The American light rocket Alpha failed to launch an experimental platform for launching small satellites into the designated orbit due to technical problems. This was reported by the company that developed the launch vehicle Firefly Aerospace on the social network X.
“Following a routine launch, Firefly’s Alpha rocket experienced a failure during first stage separation that damaged a second stage engine nozzle, causing the rocket to enter a lower-than-planned orbit,” the company said.
The rocket was launched as part of the Message In A Booster mission from the US Space Force’s Vandenberg Air Force Base in California at 06:37 (16:37 Moscow time).
The launch vehicle’s payload was Lockheed Martin’s LM400 (Satellite Bus) multi-purpose platform. It is capable of carrying multiple satellites that can be launched into different orbits. It is planned to be used in the future for military and commercial customers. In particular, the platform is supposed to launch remote sensing, communications, optical surveillance and radar devices into low, medium and geosynchronous orbit, Firefly reported in a mission description before the launch.
Firefly Aerospace is a private aerospace company headquartered in Austin, Texas. The company develops lightweight launch vehicles to launch small satellites and cubesats into orbit, including for the Pentagon.
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