this post was submitted on 28 Apr 2025
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Firefly Aerospace "Message In A Booster" Launch Thread (self.spaceflight)
submitted 1 week ago* (last edited 6 days ago) by threelonmusketeers to c/spaceflight
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Message In A Booster

| Scheduled for UTC | 2025-04-29 13:37 | |

|

| | Scheduled for (local) | 2025-04-29 06:37 (PDT) | | Launch site | SLC-2W, Vandenberg SFB, California, USA | | Launch provider | Firefly Aerospace | | Launch vehicle | Alpha | | Customer | Lockheed Martin | | Payload | LM400 Demo | | Target orbit | LEO |

Livestreams

| Stream | Link | |

|

| | Firefly Aerospace | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pkusoizm-Zk (scrub) | | NASASpaceflight | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o35dNjHwWuc (scrub) | | Space Affairs | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9k7jMf0FQ0 (scrub) |

Payload info (NextSpaceflight):

First of up to 25 launches of Low Earth Orbit technology demonstration satellites to be built and operated by Lockheed Martin.

Demonstration mission for Lockheed Martin LM400 satellite bus, which will carry a communications payload. The satellite bus is customizable to support different missions — including remote sensing, communications, imagery and radar — as well as orbits and launch configurations.

Stats

  • 1st launch of Firefly Alpha in 2025.
  • 6th launch of Firefly Alpha overall.

Firefly mission page

Please post small launch updates, discussions, and questions here! Also feel free to leave feedback or suggestions for the mod team. We’re still a relatively small sub, so feedback from the community is very valuable!

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[–] threelonmusketeers 2 points 6 days ago

Jonathan McDowell: https://bsky.app/profile/planet4589.bsky.social/post/3lnxsllfh6k2q

It now seems somewhat unclear whether FLTA0006 did in fact reach orbit. We'll see whether or not Space Force orbit data emerges later in the day. I am provisionally assuming a failure to reach orbit, and assigning it GCAT launch designation 2025-F05 (fifth orbital failure of the year)

https://bsky.app/profile/planet4589.bsky.social/post/3lnxsolgi3s2q

Remaining questions for Firefly: What was the final perigee height? (guessing from -1000 km to +150 km range). What was the estimated reentry location?(assuming no orbit was reached). Poss. but unlikely it could have reached Madagascar; equatorial Pacific more likely IMO.

https://bsky.app/profile/planet4589.bsky.social/post/3lnxstvbnus2q

Or possibly 2025-U01, designating it a marginal-orbit launch.