Latest news with #WendyWilliams
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Northrop Grumman Raises $1 Billion Via Debt
Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC), in an exchange filing, said that on May 29, it had issued $1 billion in new senior notes, split evenly between two tranches maturing in 2030 and 2035. The notes, carrying interest rates of 4.650% and 5.250% respectively, were issued on May 29 under an amended and restated indenture. The securities were sold through an underwriting agreement involving Mizuho Securities USA, Goldman Sachs & Co., and Morgan Stanley & Co. as lead company intends to use the net proceeds for various activities, including repayment of existing debt, share repurchases, and working capital. For debt repayment, the company release specifically mentioned the 7.875% and 7.750% senior notes due in 2026. This suggests a strategy to refinance higher-interest debt with the new, lower-interest notes, potentially reducing future interest expenses. As of March 31, 2025, the company held long-term debt (net of current portion) of $14.17 billion. In a separate announcement, the company revealed a $50 million equity investment in Firefly Aerospace, further solidifying its partnership to develop a next-generation medium-lift launch vehicle named Eclipse. This collaborative spacecraft blends the engineering strengths of Northrop Grumman's Antares and Firefly's Alpha rockets. The Eclipse system will offer the capacity to deliver approximately 16 metric tons to low Earth orbit and over three metric tons to geosynchronous transfer orbit. Its modular design integrates heritage components from the Antares line alongside enhanced avionics, a larger 5.4-meter fairing, and upgraded propulsion systems including Firefly's Miranda engines. To date, over 60 hot fire tests have been completed on the Miranda engines, with critical qualification hardware already in fabrication. The vehicle is slated for its first launch as early as 2026 from Wallops Island, Virginia. Executives from both firms praised the alliance. Jason Kim, CEO of Firefly Aerospace, called the partnership 'first-of-its-kind,' emphasizing its potential to transform the launch market. Wendy Williams, VP and GM of Northrop's launch systems unit, highlighted Eclipse's affordability and scalability for civil and security applications. Price Action: NOC shares are trading lower by 0.40% to $477.45 at last check Friday. Read Next:Photo via Shutterstock Up Next: Transform your trading with Benzinga Edge's one-of-a-kind market trade ideas and tools. Click now to access unique insights that can set you ahead in today's competitive market. Get the latest stock analysis from Benzinga? NORTHROP GRUMMAN (NOC): Free Stock Analysis Report This article Northrop Grumman Raises $1 Billion Via Debt originally appeared on © 2025 Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
Broadcast Pro
4 days ago
- Business
- Broadcast Pro
Northrop invests $50m in Firefly Aerospace to advance Eclipse launch vehicle
The vehicle is being built on a hybrid foundation that draws from Northrop Grummans Antares platform and Fireflys Alpha rocket technology. Northrop Grumman Corporation has invested $50m into Firefly Aerospace to further advance production of their co-developed medium launch vehicle, now known as Eclipse. The companies continue to make progress in the development of Eclipse flight hardware, with qualification testing underway and more than 60 Miranda engine hot fire tests performed to date. Jason Kim, CEO of Firefly Aerospace, said: 'Firefly is incredibly grateful for Northrop Grummans investment that further solidifies our first-of-its-kind partnership to build the first stage of Antares 330 and jointly develop Eclipse. Eclipse represents two powerful forces coming together to transform the launch market with decades of flight heritage, a rapid, iterative approach, and bold innovation. With a 16 metric ton to orbit capability, Eclipse is a sweet spot for programs like NSSL Lane 1 and a natural fit to launch proliferated constellations in LEO, MEO, GEO and TLI.' Built upon Northrop Grummans Antares and Fireflys Alpha rocket, Eclipse offers a significant leap in power, performance, production cadence and payload capacity. The launch vehicle retains the flight-proven avionics from the Antares programme with additional upgrades, including a larger 5.4 meter payload fairing. Eclipse also utilises the same first stage Firefly is developing for Antares 330 and retains scaled-up versions of Alphas propulsion systems and carbon composite structures, allowing the team to rapidly