Statements from Firefly FLTA006 mission page:

April 29, 2025, 8 am PDT: 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. We are working with our Lockheed Martin customer, the Space Force, and FAA to conduct a thorough investigation and determine the root cause. As more information is available, we will be providing updates here.

April 29, 2025, 11 am PDT: Today, Firefly’s Alpha FLTA006 launch began with a nominal liftoff and progressed through first stage flight, reaching target separation velocity. The rocket then experienced a mishap between stage separation and second stage ignition that led to the loss of the Lightning engine nozzle extension, substantially reducing the engine’s thrust.

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 zone north of Antarctica.

Firefly recognizes the hard work that went into payload development and would like to thank our mission partners at Lockheed Martin for their continued support. The team is working closely with our customers and the FAA to conduct an investigation and determine root cause of the anomaly. We will provide more information on our mission page after the investigation is completed.

Damn, this sucks for Firefly. I was hoping that they could put some of Alpha’s early failures behind them and start building up a success streak, but it seems that Alpha still has issues to work out.

Starbase activities (2025-04-29):

• Apr 28th cryo delivery tally.
• Apr 28th addenda: In Megabay 2, S35 is lifted onto the static fire test/transport stand. This is the first lift of this kind to be completed using the ship catch pin sockets. (Planatus666)
• Photo highlighting some missing tiles in one of the catch pin areas on S35. (Starship Gazer)
• Having completed a couple rounds of cryo testing, S36 rolls back from Massey’s to Megabay 2. Shortly after, S35 rolls out from Megabay 2 to Massey’s presumably for static fire testing. (NSF 1, NSF 2, LabPadre, ViX, Starship Gazer 1, Starship Gazer 2, Gisler)
• Build site: S36 is attached to lifting jig in Megabay 2. (ViX)
• Clamp arms continue to arrive at Sanchez for installation on the launch mount for Pad B. (ViX)
• Highbay demolition resumes; four staircase sections are removed. (ViX 1, ViX 2)
• Starfactory window removal continues. (ViX)
• Launch site: Demolition of the container wall to the right of the D2 gate has begun. (ViX)
• Massey’s: 2-hour road delay is posted for between Apr 29th 22:00 and Apr 30th 04:00 for transport from factory to Massey’s.
• S35 venting and potential long-duration static fire attempt. (ViX 1, ViX 2, NSF livestream)

Jonathan McDowell: https://bsky.app/profile/planet4589.bsky.social/post/3lnxsllfh6k2q

It now seems somewhat unclear whether FLTA0006 did in fact reach orbit. We’ll see whether or not Space Force orbit data emerges later in the day. I am provisionally assuming a failure to reach orbit, and assigning it GCAT launch designation 2025-F05 (fifth orbital failure of the year)

https://bsky.app/profile/planet4589.bsky.social/post/3lnxsolgi3s2q

Remaining questions for Firefly: What was the final perigee height? (guessing from -1000 km to +150 km range). What was the estimated reentry location?(assuming no orbit was reached). Poss. but unlikely it could have reached Madagascar; equatorial Pacific more likely IMO.

https://bsky.app/profile/planet4589.bsky.social/post/3lnxstvbnus2q

Or possibly 2025-U01, designating it a marginal-orbit launch.

Nominal launch and payload deploy.

Webcast coverage ended. Firefly will post mission updates on their website and social media, once they reestablish communications after the expected blackout.

SECO confirmed. Vehicle seemed to have a slight spin afterwards.

Expected loss of signal.

MECO, stage separation, Lightning engine ignition, and fairing jettison.

Liftoff!

Engine chill has started.

Go no-go poll is complete, they are go for launch.

Firefly Aerospace are live for another launch attempt today: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pkusoizm-Zk

Better late than never, I suppose.

Ah yes, the “parts the map that Europe conquered” definition of “west” :)

LOL, the “Chinese Belgian” is a funny bit. I wonder how much of a difference it will make to counteract the real (and perceived) threats to the United States auto sector…

How is it? Best aspects, worst aspects, anything unexpected?

TIL Australia is in the west. Isn’t it about as far east as you can get, save for a few tiny island territories?

What kind of mobile UI are you using which doesn’t have exclamation points, but does have tildes?

Edit: Oh, the actual symbol wasn’t ‘!’, but ‘¬’.

Would you ever consider releasing it as an alternative front-end which instances could choose to implement, similar to Tesseract and MLMYM?

Arianespace are scheduled to go live at 08:55 UTC: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEhmFO_Y_WE

Sorry for the delay, I was sick for a couple days; on the mend now :)

Starbase activities (2025-04-26):

• Apr 25th addendum: Starfactory wall panelling removal begins. (ViX)
• Build site: Starfactory glass removal continues. (ViX)
• Pad B launch mount receives two more hold-down clamp arms, for a tentative total of four. (ViX, Ryan Hansen)
• Updated clamp arm animation from Killip.
• New manifold installed on the launch mount for Pad B. (Starship Gazer, render from Killip)
• Ship cryo test stand enters Megabay 2. (ViX, Starship Gazer)
• S36 exits Megabay 2. (ViX)
• S36 rolls out to Massey’s. (NSF, ViX, Starship Gazer)
• S37 in Megabay 2. (Starship Gazer)
• S38 and S39 nosecones in Starfactory. (Starship Gazer 1, Starship Gazer 2, Starship Gazer 3, NSF)
• Booster version 3 (“Test Tank 17”) in Starfactory. (Starship Gazer 1, Starship Gazer 2)
• Launch site: Pad A chopsticks are raised, opened, and lowered. (ViX)
• A long object is laid between two launch mount legs at Pad B. (Gisler)
• RGV Aerial post recent flyover photos of Pad B. (RGV Aerial 1, RGV Aerial 2)
• Starship Gazer posts miscellaneous 4k video.

Starbase activities (2025-04-27):

• Massey’s: S36 performs two rounds of cryo tests. (NSF 1, NSF 2, ViX 1, ViX 2)
• Build site: Some clamp arm actuators are installed on the launch mount for Pad B. (ViX)
• S40 methane header tank in Starfactory. (CeaserG33)
• Launch site: The Buckner and SpaceX LR11000 cranes swap places, presumably to facilitate reconfiguration of the Buckner crane. (ViX)
• More cryo pump sumps arrive. (Gisler 1, Gisler 2)
• Starship Gazer posts miscellaneous 4k video.
• Other: S35 to perform a long-duration static fire. (anixsfs, lead designer and builder of Starship stands)

Starbase activities (2025-04-28):

• Apr 27th cryo delivery tally.
• Build site: Window removal continues. (NSF)
• Little progress on Highbay demolition, Starfactory window demolition continues. (ViX)
• S38 nosecone moves from Starfactory to Megabay 2. (ViX, Starship Gazer)
• Ship static fire stand moves from the Rocket Garden to Megabay 2. (ViX 1, ViX 2, ViX 3)
• 2-hour road delay is posted for Apr 29th between 10:00 and 16:00 for transport from factory to Massey’s.
• Launch site: The Buckner LR11000 crane is laid down, presumably for reconfiguration. (ViX)
• Starship Gazer posts miscellaneous 4k video.

KSC:

• New satellite images of LC-39A, showing construction progress. (Stranger 1, Stranger 2)
• A few videos from ground level. (Tegtmeyer 1, Tegtmeyer 2)