Firefly Alpha
Firefly Alpha lifting off the pad at Vandenberg Space Force Base on September 2, 2021 | |
| Manufacturer | Firefly Aerospace |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | United States |
| Cost per launch | US$15–17.6 million |
| Size | |
| Height | 29 m (95 ft) |
| Diameter | 1.82 m (6 ft) |
| Mass | 54,000 kg (119,000 lb) |
| Stages | 2 |
| Capacity | |
| Payload to LEO | |
| Mass | 1,030 kg (2,270 lb) |
| Payload to SSO | |
| Altitude | 500 km (310 mi) |
| Mass | 630 kg (1,390 lb) |
| Launch history | |
| Status | Active |
| Launch sites | Vandenberg, SLC‑2W Wallops, LP-0A (planned) Cape Canaveral, SLC-20 (planned) Esrange, LC-3C (planned) |
| Total launches | 6 |
| Success(es) | 2 |
| Failure(s) | 2 |
| Partial failure(s) | 2 |
| First flight | 3 September 2021 |
| Last flight | 29 April 2025 |
| First stage | |
| Powered by | 4 × Reaver |
| Maximum thrust | 736.1 kN (165,500 lbf) |
| Specific impulse | 295.6 s (2.899 km/s) |
| Propellant | RP-1 / LOX |
| Second stage | |
| Powered by | 1 × Lightning |
| Maximum thrust | 70.1 kN (15,800 lbf) |
| Specific impulse | 322 s (3.16 km/s) |
| Propellant | RP-1 / LOX |
Firefly Alpha (Firefly α) is a two-stage orbital expendable small lift launch vehicle developed by the American company Firefly Aerospace to compete in the commercial small satellite launch market. Alpha is intended to provide launch options for both full vehicle and rideshare customers.
The first launch attempt was on 3 September 2021, but the vehicle did not reach orbit when one of the first stage engines failed during ascent. A second orbital test flight took place on 1 October 2022 and successfully reached orbit. Alpha deployed 7 satellites. However, due to the lower-than-intended deployment orbit, most of the satellites re-entered before reaching their intended design life a week after launch. The first fully successful launch of Alpha took place on 15 September 2023.