A Firefly Alpha rocket experienced a launch anomaly that left a Lockheed Martin satellite in a significantly “lower than planned orbit”, the aerospace company said on Tuesday.
The mission, designated FLTA0006, lifted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base at 9:37 a.m. EST, a day after an earlier attempt was called off due to unresolved ground support equipment issues.
The flight was carrying a Lockheed Martin LM 400 technology demonstration satellite — a critical test of the company’s next-generation, software-defined spacecraft platform designed for a variety of defense and commercial missions.
The mission marked the first launch under a broader agreement between Firefly Aerospace and Lockheed Martin, which includes up to 25 missions over the next five years.
Orbit off the mark
While liftoff and initial ascent appeared normal, trouble emerged roughly 2 minutes and 35 seconds into flight during stage separation.
Footage from the launch showed a sudden cloud forming between the first and second stages, followed by what appeared to be debris scattering as the upper stage pushed onward.
Onboard cameras later revealed further debris shedding and apparent damage to the Lightning engine’s nozzle — which seemed to be either heavily compromised or missing altogether.
“Following a nominal liftoff of Firefly’s Alpha rocket, there was a mishap during first stage separation for the FLTA006 mission that impacted the Stage 2 Lightning engine nozzle, putting the vehicle in a lower than planned orbit,” Firefly said in a statement
“We are working with our Lockheed Martin customer, the Space Force, and FAA to conduct a thorough investigation and determine the root cause,” it added.
Tech test turns turbulent
The satellite, self-funded by Lockheed Martin, has seen several delays leading up to liftoff. Although both the rocket and satellite were ready by mid-March, Firefly postponed the launch, citing limited range availability at Vandenberg Space Force Base.
This marked the sixth flight of Firefly’s Alpha rocket, which has had a mixed track record. Only two of its missions — the third (Victus Nox in September 2023) and the fifth (a NASA-sponsored cubesat launch in July 2024) — were widely deemed fully successful.
The rocket’s maiden flight in September 2021 ended in failure when Alpha lost control shortly after launch.
While the second flight in October 2022 did reach orbit, its payloads were inserted into lower-than-intended orbits and quickly reentered the atmosphere. Despite this, Firefly classified it as a success.
The fourth Alpha launch, in December 2023, also fell short when a Lockheed Martin satellite was left in an elliptical transfer orbit with a low perigee. A later investigation attributed that issue to a software glitch that prevented the upper stage from completing a required second burn.
LM 400is part of Lockheed’s “Message in a Booster” mission — a strategic move under its “show more, tell less” approach to unveiling next-gen capabilities for government and civilian clients.
The payload is a mid-sized, multi-mission satellite bus capable of supporting payloads up to 1,100 kilograms (2,425 pounds) and operating across a range of orbits — including low Earth orbit (LEO), medium Earth orbit (MEO), and geostationary orbit (GEO).
As per the company, the LM 400 is “particularly well-suited for proliferated constellations, whether that be military, civilian or commercial customer needs.”