching from Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA? Here's how to make the trip — book a room, grab a viewing tour, and bring something to see liftoff up close.
Gear that makes liftoff and stage separation worth the trip:
Full in-person viewing guide → · Is this launch visible from your location? →
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Where to watch QuickSounder
Firefly Aerospace carries the official webcast on its own channel. When the stream link is published we surface it here, and embed the player on launch day. For the full rundown of where every provider streams — and how to catch it in your timezone — see how to watch a rocket launch live. New to the jargon? The launch glossary explains scrub, hold, MECO and the rest.