build and test Eclipse with significant production efficiencies and economies of scale. Firefly utilised the same patented tap-off cycle architecture from Alphas Reaver and Lightning engines for Eclipses Miranda and Vira engines, and completed mission duty cycle with a 206 second Miranda hot fire, matching the longest time the engine will burn during a flight. Following several development test campaigns, flight hardware has been manufactured for the common dome propellant tanks, engine bay and interstage. Wendy Williams, Vice President and General Manager, Launch and Missile Defense Systems, Northrop Grumman, added: 'Eclipse gives customers the right balance between payload capacity and affordability. Our partnership with Firefly builds on our capacity to provide crucial spaced-based communication, observation, and exploration for civil and national security customers.' Filling a void in an underserved market, Eclipse is equipped to deliver 16,300 kg of cargo to low Earth orbit or 3,200 kg of cargo to geosynchronous transfer orbit. Eclipse will first launch from Wallops Island, Virginia, as early as 2026 and is able to support space station resupply, commercial spacecraft, critical national security missions and scientific payloads for the domestic and international markets.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Northrop Grumman doubles down on new rocket investment with Firefly
Northrop Grumman and Firefly Aerospace have given a name to the future medium-lift rocket they plan to build: Eclipse. The two companies are already partnered to help shepherd a new version of Northrop Grumman's Antares rocket, which has not flown since 2023 when the company used the last of its supply of Russian-made engines for the rocket's first stage. A new version of the rocket called the Antares 330 will use seven of Texas-based Firefly's Miranda engines on a redesigned first-stage the company is also developing. Firefly's work on Antares 330 is flowing right into the design of the the larger Eclipse rocket. Northrop Grumman, which is headquartered in West Falls Church, Virginia but has facilities all over the nation including in Florida, announced it was investing a further $50 million into Firefly's development of Eclipse. The new rocket, which won't debut until at least 2026, aims to support space station resupply missions, commercial spacecraft, national security missions and scientific payloads for domestic and international markets, according to a joint press release from the two companies. Eclipse will also be bigger than Antares 330, which could only fly about 17,500 pounds of payload to low-Earth orbit. Eclipse, though, aims to increase capacity to about 36,000 pounds to low-Earth orbit, which is still smaller than the roughly 50,000-pound capacity of SpaceX's Falcon 9 and ULA's new Vulcan, which can fly up to 60,000 pounds. Firefly CEO Jason Kim said Eclipse is in a 'sweet spot' for programs like the National Security Space Launch contracts designed for higher-risk newcomers. It will also be perfect to support commercial satellite constellations, he said. Firefly has its own small-capacity rocket, Alpha, but it has seen limited success on launch. But its other space-based programs have been very accomplished so far, including the first commercial lunar landing to not tip over when its Blue Ghost competed a mission under NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services contract. Eclipse's design is based on a combination of Antares and Alpha, and will have an 18-foot-diameter fairing similar to Falcon 9 and Vulcan. Northrop Grumman continues to fly its Cygnus resupply spacecraft to the International Space Station, but has had to hand off launch services to SpaceX until its new Antares is ready. 'Eclipse gives customers the right balance of payload capacity and affordability,' said Wendy Williams, Northrop Grumman's vice president and general manager for its launch and missile defense systems. 'Our partnership with Firefly builds on our capacity to provide crucial spaced-based communication, observation and exploration for civil and national security customers.' Both the Antares 330 and the new Eclipse rocket will launch from Virginia's Eastern Shore from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility, although Firefly also has a launch lease at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Eclipse will be built in Briggs, Texas and Chandler, Arizona with qualification testing already underway. The debut of the new Antares rocket could still be this year, possibly for the next Cygnus resupply mission, NG-23, that wouldn't fly until this fall.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Northrop Grumman Invests $50 Million in Firefly Aerospace to Advance Medium Launch Vehicle Named Eclipse™
