Firefly Aerospace – Spaceflight Now

Firefly Aerospace explores launching its Alpha rocket from Japan

August 20, 2025 Will Robinson-Smith

If the company moves forward with this possibility, it would present Firefly with a third launch site for its Alpha rockets.

Firefly Aerospace aims to deploy first commercial lunar imaging service

June 18, 2025 Will Robinson-Smith

The Ocula imaging service will be built into the Elytra orbital vehicle launching as part of Blue Ghost Mission 2 in 2026.

Alpha rocket anomaly prevents deployment of Lockheed Martin tech demo satellite

April 26, 2025 Will Robinson-Smith

The rocket, designated FLTA006 by Firefly Aerospace, carried a technology demonstration for Lockheed Martin’s LM400 Technology Demonstration (Tech Demo) satellite bus. The mission, dubbed ‘Message in a Booster,’ lifted off at the beginning of the Tuesday launch window at 6:37 a.m. PDT (9:37 a.m. EDT, 1337 UTC).

Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost Mission 1 concludes successful, 14-day mission on the Moon

March 18, 2025 Will Robinson-Smith

The lunar operation marks the longest commercial mission on the Moon to date. Firefly Aerospace is in the midst of preparing for its next trip to the Moon, which is set to launch in 2026.

Firefly Aerospace aces Moon landing on first attempt

March 2, 2025 Will Robinson-Smith

The successful touchdown marks the beginning of a planned 14-day mission on the lunar surface. The Blue Ghost lander is designed to power down after operating for a few hours into the lunar nighttime, which begins on March 16.

As it happened: Firefly Aerospace completes first Moon landing with Blue Ghost

March 1, 2025 Will Robinson-Smith

The robotic lander will attempt to touch down on the lunar surface at Mare Crisium near Mons Latreille Sunday morning. The anticipated landing time is no earlier than 3:34 a.m. EST (0834 UTC).

Firefly’s Blue Ghost lander arrives in lunar orbit

February 16, 2025 Will Robinson-Smith

The robotic lander reached the Moon’s orbit after performing its 4 minute and 15 second Lunar Orbit Insertion burn, which began at 8:51 p.m. EST on Feb. 13 (0151 UTC on Feb. 14).

American, Japanese robotic landers share rocket launch to the Moon

January 15, 2025 Will Robinson-Smith

Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost lander will deploy first and is designated as the primary payload and ispace’s Resilience lander will follow about 30 minutes after. Liftoff from pad 39A happened at 1:11 a.m. EST (0611 UTC).

Firefly Aerospace announces contract with L3Harris for up to 20 launches on Alpha rocket

August 7, 2024 Will Robinson-Smith

The deal comes roughly two months after Firefly inked a deal with Lockheed Martin for up to 25 launches in a similar timeframe. The first Alpha launches under this new contract would launch no earlier than 2027.

Firefly launches Alpha rocket on NASA mission

July 2, 2024 Will Robinson-Smith

Launch of a collection of eight CubeSats as part of NASA’s ELaNA 43 (Educational Launch of Nanosatellites 43) mission occurred at 9:04 p.m. PDT (12:04 a.m. EDT / 0404 UTC). Wednesday night/Thursday morning.