Firefly Alpha returns to flight with FLTA007

Firefly Aerospace/Alpha

Firefly Aerospace's Alpha Flight 7, 'Stairway to Seven', launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base on March 11, 2026 at 5:50 p.m. PDT, reached orbit and delivered a Lockheed Martin demonstrator payload. The flight relit the second-stage engine and tested Block II upgrades including new in-house avionics and enhanced thermal protection ahead of Flight 8.

• Launch: March 11, 2026 from Space Launch Complex 2, Vandenberg; delivered Lockheed Martin payload
• Block II upgrades tested: new in-house avionics suite, enhanced thermal protection, stage-two relight capability
• Flight 8 will expand Block II with 7-foot length increase, consolidated batteries, stronger composite structures
• Reflects team investment in engineering and operations improvements for higher reliability