Stairway to Seven
Stairway to Seven launched on Firefly Alpha (Firefly Aerospace) from Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA, Thu, 12 Mar 2026, 00:50 UTC. Result: Launch Successful.
Firefly Alpha's Flight 7 is a test flight and return-To-Flight for the launch vehicle after its April 2025 launch failure. It 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. Flight 7 is the last flown in Alpha’s current configuration and will test multiple Block II subsystems, including the in-house avionics and thermal improvements, to gain flight heritage and validate lessons learned ahead of the full configuration upgrade on Flight 8. This launch also delivered a demonstrator payload for Lockheed Martin.
- Rocket
- Firefly Alpha
- Provider
- Firefly Aerospace
- Launch site
- Space Launch Complex 2W, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA
- Destination
- Low Earth Orbit
- Status
- Launch Successful
- Mission type
- Test Flight