Firefly Aerospace’s sixth Alpha rocket launch encountered a critical anomaly shortly after stage separation, resulting in the Lockheed Martin LM 400 technology demonstration satellite being placed into a significantly lower than intended orbit—or potentially not achieving a stable orbit at all.
Credit: Firefly
The mission, designated FLTA0006 and dubbed “Message in a Booster,” launched at 9:37 a.m. Eastern (6:37 a.m. local time) from Vandenberg Space Force Base under heavy fog, following a scrubbed attempt the previous day due to unresolved ground support equipment issues. Originally targeting a mid-March liftoff, the launch had already faced multiple delays, largely attributed to range availability conflicts and operational constraints at Vandenberg, notably linked to infrastructure shared with the U.S. Space Force's X-37B spaceplane.
Initial ascent appeared nominal until approximately 2 minutes and 35 seconds after liftoff, when an irregularity occurred during stage separation. Video footage captured a sudden cloud forming between the rocket’s stages and debris dispersing near the upper stage. Subsequent onboard camera views confirmed further shedding of material and visible damage to the Lightning engine nozzle of the second stage—if not a complete loss of the nozzle.
Firefly Aerospace confirmed the anomaly in a statement issued roughly 50 minutes post-launch:
“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. We are working with our Lockheed Martin customer, the Space Force, and FAA to conduct a thorough investigation and determine the root cause.”
The company later reposted this statement, omitting the phrase “putting the vehicle in a lower than planned orbit,” suggesting ambiguity about the satellite’s current status. Precise orbital parameters and target mission profile details were not released prior to the flight, leaving uncertainty regarding the extent of deviation.
The payload, Lockheed Martin’s LM 400 satellite, is a versatile mid-sized platform capable of supporting payloads up to 1,100 kilograms across a range of missions—including remote sensing, communications, and radar. Intended as a testbed, the satellite was designed to demonstrate Lockheed’s reconfigurable SmartSat software and undergo a series of “day in the life” operational evaluations during a brief 30-day mission, culminating in a planned deorbit.
“We’re really focused on trying to get the full lifetime experience of the spacecraft on a relatively accelerated timeline,” said Bob Behnken, Lockheed Martin’s vice president of exploration and technology strategy, at a media event earlier this month.
This mission marked the inaugural launch under a multi-year agreement between Firefly and Lockheed Martin, which includes up to 25 Alpha launches over the next five years. However, the anomaly raises concerns about the reliability of the Alpha vehicle in executing precise orbital insertions—an increasingly critical capability for both commercial and defense customers.
The FLTA0006 incident adds to Alpha’s mixed performance history. Of its six flights to date, only two have been widely regarded as fully successful by external observers. The third mission, Victus Nox in September 2023, and the fifth launch in July 2024 (carrying eight NASA-sponsored CubeSats), met performance expectations. The rocket’s inaugural flight in 2021 failed shortly after liftoff. While the second flight in October 2022 achieved orbit, its payloads entered degraded trajectories. Similarly, Alpha’s fourth mission in December 2023 also fell short when a software error prevented a critical second engine burn, leaving another Lockheed Martin satellite in an unintended elliptical orbit.
Despite these setbacks, Firefly has recently captured headlines for its lunar ambitions. On March 2, the company’s Blue Ghost lunar lander became the second privately-built spacecraft to perform a soft landing on the Moon. The vehicle and its ten NASA instruments operated successfully for two weeks until nightfall ended the solar-powered mission.
As investigations into the FLTA0006 anomaly unfold, Firefly Aerospace will be under intense scrutiny from customers and regulators alike. The outcome of this inquiry could shape the trajectory of the company’s launch services—and its standing in an increasingly competitive small-launch market.
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