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LoadingFirefly Alpha
Firefly Alpha | FLTA004 (Fly the Lightning)
Firefly Alpha | FLTA004 (Fly the Lightning) launched on Fri, Dec 22, 2023, 05:32 PM UTC — a Firefly Aerospace mission.
Launch was a Partial FailureFirefly Aerospace
Lifted offNET Dec 2023
NET Fri, Dec 22, 2023, 05:32 PM UTC
Live coverage
Watch the webcast
Mission profile
The flight at a glance
Firefly AlphaVehicle
Firefly AerospaceProvider
Space Launch Complex 2WPad
Vandenberg SFB, CA, USALocation
TechnologyMission type
Low Earth OrbitOrbit
Flight simulation
Ascent to orbit
A representative gravity-turn climb for Firefly Alpha to Low Earth Orbit. Illustrative model — not this mission’s live telemetry.
Mission timeT+0:00
Altitude0.0 km
Velocity0.00 km/s
PhaseLiftoff
T+0:00 / 8:00
SimulatedRepresentative Firefly Alpha ascent profile — illustrative model, not this mission’s live telemetry.
The mission
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.
Around this launch
Related news
No news linked to this launch yet
As coverage publishes, deduplicated articles about this mission will appear here.
Good to know
Frequently asked
What time does Firefly Alpha | FLTA004 (Fly the Lightning) launch?
Firefly Alpha | FLTA004 (Fly the Lightning) is scheduled to lift off Fri, Dec 22, 2023, 05:32 PM UTC.
Where can I watch Firefly Alpha | FLTA004 (Fly the Lightning)?
Watch the official live webcast embedded on this page — it goes live shortly before liftoff.
Who is launching Firefly Alpha | FLTA004 (Fly the Lightning)?
Firefly Alpha | FLTA004 (Fly the Lightning) is an Firefly Aerospace mission flying on a Firefly Alpha.
Where does Firefly Alpha | FLTA004 (Fly the Lightning) launch from?
It lifts off from Space Launch Complex 2W, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA.