Firefly Alpha Rocket Loses Engine Nozzle During Launch

May 2, 2025

Firefly Aerospace’s FLTA006 rocket experienced a mishap during its “Message in a Booster” mission launch on April 29, 2025, from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California. (Image: Firefly Aerospace)

Firefly Aerospace, the Texas-based space launch vehicle company, published an April 2029, 2025 update on its Alpha FLTA006 rocket, where its “Message in a Booster” mission experienced a mishap during the second stage of its launch.

According to Firefly's update, the 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.

“Alpha #FLTA006 reached orbit and the second stage engine shut off as planned ahead of payload deployment in about 4 minutes that takes place during a comms blackout. We expect to regain comms about 25 minutes after deployment and will report back on the status,” Firefly writes in a Message in a Booster mission update posted to their X account.

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 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 company notes in its April 29 update. "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."

Alpha FLTA006 was the second mission Firefly launched for Lockheed Martin, and the first of Firefly’s multi-launch agreement with the company that includes up to 25 missions over the next five years. The rocket was carrying Lockheed Martin’s LM 400 technology demonstration satellite, with a goal to prove out the risk-reduction and pathfinding efforts the company has done for its multi-mission satellite bus.

Lockheed Martin’s LM 400 Technology Demonstrator is the latest in a series of self-funded missions by the company to demonstrate the maturity of new space vehicle’s operational capabilities on orbit. Lockheed has not released any statements or updates regarding the Message in a Booster mission.