Live updates: Firefly rocket explodes before reaching orbit above Vandenberg
Update, 7 p.m.:
Alpha launched just before 7 p.m. and made it up into the sky before an “anomaly” occurred and the rocket did not make it to orbit.
A large puff of smoke and fire could be seen in the skies from San Luis Obispo, before the rocket appeared to curl back toward land.
Firefly tweeted there was an anomaly during first stage ascent that “resulted in the loss of the vehicle.”
The company will now begin an anomaly investigation and determine what went wrong.
Firefly says the range and surrounding areas were cleared prior to entering countdown “to minimize risk to Firefly employees, base staff and the general public.”
“We are continuing to work with the Range, following all safety protocols,” Firefly tweeted.
Update, 6:20 p.m.:
Firefly has set a new launch attempt time of 6:59 p.m., the company tweeted Thursday evening.
Update, 6:02 p.m.:
The first launch attempt just after 6 p.m. has been aborted.
Crews will now access the situation and plan to attempt another launch during this four-hour window.
There is also a second launch window on Friday if launching today is not possible.
Original story:
Firefly Aerospace is potentially minutes away from its first rocket launch attempt from Vandenberg Space Force Base.
The Texas-based startup company will attempt to launch its Alpha rocket on its maiden voyage sometime tonight between 6 and 10 p.m.
The specific time is subject to change depending on weather conditions.
According to the livestream of the launch attempt, the team has said it is a go for launch as of Thursday evening and is aiming for a launch at the beginning of the window.
If successful, the rocket is expected to achieve a low Earth orbit, and deploy multiple satellites for several entities.
It’ll also carry a range of non-technical payloads such as photos, DNA samples and a children’s book as part of the company’s Dedicated Research & Education Accelerator Mission, which aims to inspire young people to learn more about the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics, especially space.
The Firefly launch will be one of the first rocket launches from the base to be conducted by a smaller company. Most launches out of Vandenberg in the modern era have involved either Space X or United Launch Alliance.
The Alpha rocket has stood on its launch pad at Vandenberg since earlier this year.
On Aug. 18, Firefly successfully conducted a static fire test of the launch vehicle, firing its first stage engines for 15 seconds, according to a company tweet.
That paves the way for the rocket’s first launch attempt this week, according to the tweet.
Firefly has partnered with the blog Everyday Astronaut to livestream the event. That livestream can be viewed on its website, everydayastronaut.com.
The launch will likely also be visible from around the Central Coast.
This story was originally published September 2, 2021 at 5:51 PM with the headline "Live updates: Firefly rocket explodes before reaching orbit above Vandenberg."
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