Austin-area aerospace company sees sudden leadership change

CEDAR PARK, TX (KXAN) -- Aerospace company Firefly Aerospace announced a change in leadership on Wednesday, July 17. The Cedar Park-based company's board of directors announced that CEO Bill Weber is no longer with the company "effective immediately."

A representative with Firefly Aerospace declined to share any additional details. However, they noted that "this change does not affect Firefly’s programs and planned missions in 2024."

Weber told KXAN in 2022 that Firefly is one of area's "best-kept secrets." He joined the company in September of that year, breaking a space flight record in October.

“If you can launch a rocket, put it into orbit and release payloads in your first 30 days as a CEO, I highly recommend that,” Weber told KXAN at the time.

In February, Weber participated in a ribbon cutting ceremony at the company's Rocket Ranch facility. The expansion allows the company to build a new Medium Launch Vehicle capable of transporting larger payloads to space and eventually the moon.

The company has contracts with NASA, including the construction of the Blue Ghost lunar lander. That craft is scheduled to launch later this year.

Firefly board member Peter Schumacher will serve as interim CEO while the company looks for a replacement.