"Firefly Aerospace's run of bad luck has continued after the first stage of its Alpha Flight 7 rocket was lost during testing. By "lost," we don't mean "dropped down the back of the sofa," we mean "experienced an event that resulted in a loss of the stage," in the words of the company. The launch of the rocket had been scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2025, and the customer was Lockheed Martin."
"The company is assessing the impact to its stage test stand, and no other facilities were impacted. Regular testing is part of Firefly's philosophy - we test each critical component, engine, and vehicle stage to ensure it operates within our flight requirements before we ship to the launch pad. We learn from each test to improve our designs and build a more reliable system. We will share more information on the path forward at a later date."
Firefly Aerospace lost the first stage of its Alpha Flight 7 rocket during testing at the Briggs, Texas, test stand. The launch had been scheduled for Q4 2025 with Lockheed Martin as the customer. Firefly confirmed all personnel are safe while assessing damage to the test stand and said no other facilities were affected. An April launch previously suffered a first-stage rupture that detached the second-stage engine nozzle; the second stage recovered attitude but lacked propellant to reach orbit. The FAA cleared Flight 7 after investigation and corrective actions, but the recent loss makes a pre-2026 launch unlikely. The company said it will provide a path forward later.
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