Firefly Aerospace prepares Alpha rocket for 1st launch since explosive mishaps last year
Space.com
by Josh Dinner February 20, 2026
AI-Generated Deep Dive Summary
Firefly Aerospace is gearing up for its Alpha rocket's first launch since two explosive incidents last year, aiming to restore confidence in the vehicle. The company has set a target launch date of no earlier than February 27 for the "Stairway to Seven" mission. This mission marks Firefly's return to flight after a 10-month hiatus caused by a September 2023 "combustion event," which led to delays in their development timeline. However, no damage was reported to nearby facilities, and Firefly identified the cause as a "process error during stage one integration" involving hydrocarbon contamination.
The mission, originally intended for a Lockheed Martin payload, has been repurposed as a test flight to reverify Alpha's systems using a demo payload. On February 6, the rocket's first stage successfully completed a 20-second static test fire of its four Reaver engines at California's Vandenberg Space Force Base. This test is part of the final preparations for the upcoming launch opportunity on February 27.
Firefly's Alpha Block I configuration will be retired after this flight, with plans to transition to the Block II version, which features a taller design (7 feet taller than its predecessor) and includes advanced materials like carbon composites, improved thermal protections, enhanced avionics, and upgraded power systems. These upgrades aim to boost reliability and manufacturability for future missions.
While only two of Alpha's six orbital missions have been fully successful so far, Firefly is also making strides in lunar exploration with its Blue Ghost uncrewed moon lander, which achieved a historic milestone by successfully completing a mission on the lunar surface last March. This achievement highlights Firefly's broader ambitions beyond Earth orbit and underscores its potential as a key player in space exploration.
This return to flight marks an important step for Firefly, as it seeks to demonstrate the reliability and capabilities of its Alpha rocket while advancing its long-term goals in space technology and lunar missions. For readers interested in space, this story highlights the challenges and resilience required in the aerospace industry, as well as the ongoing efforts to push boundaries in space exploration and innovation.
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Originally published on Space.com on 2/20/2026