Firefly Alpha | Stairway To Seven | 12.03.2026

[Orionid]

50) Misja Return to Flight.
7. lot RN Firefly Alpha oraz 3. całkowity sukces.

10.03.2026 start RN Firefly Alpha został ponownie przełożony.
Przyczyną był błędny odczyt wartości z jednego z czujników.
Kolejne okno startowe, dwugodzinne, otwiera się 11.03.2026 o 01:50 CET.
Jedyny lot tego wariantu RN Firefly Alpha.
https://x.com/Kosmo_Michal/status/2031289434767790444

Poprzednie sześć startów odbyło się z użyciem rakiety nośnej Block I.
Podczas tego startu nie użyto ani rakiety Block I, ani jej ulepszonej wersji, Block II.
Był to hybrydowy system z bazą Block I, ale z wybranymi (pod)systemami z Block II.
Zawierał na przykład nową awionikę, kilka akumulatorów i okablowanie oraz zabezpieczenia termiczne.

Ładunek  był nieokreślonym demonstratorem technologii dla Lockheed Martin.
Mógł to być test części lub całości satelity TacSat (nie mylić z parą starszych satelitów).
Ma on umożliwić przenoszenie sprzętu rozpoznawczego i obserwacyjnego w razie potrzeby.

Kolejny start, planowany na II kwartał, powinien zostać zrealizowany przez RN Firefly Alpha Block II.
https://x.com/Kosmo_Michal/status/2031982864548450595

Udany start zmodernizowanej rakiety
  12.03. o 00:50 z Vandenberg wystrzelona została RN Firefly Alpha Block 1, która wyniosła na orbitę o parametrach: hp=401 km, ha=405 km, i=123,0° demonstrator satelity LM-400.
Rakieta była hybrydą pomiędzy wersjami Block 1 a Block 2.
http://lk.astronautilus.pl/n260301.htm#08
https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=61069.0

https://fireflyspace.com/missions/alpha-flta007/

Alpha Flight 7 Static Fire Complete


Firefly Alpha test launch (FLTA007)


Mission Success! Alpha Flight 7 Recap
Firefly Aerospace

Firefly Aerospace @FireflySpace 3:08 AM · Mar 12, 2026
Mission success! Alpha Flight 7 achieved nominal performance and validated key systems ahead of our Block II configuration upgrade. This test flight also delivered a demonstrator payload for @LockheedMartin . Congratulations to the entire Stairway to Seven team! Read more: https://fireflyspace.com/news/firefly-aerospace-successfully-launches-alpha-flight-7/

https://twitter.com/FireflySpace/status/2031915108327112719

[Orionid]

Firefly Aerospace Successfully Launches Alpha Flight 7

VANDENBERG SPACE FORCE BASE, Calif, March 11, 2026 – Firefly Aerospace (Nasdaq: FLY), a market leading space and defense technology company, today announced the successful launch of its Alpha Flight 7 Stairway to Seven mission. Alpha lifted off from Firefly’s Space Launch Complex 2 at the Vandenberg Space Force Base at 5:50 pm PDT on March 11 before completing an orbital insertion and delivering a demonstrator payload for Lockheed Martin.

Firefly’s Alpha rocket also performed a stage two engine relight and validated key Alpha Block II upgrades, including a new in-house avionics suite and enhanced thermal protection system, ahead of the full Block II configuration upgrade planned for Flight 8.

“Alpha Flight 7 was flawlessly executed with all mission requirements completed, further proving the resiliency, innovation, and passion of the Firefly team,” said Jason Kim, CEO of Firefly Aerospace. “Over the last several months, we took a hard look at our processes across engineering, production, test, integration, and operations and invested the time required to make a series of improvements to ensure a higher level of quality and reliability in every Alpha we deliver and launch as we move to our Block II upgrade.”

The Firefly team is now working to complete the final milestones for Alpha Flight 8 that is set to launch the full Block II configuration upgrade designed to enhance reliability and manufacturability across the vehicle. The upgrades include a 7-foot increase to Alpha’s length, consolidated batteries and avionics built in house, improved thermal protection system, and stronger carbon composite structures built with automated machinery.

“Flight 7 served as a critical opportunity to validate Alpha’s performance ahead of our Block II upgrade, and this team knocked it out of the park,” said Adam Oakes, Vice President of Launch at Firefly Aerospace. “I’m incredibly proud of the Firefly team for continuing to define perseverance. We have full confidence in our Alpha rocket, and we’re committed to continuous improvement as we roll out Block II. We want to thank Space Launch Delta 30 and our customers for their ongoing collaboration and support.”
https://fireflyspace.com/news/firefly-aerospace-successfully-launches-alpha-flight-7/

Vandenberg Space Force Base @SLDelta30 2:17 AM · Mar 12, 2026
@SLDelta30 Guardians and Airmen in partnership with @FireflySpace accomplished today’s launch of the Alpha #FLTA007 "Stairway to Seven" mission from SLC-2 at 5:50 p.m. PT on Wednesday, March 11, 2026.

https://twitter.com/SLDelta30/status/2031902280002273677

[Orionid]

Jonathan McDowell @planet4589 5:44 PM · Mar 12, 2026
The Firefly Alpha launch appears to have been fully successful. The LM-400 test satellite is being tracked in a  401 x 405 km x 123.0 deg orbit, and the Alpha second stage made a perigee lowering burn at about 0140 UTC to 231 x 423 km x 123.1 deg.

https://x.com/planet4589/status/2032135742860800323

Prawdopodobnie satelita wszedł w atmosferę.

Jonathan McDowell @planet4589 3:46 AM · Apr 22, 2026
The last Firefly launch put one object (A) in a  222  x 366 km orbit, and one (B) in 390 x 408 km. B's still in orbit, A just reentered. SpaceTrack say A was the  @LockheedMartin  Martin ICOR test sat and B was the rocket stage, but I wonder if they might have got them swapped?

https://twitter.com/planet4589/status/2046767532313391377