American-manufactured vehicle will launch space station resupply, commercial, and national securityCEDAR PARK, Texas, May 29, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) has invested $50 million into Firefly Aerospace to further advance production of their co-developed medium launch vehicle, now known as Eclipse™. The companies continue to make progress in the development of Eclipse flight hardware with qualification testing underway and more than 60 Miranda engine hot fire tests performed to date. 'Firefly is incredibly grateful for Northrop Grumman's investment that further solidifies our first-of-its-kind partnership to build the first stage of Antares 330 and jointly develop Eclipse,' said Jason Kim, CEO of Firefly Aerospace. 'Eclipse represents two powerful forces coming together to transform the launch market with decades of flight heritage, a rapid, iterative approach, and bold innovation. With a 16 metric ton to orbit capability, Eclipse is a sweet spot for programs like NSSL Lane 1 and a natural fit to launch proliferated constellations in LEO, MEO, GEO, and TLI.' Built upon Northrop Grumman's Antares and Firefly's Alpha rocket, Eclipse offers a significant leap in power, performance, production cadence, and payload capacity. The launch vehicle retains the flight-proven avionics from the Antares program with additional upgrades, including a larger 5.4 meter payload fairing. Eclipse also utilizes the same first stage Firefly is developing for Antares 330 and retains scaled-up versions of Alpha's propulsion systems and carbon composite structures, allowing the team to rapidly build and test Eclipse with significant production efficiencies and economies of scale. Firefly utilized the same patented tap-off cycle architecture from Alpha's Reaver and Lightning engines for Eclipse's Miranda and Vira engines, and completed mission duty cycle with a 206 second Miranda hot fire, matching the longest time the engine will burn during a flight. Following several development test campaigns, flight hardware has been manufactured for the common dome propellant tanks, engine bay and interstage. 'Eclipse gives customers the right balance between payload capacity and affordability,' said Wendy Williams, vice president and general manager, launch and missile defense systems, Northrop Grumman. 'Our partnership with Firefly builds on our capacity to provide crucial spaced-based communication, observation, and exploration for civil and national security customers.' Filling a void in an underserved market, Eclipse is equipped to deliver 16,300 kg of cargo to low Earth orbit or 3,200 kg of cargo to geosynchronous transfer orbit. Eclipse will first launch from Wallops Island, Virginia, as early as 2026 and is able to support space station resupply, commercial spacecraft, critical national security missions and scientific payloads for the domestic and international markets. About Firefly AerospaceFirefly Aerospace is an end-to-end responsive space company with launch, lunar, and on-orbit services. Headquartered in central Texas, Firefly is a portfolio company of AE Industrial Partners ('AEI') focused on delivering rapid, reliable, and affordable space access for government and commercial customers. Firefly's small- to medium-lift launch vehicles, lunar landers, and orbital vehicles provide the space industry with a single source for missions from low Earth orbit to the surface of the Moon and beyond. For more information, visit About Northrop GrummanNorthrop Grumman is a leading global aerospace and defense technology company. Our pioneering solutions equip our customers with the capabilities they need to connect and protect the world, and push the boundaries of human exploration across the universe. Driven by a shared purpose to solve our customers' toughest problems, our employees define possible every day. Media Contacts Firefly Aerospacepress@ Northrop Image GalleryEclipse | Flickr A photo accompanying this announcement is available at A video accompanying this announcement is available at
Daily Mail
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Listen to Wendy Williams' 'gay rappers' bombshell that saw Diddy 'get her FIRED from hit radio show'
