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Firefly AerospaceFirefly AlphaSpace Launch Complex 2W, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

FLTA005 (Noise of Summer)

Launched

July 4, 2024 · 04:04 UTC

Launch Successful
Noise of Summer

Image: Firefly Aerospace / Jack Beyer

Summary

FLTA005 (Noise of Summer) launched on a Firefly Aerospace Firefly Alpha from Space Launch Complex 2W, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA on July 4, 2024 at 04:04 UTC. The launch window ran from 04:03 to 04:33 UTC. It was Firefly Aerospace's 5th launch, 1st this year and humanity's 6,717th orbital launch attempt. It was the 5th Firefly Alpha flight and the 1st this year. The payload was bound for Sun-Synchronous Orbit (SSO). R5-S4, one of 9 catalogued objects, reached a 496 × 531 km orbit inclined 97.3°. 9 objects from this launch are catalogued, 8 of them payloads.

Watch
Vehicle
Firefly Alpha · Firefly Aerospace
Booster
No booster details on record.
Mission
Technology · Sun-Synchronous Orbit (SSO)for NASA
Milestone
5th Firefly Alpha flight · 1st this yearFirefly Aerospace's 5th launch1st this yearhumanity's 6,717th orbital launch attempt128th orbital launch attempt this year

Webcast

Replay
Watch on YouTube

Flight preview

Simulate in Flight Club

Orbit: as tracked

97.3°Inclination
496 × 531 kmPerigee × apogeefrom mean elements
94.8 minPeriodfrom mean elements
39.4°Ascending node
833 d agoElement epoch2024-07-04 13:22 UTC · stale

R5-S4 · NORAD 60206 · 2024-125 · Space-Track · tracking 1 of 9 objects

Show the numbers for orbit elements
Object
TBA - TO BE ASSIGNED
Object ID
2024-126D
Epoch
2024-07-04 13:22:37 UTC
Mean motion
15.19785027 rev/day
Eccentricity
0.0025477
Inclination
97.3232°
Ascending node
39.446°
Arg. of perigee
251.2826°
Mean anomaly
194.9222°
Element set
999
Rev at epoch
5
B*
0

Perigee, apogee and period are Kepler figures from the catalogued mean elements, not a propagated state. Published orbit: SSO. Ascent drawn from padside's representative profile.

Flight timeline

24 steps, T−18 h to T+55 min 13 s
  1. T−18HPayload Processing End
  2. T−17H30MPayload Segment Preparation
  3. T−17HPayload Segment Transport
  4. T−15HPayload Segment Mating
  5. T−9HPad Configuration
  6. T−7H30MLauncher Vertical
  7. T−5HPropulsion Checkouts
  8. T−4HProp Load
  9. T−1H5MLOX Topping
  10. T−20MReady Poll
  11. T−15MTerminal Count
  12. T−5MStrongback Retract
  13. T−2MGO for Launch
  14. T−2SIgnition
  15. T−0Liftoff
  16. T+54SSupersonic
  17. T+1M5SMax-Q
  18. T+2M30SMECO
  19. T+2M33SStage 2 Separation
  20. T+2M35SSES
  21. T+2M45SFairing Separation
  22. T+8M10SSECO
  23. T+44M33SPayload Deployment Sequence Start
  24. T+55M13SPayload Deployment Sequence End

Catalogued objects

9 catalogued: 8 payloads, 1 rocket stage; 6 still in orbit

  • R5-S4 · NORAD 60206 · in orbit
  • R5-S2 · NORAD 60207 · in orbit
  • TechEdSat-11 · NORAD 60208 · re-entered February 15, 2026
  • MESAT-1 · NORAD 60209 · in orbit
  • CATSAT · NORAD 60246 · in orbit
  • SOC-i · in orbit
  • KUbesat-1 · re-entered July 8, 2025
  • Serenity · re-entered April 8, 2026

Alpha FLTA005 Stage 2 · in orbit

Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org

About this launch

Fifth flight of the Firefly Alpha small sat launcher, carrying eight cubesats for NASA's ELaNa 43 (Educational Launch of a Nanosatellite) mission.

Official page: Noise of Summer

Pad

Map of Space Launch Complex 2W

Space Launch Complex 2W, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

97th launch from Space Launch Complex 2W, 1st this year · 762nd from Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

Local pad time at liftoff: Jul 3, 9:04 PM PDT, in twilight

99 launches from this pad · 919 from Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

194 days after the previous launch from this pad

All launches from Vandenberg SFB, CA, USAOpen in maps

Updates

Launch success with all payloads deployed.

Cosmic_Penguin · Jul 4, 2024 · source

Show 9 earlier updates

  • Liftoff.

    Cosmic_Penguin · 7/4/2024 · source

  • Official Webcast by Firefly Aerospace has started

    LL2 · 7/4/2024 · source

  • GO for launch.

    Cosmic_Penguin · 7/3/2024 · source

  • NET July 4 UTC.

    Cosmic_Penguin · 7/3/2024 · source

  • Delayed to evaluate data from scrubbed attempt; next launch attempt TBD.

    Cosmic_Penguin · 7/3/2024 · source

  • GO for launch.

    Cosmic_Penguin · 7/2/2024 · source

  • Scrubbed for the day.

    Cosmic_Penguin · 7/2/2024 · source

  • Recycling for new attempt.

    Cosmic_Penguin · 7/2/2024 · source

  • Hold at T-4s.

    Cosmic_Penguin · 7/2/2024 · source

Questions

When did FLTA005 (Noise of Summer) launch?

FLTA005 (Noise of Summer) launched on July 4, 2024 at 04:04 UTC. The launch window ran from 04:03 to 04:33 UTC.

Where can I watch FLTA005 (Noise of Summer)?

Coverage: Alpha FLTA005 "Noise of Summer". Watch the replay

What rocket launched FLTA005 (Noise of Summer)?

Firefly Alpha, flown by Firefly Aerospace. Firefly Alpha spec sheet

Where did FLTA005 (Noise of Summer) launch from?

Space Launch Complex 2W, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA. Liftoff was Jul 3, 9:04 PM PDT local time at the pad.

What orbit did FLTA005 (Noise of Summer) reach?

R5-S4, one of 9 catalogued objects, reached a 496 × 531 km orbit inclined 97.3°.

How many satellites did FLTA005 (Noise of Summer) launch?

8 payloads from this launch are catalogued, 5 of them still in orbit (Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org).