Shares of Firefly Aerospace Inc (NASDAQ:FLY) rose 2.6% after the company received clearance from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to resume launches of its Alpha rocket, following a mishap on April 29, 2025.
Firefly carried out a detailed investigation in coordination with the FAA and convened an Independent Review Board made up of government representatives, customers, and industry experts. The board concluded that Firefly’s flight safety system functioned correctly throughout all stages of the mission, with both Alpha stages landing safely in the Pacific Ocean, posing no risk to public safety.
During Alpha Flight 6, the rocket’s first stage ruptured milliseconds after stage separation, creating a pressure wave that damaged the engine nozzle extension on the second stage, sharply reducing thrust. Despite the setback, the second stage maintained orientation control and climbed to 320 km, falling just three seconds short of reaching orbital velocity.
The investigation pointed to excessive heat from Plume Induced Flow Separation as the likely cause. The mission’s higher angle of attack compared with previous flights intensified heat exposure on the leeward side, straining structural margins.
“At Firefly, technical challenges aren’t roadblocks — they’re catalysts,” said Jordi Paredes Garcia, Alpha Chief Engineer at Firefly Aerospace. “Each mission provides us with more data and enables us to continuously improve.”
Firefly has already taken corrective measures, including thickening the thermal protection system on Stage 1 and reducing the angle of attack during critical flight phases. The company is now evaluating the next available launch window for Alpha Flight 7.
Firefly Aerospace shares climb after FAA approves resumption of launches
Shares of Firefly Aerospace Inc rose 2.6% after the company received clearance from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to resume launches of its Alpha rocket, following a mishap on April 29, 2025.
Firefly carried out a detailed investigation in coordination with the FAA and convened an Independent Review Board made up of government representatives, customers, and industry experts. The board concluded that Firefly’s flight safety system functioned correctly throughout all stages of the mission, with both Alpha stages landing safely in the Pacific Ocean, posing no risk to public safety.
During Alpha Flight 6, the rocket’s first stage ruptured milliseconds after stage separation, creating a pressure wave that damaged the engine nozzle extension on the second stage, sharply reducing thrust. Despite the setback, the second stage maintained orientation control and climbed to 320 km, falling just three seconds short of reaching orbital velocity.
The investigation pointed to excessive heat from Plume Induced Flow Separation as the likely cause. The mission’s higher angle of attack compared with previous flights intensified heat exposure on the leeward side, straining structural margins.
“At Firefly, technical challenges aren’t roadblocks — they’re catalysts,” said Jordi Paredes Garcia, Alpha Chief Engineer at Firefly Aerospace. “Each mission provides us with more data and enables us to continuously improve.”
Firefly has already taken corrective measures, including thickening the thermal protection system on Stage 1 and reducing the angle of attack during critical flight phases. The company is now evaluating the next available launch window for Alpha Flight 7.
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