this post was submitted on 10 Mar 2026
7 points (100.0% liked)

Spaceflight

2360 readers
13 users here now

Your one-stop shop for spaceflight news and discussion.

All serious posts related to spaceflight are welcome! JAXA, ISRO, CNSA, Roscosmos, ULA, RocketLab, Firefly, Relativity, Blue Origin, etc. (Arca and Pythom, if you must).

Other related space communities:

Related meme community:

founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
threelonmusketeers@sh.itjust.works
llamacoffee@lemmy.world
7
Firefly Alpha "Stairway To Seven" Launch Thread (take two) (sh.itjust.works)
submitted 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) by threelonmusketeers@sh.itjust.works to c/spaceflight@sh.itjust.works
8 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

Stairway To Seven

| Scheduled for UTC | 2025-03-12 00:50:00 | |

|

| | Scheduled for (local) | 2025-03-11 17:50 (PST) | | Launch site | SLC-2W, Vandenberg SFB, California, USA | | Launch provider | Firefly Aerospace | | Launch vehicle | Alpha Block 1 | | Customer | No | | Payload | No | | Target orbit | LEO |

Livestreams

| Stream | Link | |

|

| | Firefly Aerospace | https://youtube.com/watch?v=nyVbmoRXcvc | | NASASpaceflight | https://youtube.com/watch?v=j4UXqDhfEbw | | Space Affairs | |

Payload info (NextSpaceflight):

Alpha Flight 7

Alpha Flight 7 will test and validate key systems ahead of Firefly’s Block II configuration upgrade on Flight 8 that’s designed to enhance reliability and manufacturability across the vehicle.

The Block II configuration includes a 7-foot increase to Alpha’s length, consolidated batteries and avionics built in house, an enhanced thermal protection system, and stronger carbon composite structures built with automated machinery.

Flight 7 will be the last flown in Alpha’s current configuration and will test multiple Block II subsystems, including the in-house avionics and thermal improvements, to gain flight heritage and validate lessons learned ahead of the full configuration upgrade on Flight 8.

Stats

  • 1st launch of Firefly Alpha in 2026.
  • 7th launch of Firefly Alpha overall.

Firefly mission page

top 8 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] threelonmusketeers@sh.itjust.works 1 points 2 weeks ago

NSF are live for today's launch attempt: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4UXqDhfEbw

[–] threelonmusketeers@sh.itjust.works 1 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

https://x.com/FireflySpace/status/2031520010984718679

We are standing down for today's Alpha Flight 7 launch attempt after the team saw some off-nominal readings during fluids loading. We continue to be intentionally cautious with a focus on quality and reliability leading up to this test flight. We will work with the @SLDelta30 to determine the next available window. More to come soon.

[–] threelonmusketeers@sh.itjust.works 1 points 2 weeks ago

https://x.com/FireflySpace/status/2031803538020425847

The Alpha Flight 7 team is moving forward with another launch attempt tonight after running additional tests on our fluid systems. The two-hour launch window for this test flight opens at 5:50 pm PT and our livestream with @NASASpaceflight will begin 20 minutes before liftoff.

[–] threelonmusketeers@sh.itjust.works 1 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

Stage separation and stage 2 ignition!

Edit: And fairing jettison.

[–] threelonmusketeers@sh.itjust.works 1 points 2 weeks ago

Liftoff!

[–] threelonmusketeers@sh.itjust.works 1 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

SECO and nominal orbit insertion confirmed!

[–] threelonmusketeers@sh.itjust.works 1 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

Orbit catalogued by Jonathan McDowell: https://bsky.app/profile/planet4589.bsky.social/post/3mgutwavs3s2i

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.