2023 · Firefly Aerospace

FLTA004 (Fly the Lightning)

partial failureFirefly Alpha | FLTA004 (Fly the Lightning)

Firefly’s Alpha rocket will launch Lockheed Martin’s new wideband Electronically Steerable Antenna (ESA) technology integrated on a Terran Orbital Nebula satellite bus. Developed within Lockheed Martin Space’s Ignite organization using a proprietary design, the ESA payload will demonstrate faster on-orbit sensor calibration to deliver rapid capabilities to U.S. warfighters.

Overview

Date / time: December 22, 2023 at 05:32 PM UTC
Outcome: partial failure
Launch site: Space Launch Complex 2W
Mission: FLTA004 (Fly the Lightning)
Mission type: Technology
Orbit achieved: Low Earth Orbit

FailureStage 2 2nd burn suffered problems and did not deliver the payload to its precise target orbit. Communication to the spacecraft has been established and mission operations are now underway.

Payloads deployed · 1

TANTRUM (TYVAK-1015)

LEO