"Stairway to Seven": ICOR SV – Firefly Alpha (FLTA007) – Vandenberg SLC-2W – 12.03.2026 00:50 UTC

[zandr]

а тут ретроградная?

Да. В позапрошлом посте - картинка с направлением запуска (череда запретных зон).

У Старлинка прямая орбита

Нет. Группу 17-23 запускали на наклонение 97 градусов.

Угол между направлениями этих двух запусков, на глаз, градусов 40-45.

[zandr]

https://x.com/FireflySpace/status/2030035337246802186

Firefly Aerospace  @FireflySpace
In collaboration with @SLDelta30 , Firefly confirmed March 9 as the next available launch date for Alpha Flight 7 with a backup day on March 10. The two-hour launch window opens at 5:50 pm PT, and our live broadcast with @NASAspaceflight will begin 20 minutes before liftoff. Alpha remains ready to launch the Stairway to Seven test flight. More to come soon. https://youtube.com/live/nyVbmoRXcvc

[zandr]

https://x.com/FireflySpace/status/2030819326152827235

Firefly Aerospace  @FireflySpace
Stepping into the Stairway to Seven! The team completed the launch readiness review and we are GO to move into final operations for Alpha Flight 7.
The two-hour launch window for this test flight will open at 5:50 pm PT tomorrow. Our livestream with @NASASpaceflight will begin 20 minutes before liftoff.

Движутся к пуску в намеченное ранее время.

[zandr]

Код Выделить Развернуть

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nyVbmoRXcvc

Alpha Flight 7 "Stairway To Seven"
  Firefly Aerospace

Спойлер

Alpha Flight 7 is the last flown in the rocket's current configuration and serves as a test flight with the primary goal to achieve nominal first and second stage performance.
Flight 7 will test and validate key systems ahead of Firefly's Block II configuration upgrade on Flight 8 that's designed to enhance reliability and manufacturability across the vehicle. The Block II configuration includes a 7-foot increase to Alpha's length, consolidated batteries and avionics built in house, an enhanced thermal protection system, and stronger carbon composite structures built with automated machinery.
The subsystems tested on Flight 7, including the in-house avionics and thermal improvements, will allow Firefly to gain flight heritage and validate lessons learned ahead of the full configuration upgrade.
The Alpha FLTA007 Stairway To Seven mission is prepared to launch no earlier than Sunday, March 1, 2026. A 2 hour window begins at 4:50PM PST. Stairway To Seven will launch from Firefly's SLC-2 complex at the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.
For more details on the Alpha FLTA007 Stairway To Seven mission and live stream, visit https://fireflyspace.com/missions/alp...
Firefly Aerospace is a space and defense technology company that enables government and commercial customers to launch, land, and operate in space – anywhere, anytime. As the partner of choice for responsive space missions, Firefly is the only commercial company to launch a satellite to orbit with an approximate 24-hour notice. Firefly is also the only company to achieve a fully successful landing on the Moon. Established in 2017, Firefly's engineering, manufacturing, and test facilities are co-located in central Texas to enable rapid innovation. The company's small- to medium-lift launch vehicles, lunar landers, and orbital vehicles are built with common flight-proven technologies to enable speed, reliability, and cost efficiencies for each mission from low Earth orbit to the Moon and beyond. For more information, visit www.fireflyspace.com.
Live stream production services for this launch are provided by NASASpaceflight.com, ‪@NASASpaceflight‬.

[свернуть]

[anik]

Непонятен смысл пуска последней ракеты-носителя модификации Block 1. Системы для Block 2 разумнее было бы отработать не в телеметрическом режиме на штатном носителе. А так получается, что сейчас летят без полезной нагрузки, и, возможно, в следующем пуске тоже. Хотя, может быть, найдутся желающие пожертвовать своими спутниками. Вон на японской Kairos с упрямым постоянством запускают...

[zandr]

https://x.com/FireflySpace/status/2031111235408900447

Firefly Aerospace  @FireflySpace
T-4 hours until the Stairway to Seven test flight and fueling is now underway! Our two-hour launch window opens at 5:52 pm PT and we'll be live with @NASASpaceflight 20 mins before liftoff. https://youtube.com/live/nyVbmoRXcvc?si=6gZTjcIiT7GBy5vN

[zandr]

Firefly Aerospace  @FireflySpace
Out of an abundance of caution, Firefly made the decision to stand down on today's Alpha Flight 7 test flight to investigate a sensor reading that was out of range. Once verification is complete, the team will work with @SLDelta30  to confirm our next available launch date. Stay tuned for more information.

Датчик глючит.
Пуск отложен.

[zandr]

Огненные летуны молчат. Очевидно - не сегодня.

[zandr]

Без восьми минут полночь по мск. появился твит, что идут на пуск

Firefly Aerospace  @FireflySpace

Спойлер

The Alpha Flight 7 team completed testing and verified all sensors are reading nominal. We've stepped back into final launch operations for liftoff of the Stairway to Seven tonight!
The two-hour launch window for this test flight opens at 5:50 pm PT and our livestream with @NASASpaceflight will begin 20 minutes before liftoff. Sign up to get notified when we go live here: https://youtube.com/live/nyVbmoRXcvc

[свернуть]

но через три часа

Firefly Aerospace  @FireflySpace
We are standing down for today's Alpha Flight 7 launch attempt after the team saw some off-nominal readings during fluids loading. We continue to be intentionally cautious with a focus on quality and reliability leading up to this test flight.  We will work with the @SLDelta30 to determine the next available window. More to come soon.

отписались о проблемах при заправке и об очередном переносе.

(И сегодня до нуля я не досижу.)

