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Launch FailureFirefly Aerospace

Firefly Alpha: FLTA006 (Message in a Booster)

Sixth flight of the Firefly Alpha small satellite launcher, launching the demonstration mission for Lockheed Martin's new LM400 satellite bus, which will carry a communications payload. The satellite bus is customizable to support different missions, including remote sensing, communications, imagery and radar Earth observations. It can also support different kinds of orbits and launch configurations.

Failure:Problem during stage separation and second stage ignition caused disintegration of the separated 1st stage and the loss of the Lightning engine nozzle extension on the 2nd stage, substantially reducing the engine’s thrust. 2nd stage reached 320 km in altitude but did not reach orbital velocity, eventually impacted the Pacific Ocean north of Antarctica.
Tuesday, 29 April 202513:37 UTC
Firefly Alpha: FLTA006 (Message in a Booster)

Mission Data

Firefly Aerospace
🇺🇸Firefly AerospaceEst. 2014
Launch VehicleFirefly Alpha
Vehicle FamilyFirefly Alpha
Vehicle Record4 of 7 launches (57.1%)
Provider TypeCommercial
Agency Record4 successes / 3 failures (57%)
Mission TypeTechnology
Target OrbitLow Earth Orbit
Launch PadSpace Launch Complex 2W
Location🇺🇸 Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA USA
Orbital Launches This Year#93
Agency Launches This Year#1
Launches From This Pad99
Launches From This Site923
Status Note

Either the launch vehicle did not reach orbit, or the payload(s) failed to separate.

About Firefly Alpha

Firefly Alpha (Firefly α) is a two-stage orbital expendable launch vehicle developed by the American aerospace company Firefly Aerospace to cover the commercial small satellite launch market. Alpha is intended to provide launch options for both full vehicle and ride share customers.

Launch updates

  1. Launch failure confirmed.

    Source ↗

  2. Liftoff!

  3. Official Webcast by Firefly Aerospace has started

  4. Confirmed rescheduling to April 29.

    Source ↗

  5. Scrubbed for the day.

  6. Recycled for end of launch window.

    Source ↗

  7. Hold at T-4:44.

  8. Countdown resumed.

    Source ↗

  9. Hold at T-8 minutes.

  10. Official Webcast by Firefly Aerospace has started

Launch Site

Space Launch Complex 2W · 34.7556°N 120.6224°W

Launch data from Launch Library 2 by The Space Devs.