Watch the Launch

Watch the Launch

Additional Media

Alpha FLTA007

Alpha FLTA007 is a return to flight mission that will launch from SLC-2 at the Vandenberg Space Force Base.

Stairway to Seven

Circle Image

Overview

Destination: Low Earth Orbit
Mission: Test Flight

Low Earth Orbit Space Launch Complex 2W Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

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.

Telemetry

Launch trajectory and telemetry simulations provided by Flight Club - a rocket launch simulator and orbital trajectory visualiser for all things space!

Updates

Cosmic_Penguin • March 12, 2026, 2:13 a.m.

Launch success.


Cosmic_Penguin • March 12, 2026, 12:50 a.m.

Liftoff.


LL2 • March 12, 2026, 12:31 a.m.

Official Webcast by Firefly Aerospace has started


Cosmic_Penguin • March 11, 2026, 6:47 p.m.

Rescheduled for March 11 PDT.


Cosmic_Penguin • March 10, 2026, 11:59 p.m.

Scrubbed due to off-nominal readings during fluids loading.


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
    29.6 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: 4 Failures: 3 Pending: 7

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
Space Scout

Firefly Sends off Alpha Block I with FLTA007

Firefly Aerospace completed a successful return to flight on Wednesday, March 11, bringing their Alpha rocket back online after a mishap in April of last year.

SpaceNews

Firefly Alpha returns to flight

Firefly Aerospace’s Alpha rocket successfully returned to flight March 11, launching a technology demonstration mission more than 10 months after the rocket’s previous launch failed. The post Firefly Alpha returns to flight appeared first…

NASASpaceflight

Launch Preview: Falcon 9 to dominate another busy week of missions

Eight launches are scheduled worldwide this week, with Falcon 9 again dominating the launch schedule.… The post Launch Preview: Falcon 9 to dominate another busy week of missions appeared first on NASASpaceFlight.com.

NASASpaceflight

Firefly Alpha FLTA007 “Stairway to Seven” ready for another launch attempt

Firefly Aerospace is returning its Alpha launch vehicle to flight after a nearly 10-month stand… The post Firefly Alpha FLTA007 “Stairway to Seven” ready for another launch attempt appeared first on NASASpaceFlight.com.

NASASpaceflight

Firefly Alpha FLTA007 “Stairway to Seven” set for launch from California coast

Firefly Aerospace is returning its Alpha launch vehicle to flight after a nearly 10-month stand… The post Firefly Alpha FLTA007 “Stairway to Seven” set for launch from California coast appeared first on NASASpaceFlight.com.

Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

Space Launch Complex 2W


Long March 12
Success
2 hours, 47 minutes ago
SatNet LEO Group 29
Commercial LC-2 - Wenchang Space Launch Site, People's Republic of China

A batch of 9 Low Earth Orbit communication satellites for the Chinese state owned SatNet constellation operated by the China Satellite Network Group.…


Soyuz 2.1b/Fregat-M
Success
1 day, 9 hours ago
Glonass-K1? (Kosmos 2621?)
43/3 (43L) - Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russian Federation

Note: Payload identity uncertain. Glonass-K are the third generation of satellite design for GLONASS satellite navigation system. GLONASS is a Rus…


Falcon 9
Success
1 day, 22 hours ago
USSF-432
Space Launch Complex 4E - Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

A classified mission for the United States Space Force. It is possibly a batch of classified LEO satellites based on SpaceX’s Starshield satellite bu…


Ceres-2
Success
1 day, 23 hours ago
4 satellites
Launch Area 95A - Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

Share-ride of 4 commercial Earth observation and technology demonstration satellites to SSO, details TBD.


Long March 2C
Success
3 days, 7 hours ago
Yaogan 51-07 to 09
Launch Complex 3 (LC-3/LA-1) - Xichang Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

3 Chinese military “remote sensing” satellite of unknown purposes.


Kinetica 2
Success
5 days, 22 hours ago
SpaceSail Polar Group #17
Launch Area 140 - Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

18 Low Earth Orbit communication satellites with Ku, Q and V band payloads for the G60 constellation operated by Shanghai Spacesail Technologies with…


Electron
Success
6 days, 6 hours ago
The Sea God Surveys (iQPS Launch 9)
Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1A - Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand

Synthetic aperture radar Earth observation satellite for Japanese Earth imaging company iQPS.


Falcon 9
Success
1 week, 1 day ago
Starlink Group 15-18
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.


GSLV Mk II
Success
1 week, 2 days ago
IRNSS-1L (NVS-03)
Satish Dhawan Space Centre Second Launch Pad - Satish Dhawan Space Centre, India

This is a replacement satellite for the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System. The constellation will provide India with an alternative to GPS …


Falcon 9
Success
1 week, 5 days ago
Starlink Group 15-16
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.