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Firefly Alpha Returns to Flight, Reaches Orbit With Lockheed Payload

The mission validated Block II upgrades, positioning Firefly to roll out a redesigned Alpha on Flight 8.

A preflight test in Texas did not go according to plan for Firefly Aerospace on September 29, when the first stage of its Alpha rocket exploded in dramatic fashion.
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Overview

  • Alpha lifted off from Vandenberg’s Space Launch Complex 2 on March 11 at 8:50 p.m. Eastern after earlier weather and technical scrubs.
  • The two-stage rocket performed nominally, including a second-stage engine relight, achieved orbit and deployed a demonstrator payload for Lockheed Martin.
  • Firefly called Flight 7 a complete success and said the test also proved in‑flight elements of the upcoming Block II, including a new in‑house avionics suite and improved thermal protection.
  • This was the final flight of Alpha’s current configuration, and the company now shifts to the stretched Block II vehicle for the next mission.
  • The return to flight followed a 2025 in‑air failure traced to aeroheating and a test‑stand explosion linked to fluid contamination, and FLY shares jumped about 13% Thursday after the successful launch.