As jurors hear testimony about Sean ' Diddy ' Combs sexual exploits with male escorts, a decades-old clip of Wendy Williams talking about gay rappers has resurfaced. Williams previously claimed that she was fired from popular New York City radio show Hot 97 in 1998 after sharing her belief that Combs was gay. She supposedly claimed to have a photo of Diddy being intimate with a man. She also made scandalous remark about the percentage of gay entertainers during a Hot 97 segment addressing the allegations that then-basketball star Eddy Curry had made sexual advances at his male driver. Williams, during the broadcast, cited her 'inside' experience in the entertainment industry as evidence to support self-proclaimed statistics for the percentage of rappers and pro-athletes who were gay. She claimed that 'two out of ten' players and 'five out of ten in music' were gay. The former talk show host has not publicly named Combs as the party responsible for her ousting from Hot 97, but has implied it in interviews. Williams went on to become a superstar talk show host, but famously continued sharing criticism of Diddy. The resurfaced clip from Williams' stint on the radio program shows an interaction between the star and listener who called in. 'Do you really think that every player is gay or every other player is?' the caller and self-identified fan asked. 'Are you a little gay obsessed?' Williams quickly hit back, saying: 'I'm not gay obsessed and every other would be an exaggeration. But I would say two out of ten in sports and five out of ten in music.' 'I don't think that's gay obsessed. I think that's after being in this business for over 20-something years and seeing things from the inside out, and the outside in,' she continued. She said when she first met her then-husband TV producer Kevin Hunter that he thought it was 'going to be a one-night stand with this gay obsessed person'. 'Big Kev has never been more wrong about both things,' she told the caller. 'First of all, I wasn't a one-night stand. Second of all, I was more dead on than he, as a person who used to listen when I did the Top Eight at 8, was willing to give me credit for. 'So yeah, I think you have to be on the inside more.' She then probed the caller about her career, which she said was in pharmaceutical sales, and said: 'I am not offended about you questioning, but I think you have to be more on the inside to understand what I'm saying.' The caller, with a bit of disbelief in her tone, concedes, saying: 'Okay, I get it.' But Williams interrupts her and says the caller does not have to agree with her analysis. 'You can choose to believe that everything's all hetero and all masculine. And I choose to -' the host said, before the caller cut her off. 'I don't think that, but I just noticed you do a lot of the "how you doing" - and I love it, it's hilarious. But I was just wondering if you really think that and also if you think coffee's gay,' she continued. Williams replied 'You haven't gotten the memo?', before queuing up a song. She was fired from Hot 97 in 1998, with Williams suggesting during an interview with Howard Stern years later that Combs was largely responsible for her termination. 'I got exiled from New York by Hot 97,' she told Stern in 2006. Williams said she sued the station and 'won', noting that the whole incident stemmed from 'gay rappers and exposing'. 'Did you get fired for making fun of puffy?' Williams was directly asked. She answered: 'Listen, you figure it out. You do the music of what was playing back in... 1998 on the majority of every radio station, 25 times an hour.' Combs' former security guard also Gene Deal seemed to confirm the claim in 2022. '[Diddy] got one of the hottest DJs off Hot 97 because she wanted to put up a picture of him getting his pants pulled down,' Deal said, according to Vibe. Radio host Charlamagne tha God, who Williams was a mentor to, echoed the claim last year on Andrew Schulz's Flagrant podcast. 'Wendy whole thing with Diddy was gay since the 90s,' he said. 'Wendy was throwing that out there, that's why Wendy got fired from Hot 97.' He doubled down, adding: 'Wendy got fired from Hot 97 by Diddy because that's when Bad Boy was smoking hot. She got fired for putting that out there.' Combs' trial is underway in New York City as the disgraced mogul faces charges of sex-trafficking and racketeering. The music producer, 55, has sat by his team of star lawyers as he is accused of leveraging his wealth and power to oversee a criminal enterprise built around fulfilling his sexual fantasies. Diddy denies all allegations against him. His lawyers argue that all the sexual acts were consensual, and although he could be violent, he never veered into sex trafficking and racketeering. If convicted, the once powerful music industry icon could face life in prison.
