Firefly Aerospace Identifies Cause of Alpha Rocket Ground Test Incident

Briggs, Texas – Firefly Aerospace has identified a minor hydrocarbon contamination as the cause of a combustion event during a ground test of its Alpha Flight 7 rocket’s first stage in September. The incident occurred at the Briggs test facility, leading to the loss of the stage.

Company officials confirmed that the combustion event resulted from a process error during integration, not a design flaw. Firefly has implemented corrective measures to prevent similar incidents in the future, allowing them to remain on schedule for their next Alpha rocket launch.

Adam Oakes, Vice President of Launch at Firefly Aerospace, stated the incident served as a learning opportunity, saying, “We learn from each test to improve our designs and build a more reliable system.” Despite the challenge, the test stand structure remained intact, and no personnel or other facilities were affected.

In response to the incident, Firefly enacted several enhancements, including increased inspection requirements for fluid systems, optimizing first-stage sensors, and adding automated abort mechanisms. The company also conducted a day-long quality stand-down to review and refine production and testing procedures.

Jordi Paredes Garcia, Chief Engineer at Firefly, emphasized the non-design-related nature of the problem. “As launch providers, our industry recognizes the impact even the smallest of errors can have,” Garcia said. “That’s why at Firefly, we rigorously test before we fly.”nThe team is now preparing another Alpha first stage from its production line for the upcoming mission. The second stage has already been delivered to Space Launch Complex 2 at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, with the new first stage also in preparation.

Firefly expects to conduct a static fire test at SLC-2 before launch, which is now targeted between the late fourth quarter of 2025 and early first quarter of 2026, depending on range availability. The company aims to provide more mission details in the coming weeks.

Additionally, upgrades to the Alpha stage test stand at the Briggs facility are underway, scheduled for completion in the first quarter of 2026. These improvements will enhance testing capabilities and reinforce safety and efficiency.

Firefly Aerospace continues to position its small-lift Alpha rocket, capable of delivering over 1,000 kg to low-Earth orbit, as a competitive option in the space launch industry.