“Message in a Booster” mission will launch Lockheed Martin’s technology demonstration spacecraft to low Earth orbit
VANDENBERG SPACE FORCE BASE, Calif., March 5, 2025 – Following a successful rocket static fire test, Firefly Aerospace, Inc., the leader in end-to-end responsive space services, today announced its Alpha Flight 6 (FLTA006) mission, called Message in a Booster, is scheduled to launch Lockheed Martin’s LM 400 spacecraft no earlier than March 15. The 52-minute launch window will open at 6:25 am PST.
“The Firefly team is proud to launch another Lockheed Martin mission as we continue to push the limits in achieving a more responsive and resilient future in space,” said Jason Kim, CEO of Firefly Aerospace. “Our Alpha rocket provides the optimal performance and rapid operations to deliver small and mid-size satellites, like LM 400, when and where our customers need them to immediately begin their on-orbit mission.”
Alpha FLTA006 is the second mission Firefly is launching for Lockheed Martin and the first of Firefly’s multi-launch agreement with the company that includes up to 25 missions over the next five years. Capable of lifting more than 1,000 kg to low Earth orbit, Firefly’s Alpha rocket will launch Lockheed Martin’s LM 400 spacecraft from Firefly’s Space Launch Complex 2 at the Vandenberg Space Force Base.
Once deployed, Lockheed Martin’s self-funded LM 400 technology demonstration will prove out the company’s risk-reduction and pathfinding efforts. As a platform, LM 400 is Lockheed Martin’s most flexible satellite bus, capable of serving military, commercial, or civil customers. It can be customized to host a variety of missions – including remote sensing, communications, imaging and radar – and operate in low, medium and geosynchronous Earth orbit.
For more details on the Alpha FLTA006 Message in a Booster mission and livestream, visit https://fireflyspace.com/missions/alpha-flta006/.
About Firefly Aerospace
Firefly Aerospace is an end-to-end responsive space company with launch, lunar, and on-orbit services. Headquartered in central Texas, Firefly is a portfolio company of AE Industrial Partners (“AEI”) focused on delivering rapid, reliable, and affordable space access for government and commercial customers. Firefly’s small- to medium-lift launch vehicles, lunar landers, and orbital vehicles provide the space industry with a single source for missions from low Earth orbit to the surface of the Moon and beyond. For more information, visit www.fireflyspace.com.
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