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last mo.

Firefly’s Alpha Returns to Flight With Successful Vandenberg Launch

The comeback flight validated Block II upgrades, positioning the company for a near‑term transition to the stretched configuration 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 Flight 7, nicknamed “Stairway to Seven,” lifted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base on March 11 at 8:50 p.m. Eastern after earlier scrubs for minor technical issues.
  • Both stages performed as planned, including a second‑stage engine relight, and the webcast showed about 245 kilometers altitude at scheduled shutdown.
  • Firefly deployed a demonstrator payload for Lockheed Martin as part of the mission’s objectives.
  • The flight concluded the Block I series and provided flight heritage for Block II elements, including an in‑house avionics suite and enhanced thermal protection.
  • The return to service followed an April 2025 failure and a Texas test‑stand combustion event traced to fluid contamination, with Firefly citing process and quality improvements; shares rose in Thursday trading following the launch.