[zandr]

Однако, пораньше оповестили
https://x.com/FireflySpace/status/2031803538020425847

Firefly Aerospace  @FireflySpace
The Alpha Flight 7 team is moving forward with another launch attempt tonight after running additional tests on our fluid systems. The two-hour launch window for this test flight opens at 5:50 pm PT and our livestream with @NASASpaceflight will begin 20 minutes before liftoff. Sign up to get notified when we go live here: https://youtube.com/live/nyVbmoRXcvc

Идут на пуск в тот же час.
Двухчасовое окно открывается 3:50 мск.

[Zmej Gorynych]

Успех!

VANDENBERG SPACE FORCE BASE, Calif, March 11, 2026 – Firefly Aerospace (Nasdaq: FLY), a market leading space and defense technology company, today announced the successful launch of its Alpha Flight 7 Stairway to Seven mission. Alpha lifted off from Firefly's Space Launch Complex 2 at the Vandenberg Space Force Base at 5:50 pm PDT on March 11 before completing an orbital insertion and delivering a demonstrator payload for Lockheed Martin.

Firefly's Alpha rocket also performed a stage two engine relight and validated key Alpha Block II upgrades, including a new in-house avionics suite and enhanced thermal protection system, ahead of the full Block II configuration upgrade planned for Flight 8.

"Alpha Flight 7 was flawlessly executed with all mission requirements completed, further proving the resiliency, innovation, and passion of the Firefly team," said Jason Kim, CEO of Firefly Aerospace. "Over the last several months, we took a hard look at our processes across engineering, production, test, integration, and operations and invested the time required to make a series of improvements to ensure a higher level of quality and reliability in every Alpha we deliver and launch as we move to our Block II upgrade."

The Firefly team is now working to complete the final milestones for Alpha Flight 8 that is set to launch the full Block II configuration upgrade designed to enhance reliability and manufacturability across the vehicle. The upgrades include a 7-foot increase to Alpha's length, consolidated batteries and avionics built in house, improved thermal protection system, and stronger carbon composite structures built with automated machinery.

"Flight 7 served as a critical opportunity to validate Alpha's performance ahead of our Block II upgrade, and this team knocked it out of the park," said Adam Oakes, Vice President of Launch at Firefly Aerospace. "I'm incredibly proud of the Firefly team for continuing to define perseverance. We have full confidence in our Alpha rocket, and we're committed to continuous improvement as we roll out Block II. We want to thank Space Launch Delta 30 and our customers for their ongoing collaboration and support."

https://fireflyspace.com/news/firefly-aerospace-successfully-launches-alpha-flight-7/

[zandr]

https://x.com/FireflySpace/status/2031928988415774980

Firefly Aerospace  @FireflySpace
Ooh, it makes me wonder! Share your Alpha Flight 7 photos and videos and let us know where you caught tonight's Stairway to Seven launch. Follow along on Flickr to see more gorgeous shots here: https://flickr.com/photos/fireflyspace/albums/72177720331723642
Photo Credit: (@seanparkerphoto / Firefly Aerospace)

[zandr]

Коротко

Код Выделить Развернуть

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVAo5mNkPAI

1:50
Firefly Alpha test launch (FLTA007)
  SciNews
Firefly Aerospace's seventh Firefly Alpha launch vehicle (Alpha Flight 7 – FLTA007) was launched on the test mission "Stairway to Seven", from the Firefly SLC-2 launchpad at the Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, on 12 March 2026, at 00:50 UTC (11 March, at 17:50 PDT). According to Firefly Aerospace, the primary goal of the test flight was to achieve nominal first and second stage performance.
Credit: Firefly Aerospace/NSF

[anik]

https://bsky.app/profile/planet4589.bsky.social/post/3mgutwavs3s2i

The Firefly Alpha launch appears to have been fully successful. The LM-400 test satellite is being tracked in a  401 x 405 km x 123.0 deg orbit, and the Alpha second stage made a perigee lowering burn at about 0140 UTC to 231 x 423 km x 123.1 deg.

Демонстрационная полезная нагрузка от Lockheed Martin была отделяемой. Непонятно, зачем отделять, если это ГВМ, или же это вовсе не ГВМ. Сообщения от заказчика пока не было.

[zandr]

Jonathan McDowell  @planet4589
The Firefly Alpha launch appears to have been fully successful. The LM-400 test satellite is being tracked in a  401 x 405 km x 123.0 deg orbit, and the Alpha second stage made a perigee lowering burn at about 0140 UTC to 231 x 423 km x 123.1 deg.

[anik]

Очень странно. Раньше на эмблеме пуска было упоминание Lockheed Martin, потом его убрали. А на обтекателе надпись была, да и запустили полезную нагрузку в её интересах.

Вы не можете просматривать это вложение.

[полтора_землекопа]

NORAD_CAT_ID	OBJECT_NAME	OBJECT_ID	EPOCH	INCLINATION	PERIOD	APOAPSIS	PERIAPSIS
68127	ICOR SV	2026-046A	2026-03-12T09:33:20.031264	123.09	92.55	408.0	390.5
68128	FIREFLY ALPHA R/B	2026-046B	2026-03-12T09:33:20.077920	123.09	92.55	408.2	390.4

[полтора_землекопа]

Топазовское наклонение

[anik]

Всё интереснее и интереснее. Название полезной нагрузки ICOR SV. И вторая ступень на такой же орбите, что и она. Хотя МакДауэлл вчера написал, что ступень понизила орбиту. Но при этом на круговую орбиту высотой 400 км без двух включений второй ступени, как я понимаю, вряд ли на Alpha можно попасть.

[полтора_землекопа]

Картинка из запрещенной соцсети

Вы не можете просматривать это вложение.