Firefly Aerospace launched its Alpha rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, but the mission failed to reach orbit. The Alpha FLTA006 mission, named “Message In A Booster,” launched on Tuesday, April 29, at 6:37 AM PDT (13:37 UTC) from Space Launch Complex 2 West (SLC-2W) during a 52-minute launch window. The attempt was scrubbed following issues with the ground support equipment and a helium pump, and a new date was set for Tuesday with the same window that was used on Monday.
Message In A Booster flew on a southern trajectory out of Vandenberg, attempting to carry a Lockheed Martin LM400 satellite bus into a polar orbit. The mission reached second stage engine cutoff although some wobbling was seen around stage separation, and the payload would have deployed during an expected loss of signal.
Alpha FLTA006 update: Initial indications showed Alpha's upper stage reached 320 km in altitude. However, upon further assessment, the team learned the upper stage did not reach orbital velocity, and the stage and payload have now safely impacted the Pacific Ocean in a cleared…
— Firefly Aerospace (@Firefly_Space) April 29, 2025
Firefly Aerospace later confirmed there was an issue during stage separation and a mishap impacting the second stage engine nozzle, which appeared to have separated. The FAA has now ordered Firefly Aerospace to start a mishap investigation as well, and Firefly confirmed the mission failed to reach orbit.
With this mission serving as a demonstration flight, Lockheed Martin plans to offer the LM400 as a multi-mission satellite bus for commercial, civil, and military uses. This flight, Firefly’s second for Lockheed Martin, is also the first of up to 25 missions in Firefly’s multi-launch agreement with Lockheed Martin that was reached in 2024.