Partial Failure
FLTA004 (Fly the Lightning)
Technology
Firefly Aerospace(FA)CommercialFirefly Alpha
LEOorbit
Firefly’s Alpha rocket will launch Lockheed Martin’s new wideband Electronically Steerable Antenna (ESA) technology integrated on a Terran Orbital Nebula satellite bus. Developed within Lockheed Martin Space’s Ignite organization using a proprietary design, the ESA payload will demonstrate faster on-orbit sensor calibration to deliver rapid capabilities to U.S. warfighters.
Friday, December 22, 2023 at 5:32 PM
Replay
Links
Status Details
Failure Reason
Stage 2 2nd burn suffered problems and did not deliver the payload to its precise target orbit. Communication to the spacecraft has been established and mission operations are now underway.
Mission details
Orbital Attempt
#6,579
FA Mission
#4
Pad Launch
#96
Location Launch
#738
Designator
2023-202
Weather GO
60%
Launch Window
NET
Dec 22, 2023, 5:32 PM
Precision
Second
Schedule Changes
1 update
Lift Off
5:18 PM
Window Open
5:48 PM
Window Close
Firefly Alpha Specs
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.
Length
29.6 m
Diameter
1.82 m
Launch Mass
54 t
Thrust
736 kN
LEO Capacity
1,000 kg
SSO Capacity
630 kg
Launch Cost
$15M
Reusable
No
Maiden Flight
2021
Fastest Turnaround
3mo 8d
Total Launches
7
Successful
4
Failed
3
Consecutive Success
1
Maiden flight: Sep 3, 2021
Social Flight Log
- Dec 23, 2023, 5:48 AM
Updated launch status following confirmation of stage 2 2nd burn failure.
Source - Dec 22, 2023, 5:32 PM
Liftoff.
Source - Dec 22, 2023, 4:45 PM
Updated T-0.
Source - Dec 22, 2023, 4:28 PM
Livestream has started
Source - Dec 22, 2023, 3:59 PM
Weather 40% GO.
Source - Dec 22, 2023, 2:29 PM
New T-0.
Source - Dec 21, 2023, 12:31 AM
Confirmed rescheduled for December 22.
Source - Dec 20, 2023, 7:24 PM
Tentatively planned for December 22.
Source - Dec 20, 2023, 3:43 PM
Scrubbed due to weather, next launch attempt TBD.
Source - Dec 20, 2023, 2:46 PM
Updating T-0
Source - Dec 20, 2023, 1:53 PM
Weather 30% GO
Source - Dec 18, 2023, 9:21 PM
Setting GO
Source - Dec 17, 2023, 3:57 AM
NET December 20 per marine navigation warnings.
Source - Nov 27, 2023, 6:44 PM
Added launch
Source
Firefly Aerospace
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.
Founded
2014
Administrator
CEO: Peter Schumacher
Total Launches
7
Successful
4
Failed
3
Pending
4
Consecutive Success
1
Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA
Vandenberg Space Force Base is a United States Space Force Base in Santa Barbara County, California. Established in 1941, Vandenberg Space Force Base is a space launch base, launching spacecraft from the Western Range, and also performs missile testing. The United States Space Force's Space Launch Delta 30 serves as the host delta for the base, equivalent to an Air Force air base wing. In addition to its military space launch mission, Vandenberg Space Force Base also hosts space launches for civil and commercial space entities, such as NASA and SpaceX.
Timezone
America/Los_Angeles
Local Launch Time
Dec 22, 2023, 9:32 AM
Total Launches
885
Total Landings
34
Coordinates
34.7513, -120.5202