![\"Alpha](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Firefly-Alpha-Block-I-vs.-Block-II-1024x576-1.jpg\")
A comparison of the Block 1 and Block 2 versions of Firefly Aerospace\u2019s Alpha launch vehicle. Credit: Firefly Aerospace<\/p>\nWASHINGTON \u2014 Firefly Aerospace says it will upgrade its Alpha launch vehicle, making changes intended to improve the reliability of a rocket that has experienced several failures.<\/p>\n
The company announced Jan. 13 that it will begin flying a Block 2 version of Alpha starting with Flight 8. The next launch of the rocket, Flight 7, will be the final flight of the current configuration.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Block 2 upgrade has been part of Firefly\u2019s strategic growth plan to meet the evolving needs of the global launch market and further supports Firefly\u2019s culture of continuous improvement with a focus on enhanced safety, quality and reliability,\u201d Jason Kim, Firefly\u2019s chief executive, said in a statement.<\/p>\n
The most visible change in Alpha Block 2 will be stretched first and second stages. The first stage will increase in length from 18.4 meters to 20.1 meters, while the second stage will grow from 6.0 meters to 6.3 meters.<\/p>\n
A comparison of the Block 1 and Block 2 versions of Firefly Aerospace\u2019s Alpha launch vehicle. Credit: Firefly Aerospace<\/p>\n
The Block 2 version will also replace off-the-shelf batteries and avionics with a consolidated system developed in-house. Firefly is also modifying the vehicle\u2019s propellant tanks, improving their thermal protection systems and \u201coptimizing\u201d the tank configuration to increase burn time.<\/p>\n
The company did not disclose how the changes will affect payload performance. Alpha is currently listed as capable of carrying 1,030 kilograms to low Earth orbit and 630 kilograms to sun-synchronous orbit. Firefly said the upgrade \u201cis designed to expand Alpha\u2019s deployable launch capabilities\u201d for responsive space missions, hypersonics testing and commercial satellite launches, but did not provide specific performance figures.<\/p>\n
The company emphasized improvements to quality and reliability in the upgrade. \u201cFirefly worked closely with customers and incorporated data and lessons learned from our first six Alpha launches and hundreds of hardware tests to make upgrades that increase reliability and manufacturability with consolidated parts, key configuration updates and stronger structures built with automated machinery,\u201d Kim said.<\/p>\n
Of the six Alpha launches to date, only two have placed payloads into their intended orbits. Two others deployed payloads into lower-than-planned orbits, limiting the operational lifetimes of those satellites.<\/p>\n
The remaining two flights failed to reach orbit, including the most recent orbital launch attempt in April 2025. Firefly attributed that failure to higher-than-expected aerodynamic heating of the first stage during ascent<\/a>, which caused a structural failure shortly after stage separation. The resulting pressure wave destroyed the upper stage\u2019s nozzle extension, reducing the engine\u2019s performance and preventing the vehicle from reaching orbit.<\/p>\n Firefly was preparing for Alpha\u2019s return-to-flight mission, Flight 7, when the first stage for that vehicle was destroyed during a static-fire test Sept. 29<\/a>. The company said in November that \u201cminute hydrocarbon contamination\u201d in one of the stage\u2019s four engines caused the explosion<\/a>, describing it as a quality lapse rather than a design flaw.<\/p>\n Firefly will instead use for Flight 7 the first stage originally built for Flight 8. The launch, from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, is scheduled for the \u201ccoming weeks,\u201d though the company did not provide a specific date. Some Block 2 system upgrades will be tested on Flight 7 in \u201cshadow mode,\u201d Firefly said.<\/p>\n Shares of Firefly Aerospace, which went public in August at $45 per share, closed at $27.97 on Jan. 13, down 8.1% for the day.<\/p>\n \n\tRelated<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"WASHINGTON \u2014 Firefly Aerospace says it will upgrade its Alpha launch vehicle, making changes intended to improve the…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":236881,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[23],"tags":[12319,32110,85,46,141,3443,145],"class_list":{"0":"post-236880","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-space","8":"tag-alpha","9":"tag-firefly-aerospace","10":"tag-il","11":"tag-israel","12":"tag-science","13":"tag-sn","14":"tag-space"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/236880","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=236880"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/236880\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/236881"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=236880"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=236880"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=236880"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}