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.
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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.
Note: Launch vehicle name is provisional. First orbital full version launch of the South Korean military small satellite launch vehicle, after 2 s…
Synthetic aperture radar Earth observation satellite for Japanese Earth imaging company iQPS.
Synthetic aperture radar satellite for Japanese Earth imaging company Synspective.
LOXSAT 1 is a demonstration satellite of a complete cryogenic oxygen fluid management system in orbit, developed by Eta Space and sponsored by NASA's…
Classified payload for the US National Reconnaissance Office.
Details TBD.
Details TBD.
A batch of 24 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.
A batch of 24 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.
13th test flight of the two-stage Starship launch vehicle. Second flight of Starship V3. For the first time, Starship will carry 20 V3 Starlink sa…