Firefly gets FAA nod to relaunch Alpha rocket
Firefly Aerospace just got the FAA's approval to launch its Alpha rocket again, months after a failed mission in April 2025 that led to the loss of Lockheed Martin's LM 400 satellite.
The issue? The rocket's first stage broke apart right after separation, damaging the second stage and ending the mission early.
What went wrong on the last flight
On that April flight from Vandenberg, things went south when too much heat—caused by how the rocket plume separated and a steeper-than-usual ascent—made the first stage rupture.
That wrecked part of the second stage engine, so even though they reached 320km up, they ran out of fuel before hitting orbit.
Changes being made for reliability
Firefly isn't just moving on—they're making real changes for reliability.
They're adding thicker thermal protection to the first stage and tweaking flight paths to keep heat in check.
These upgrades are intended to improve reliability for Alpha Flight 7 and future missions.