Watch the Launch

Additional Media

[SCRUBBED] Watch Firefly's Second Orbital Launch Attempt Of Their Alpha Rocket!

Firefly Aerospace is the next private rocket company that aims to achieve orbit with its second launch attempt of their brand new Alpha launch vehicle. Alpha will lift off from Vandenberg Space Force ...

[SCRUBBED][4K] Watch Firefly's Second Orbital Launch Attempt Of Their Alpha Rocket!

Firefly Aerospace is the next private rocket company that aims to achieve orbit with its second launch attempt of their brand new Alpha launch vehicle. Alpha will lift off from Vandenberg Space Force ...

[SCRUBBED][4K] Watch Firefly's Second Orbital Launch Attempt Of Their Alpha Rocket!

Firefly Aerospace is the next private rocket company that aims to achieve orbit with its second launch attempt of their brand new Alpha launch vehicle. Alpha will lift off from Vandenberg Space Force ...

FLTA002 -To The Black

Alpha Flight 2: To The Black is Firefly's second technology demonstration flight that will attempt to launch multiple satellites to low Earth orbit (LEO) from our launch site (SLC-2) at Vandenberg Space Force Base. FLTA002 will use a transfer orbit, fly an elliptical trajectory, coast to apogee, and...

FLTA002 (To The Black)

Circle Image

Overview

Destination: Low Earth Orbit
Mission: Test Flight

Low Earth Orbit Space Launch Complex 2W Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA Probability: 100% #ToTheBlack

Second test flight of the Firefly Alpha small sat launcher developed by Firefly Aerospace.

Updates

Nosu • Oct. 1, 2022, 8:35 a.m.

Launch success confirmed


Nosu • Oct. 1, 2022, 7:01 a.m.

Liftoff


SwGustav • Oct. 1, 2022, 12:14 a.m.

Setting GO


Cosmic_Penguin • Sept. 30, 2022, 8:13 a.m.

Scrubbed for the day


Nosu • Sept. 30, 2022, 7:52 a.m.

Abort


Firefly Alpha

Family:
Configuration:

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 Details
Specifications
  • Stages
    2
  • Length
    29.0 m
  • Diameter
    1.82 m
  • Fairing Diameter
    2.21 m
  • Launch Mass
    54.0 T
  • Thrust
    736.0 kN
Family
  • Name
    Firefly Alpha
  • Family
  • Variant
  • Alias
  • Full Name
    Firefly Alpha
Payload Capacity
  • Launch Cost
    $15000000
  • Low Earth Orbit
    1000.0 kg
  • Geostationary Transfer Orbit
  • Direct Geostationary
  • Sun-Synchronous Capacity
    630.0 kg

Firefly Aerospace

Firefly Aerospace

(FA)

CEO: Peter Schumacher Founded: 2014 Successes: 3 Failures: 3 Pending: 5

Agency Type:

Firefly Aerospace is an American private aerospace firm based in Austin, Texas, that develops small and medium-sized launch vehicles for commercial launches to orbit.

INFO WIKI

Related News

NASASpaceflight

Firefly looking ahead after “To The Black” payloads reenter early

On Oct. 1, 2022, Firefly launched the “To The Black” mission which successfully deployed three satellites into low Earth orbit. However, space tracking data showed that the satellites were deployed at a lower-than-planned altitude, and jus…

SpaceNews

Firefly says Alpha launch a success despite payload reentries

Firefly Aerospace says its Alpha launch early this month was a success despite the fact that its payloads, placed in a lower orbit than planned, reentered within several days.

SpaceNews

After successful first launch, Firefly sets sight on national security market

After winning a $17.6 million Space Force contract for a 2023 mission, Firefly eyes more opportunities in the military market

Arstechnica

With orbital launch, Firefly takes an early lead in the 1-ton rocket race

"Firefly is at the point where the only thing holding them back is execution."

Spaceflight Now

Firefly reaches orbit in successful demonstration launch from California

Firefly Aerospace said its privately-developed Alpha small satellite launcher achieved “100% mission success” on a test flight from California early Saturday, adding another provider to the growing roster of commercial companies that have …

Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

Space Launch Complex 2W


Long March 12
Success
19 hours, 13 minutes ago
SatNet LEO Group 16
Commercial LC-2 - Wenchang Space Launch Site, People's Republic of China

A batch of Low Earth Orbit communication satellites for the Chinese state owned SatNet constellation operated by the China Satellite Network Group. …


Falcon 9
Success
20 hours, 11 minutes ago
Starlink Group 6-90
Space Launch Complex 40 - Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA

A batch of 29 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.


Falcon 9
Success
2 days, 6 hours ago
Starlink Group 15-11
Space Launch Complex 4E - Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

A batch of 27 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.


Kinetica 1
Success
2 days, 14 hours ago
9 satellites
Launch Area 130 - Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

Share ride of 9 satellites to sun-synchronous orbit: * Satellite 813 (United Arab Emirates) * Jilin-1 Gaofen 07B-01/07C-01/07D-01 * Dongpo-15 …


Falcon 9
Success
2 days, 22 hours ago
NROL-77
Space Launch Complex 40 - Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA

Classified payload for the US National Reconnaissance Office.


Long March 3B/E
Success
3 days, 3 hours ago
TJSW-22
Launch Complex 3 (LC-3/LA-1) - Xichang Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

Chinese classified satellite claimed to be for communication technology test purposes. Actual mission not known.


Long March 4B
Success
3 days, 14 hours ago
Yaogan 47
Launch Area 94 (SLS-2 / 603) - Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

The Yaogan 47 is a Chinese military “remote sensing” satellite of unknown purposes.


Falcon 9
Success
3 days, 19 hours ago
Starlink Group 6-92
Launch Complex 39A - Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA

A batch of 29 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.


Long March 6A
Success
3 days, 20 hours ago
SatNet LEO Group 15
Launch Complex 9A - Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

A batch of 5 Low Earth Orbit communication satellites for the Chinese state owned SatNet constellation operated by the China Satellite Network Group.…


Falcon 9
Success
5 days ago
Starlink Group 11-15
Space Launch Complex 4E - Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

A batch of 28 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.