Firefly AerospaceFirefly AlphaSpace Launch Complex 2W, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA
FLTA006 (Message in a Booster)
Launched
April 29, 2025 · 13:37 UTC
Image: Firefly Aerospace / Jack Beyer
Summary
FLTA006 (Message in a Booster) launched on a Firefly Aerospace Firefly Alpha from Space Launch Complex 2W, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA on April 29, 2025 at 13:37 UTC. The mission failed: Problem during stage separation and second stage ignition caused disintegration of the separated 1st stage and the loss of the Lightning engine nozzle extension on the 2nd stage, substantially reducing the engine’s thrust. 2nd stage reached 320 km in altitude but did not reach orbital velocity, eventually impacted the Pacific Ocean north of Antarctica. The launch window ran from 13:37 to 14:29 UTC. It was Firefly Aerospace's 6th launch, 1st this year and humanity's 6,942nd orbital launch attempt. It was the 6th Firefly Alpha flight and the 1st this year. The payload was bound for low Earth orbit (LEO).
- Result
- Problem during stage separation and second stage ignition caused disintegration of the separated 1st stage and the loss of the Lightning engine nozzle extension on the 2nd stage, substantially reducing the engine’s thrust. 2nd stage reached 320 km in altitude but did not reach orbital velocity, eventually impacted the Pacific Ocean north of Antarctica.
- Watch
- Alpha FLTA006 "Message In A Booster"Firefly Aerospace
- Vehicle
- Firefly Alpha · Firefly Aerospace
- Booster
- No booster details on record.
- Mission
- Technology · Low Earth Orbit (LEO)
- Milestone
- 6th Firefly Alpha flight · 1st this yearFirefly Aerospace's 6th launch1st this yearhumanity's 6,942nd orbital launch attempt93rd orbital launch attempt this year
Webcast
Flight preview
Flight timeline
- T−2SIgnition
- T−0Liftoff
- T+56SSupersonic
- T+1M6SMax-Q
- T+2M33SMECO
- T+2M37SStage 2 Separation
- T+2M39SSES
- T+2M58SFairing Separation
- T+8M28SSECO
- T+12M42SPayload Separation
About this launch
Sixth flight of the Firefly Alpha small satellite launcher, launching the demonstration mission for Lockheed Martin's new LM400 satellite bus, which will carry a communications payload. The satellite bus is customizable to support different missions, including remote sensing, communications, imagery and radar Earth observations. It can also support different kinds of orbits and launch configurations.
Pad
Space Launch Complex 2W, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA
98th launch from Space Launch Complex 2W, 1st this year · 804th from Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA
Local pad time at liftoff: Apr 29, 6:37 AM PDT, in daylight
99 launches from this pad · 919 from Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA
299 days after the previous launch from this pad
Updates
Launch failure confirmed.
Show 9 earlier updates
Liftoff!
hitura-nobad · 4/29/2025 · source
Official Webcast by Firefly Aerospace has started
LL2 · 4/29/2025 · source
Confirmed rescheduling to April 29.
Cosmic_Penguin · 4/29/2025 · source
Scrubbed for the day.
Cosmic_Penguin · 4/28/2025 · source
Recycled for end of launch window.
Cosmic_Penguin · 4/28/2025 · source
Hold at T-4:44.
Cosmic_Penguin · 4/28/2025 · source
Countdown resumed.
Cosmic_Penguin · 4/28/2025 · source
Hold at T-8 minutes.
Cosmic_Penguin · 4/28/2025 · source
Official Webcast by Firefly Aerospace has started
LL2 · 4/28/2025 · source
Questions
When did FLTA006 (Message in a Booster) launch?
FLTA006 (Message in a Booster) launched on April 29, 2025 at 13:37 UTC. The launch window ran from 13:37 to 14:29 UTC.
Why did FLTA006 (Message in a Booster) fail?
Problem during stage separation and second stage ignition caused disintegration of the separated 1st stage and the loss of the Lightning engine nozzle extension on the 2nd stage, substantially reducing the engine’s thrust. 2nd stage reached 320 km in altitude but did not reach orbital velocity, eventually impacted the Pacific Ocean north of Antarctica.
Where can I watch FLTA006 (Message in a Booster)?
Coverage: Alpha FLTA006 "Message In A Booster". Watch the replay
What rocket launched FLTA006 (Message in a Booster)?
Firefly Alpha, flown by Firefly Aerospace. Firefly Alpha spec sheet
Where did FLTA006 (Message in a Booster) launch from?
Space Launch Complex 2W, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA. Liftoff was Apr 29, 6:37 AM PDT local time at the pad.
What orbit was FLTA006 (Message in a Booster) going to?
Low Earth Orbit (LEO), a technology mission.