Texas-based Firefly Space Systems, which is developing rockets dedicated to getting small spacecraft aloft, has conducted a ground test of its Firefly Rocket Engine Research 1 (FRE-R1), company officials announced today (Sept. 10).

"The successful testing of our first engine represents a quantum step in the technical maturation of our company," Firefly co-founder and CEO Thomas Markusic said in a statement. "We have demonstrated that our core engine design can reliably start, stop and operate at a steady state without combustion instabilities."

FRE-R1 is a pathfinder for the engines that will power Firefly Alpha, a two-stage small-satellite launcher the company is developing. FRE-R1 operates using liquid oxygen and a refined form of kerosene known as RP-1, but the basic engine design can accommodate methane instead of RP-1, if desired, Firefly representatives said.