Firefly Alpha's Flight 7 is a test flight and return-To-Flight for the launch vehicle after its April 2025 launch failure. It will test and validate key systems ahead of Firefly’s Block II configuration upgrade on Flight 8 that’s designed to enhance reliability and manufacturability across the vehicle. Flight 7 is the last flown in Alpha’s current configuration and will test multiple Block II subsystems, including the in-house avionics and thermal improvements, to gain flight heritage and validate lessons learned ahead of the full configuration upgrade on Flight 8. This launch also delivered a demonstrator payload for Lockheed Martin.
Launch trajectory and telemetry simulations provided by Flight Club - a rocket launch simulator and orbital trajectory visualiser for all things space!
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.
See DetailsLos Angeles CA (SPX) Feb 10, 2026 Firefly Aerospace is preparing its next Alpha rocket mission, Flight 7 "Stairway to Seven", as a dedicated return-to-flight test from Space Launch Complex 2 at Vandenberg Space Force Base in Californi…
"You absolutely have to have a plan to compete with SpaceX on price."
After a brief grounding earlier this month following the Starlink Group 17-32 second stage deorbit… The post Launch Preview: Firefly to launch Alpha, SpaceX to launch three Starlink missions appeared first on NASASpaceFlight.com.
Seven missions are on this week’s launch manifest, with SpaceX’s Falcon 9 dominating the schedule.… The post Launch Preview: Falcon 9 to launch five Starlink missions, Firefly to launch Alpha appeared first on NASASpaceFlight.com.
Following a mishap in April of 2025, Firefly Aerospace is aiming to return its Alpha rocket to launch on the 28th of February.
A batch of 25 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.
A batch of 29 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.
Demonstration Flight for Russia's new Soyuz-5 launch vehicle, with a mass simulator on board. Details TBD.
Artemis II is the first crewed mission as part of the Artemis program. Artemis II will send a crew of 4 - 3 Americans and 1 Canadian around the moon …
Note: Payload identity uncertain. Meridian is a series of communications satellite for military and civilian use.
Details TBD.
First test launch of Space Pioneer’s Tianlong-3 rocket. Reports indicate this launch may carry a batch of satellites for the SpaceSail/G60/Qianfan LE…
A batch of 29 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.
Dedicated rideshare flight to a sun-synchronous orbit with dozens of small microsatellites and nanosatellites for commercial and government customers.
First test launch and mission of CAS Space’s Kinetica-2 rocket and Qingzhou cargo resupply spacecraft for future cargo transport to the Chinese Tiang…