Orbital launch vehicle
Firefly Alpha
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.
Flights flown7
Success rate57.1%4/7
Payload to LEO1,000kg
Cost per kg to LEO$15,000$15M per launch
Maiden flight2021-09-03
Peak year20232 flights
Firefly Alpha is built by Firefly Aerospace of the United States. Company background, funding, contracts and news for this operator are tracked on Space Index. It first flew on 3 September 2021.
Flight record
57.1% success rate4 of 7 flown · 3 failed
2021peak 2023 · 2 flights2026
First flight2021-09-03
Latest flight2026-03-12
Failures3
Consecutive successes1
Fastest turnaround98d 15h
Payload
| Low Earth orbit | 1,000kg |
|---|---|
| Sun-synchronous orbit | 630kg |
| Launch cost | $15M |
| Cost per kg to LEO | $15,000 |
Vehicle
| Stages | 2 |
|---|---|
| Length | 29.6m |
| Diameter | 1.82m |
| Launch mass | 54t |
| Liftoff thrust | 736kN |
| Maiden flight | 2021-09-03 |
| Reusable | No |
Pads used
Orbits delivered
Low Earth Orbit6Sun-Synchronous Orbit1
Launch history
| Date | Mission | Pad | Orbit | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-12 | Firefly Alpha | Stairway to Seven | Space Launch Complex 2W | Low Earth Orbit | Success |
| 2025-04-29 | Firefly Alpha | FLTA006 (Message in a Booster) | Space Launch Complex 2W | Low Earth Orbit | Failure |
| 2024-07-04 | Firefly Alpha | FLTA005 (Noise of Summer) | Space Launch Complex 2W | Sun-Synchronous Orbit | Success |
| 2023-12-22 | Firefly Alpha | FLTA004 (Fly the Lightning) | Space Launch Complex 2W | Low Earth Orbit | Failure |
| 2023-09-15 | Firefly Alpha | FLTA003 (VICTUS NOX) | Space Launch Complex 2W | Low Earth Orbit | Success |
| 2022-10-01 | Firefly Alpha | FLTA002 (To The Black) | Space Launch Complex 2W | Low Earth Orbit | Success |
| 2021-09-03 | Firefly Alpha | FLTA001 (Maiden Flight) | Space Launch Complex 2W | Low Earth Orbit | Failure |
Specifications from Launch Library 2 by The Space Devs, launch records from Space Index. Derived figures are computed here; see sources and method.
Further reading: Wikipedia · Operator page