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.