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Firefly Aerospace

Next launch for this agency

🚀FLTA006 (Message in a Booster)

Firefly Aerospace

Commercial • USA

Space Launch Complex 2W

Vandenberg Space Force Base

Mar 15 at 06:25am

Launchpad time•-0800

Mar 15 at 01:25pm

Your local time•+0000

Current status

Go for Launch

Firefly Alpha

Launch vehicle

FLTA006 (Message in a Booster)

Mission

34.7556

Latitude

-120.6224

Longitude

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24 hours before launch

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1 hour before launch

Note: For all launches the scheduled launch dates and times are subject to change due to weather, equipment, crew and other factors.

Mission description

Sixth flight of the Firefly Alpha small satellite launcher, launching the demonstration mission for Lockheed Martin's new LM400 satellite bus, which will carry a communications payload. The satellite bus is customizable to support different missions, including remote sensing, communications, imagery and radar Earth observations. It can also support different kinds of orbits and launch configurations.

— FLTA006 (Message in a Booster)

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Attending a launch in person

Viewing from the launch site is restricted to military and base personnel.

Public locations around the base provide excellent views, depending on weather.

Surf Beach: Best option for all launchpads if the marine layer keeps west, otherwise you'll get a poor view. Fills up fast on launch day. Closed from March to September to protect local wildlife and in the other months it'll sometimes be closed depending on launch trajectory.

Corral Road: Good option for SLC-2. The semi-official viewing area. 8 kilometers away.

13th & W Ocean Ave: Good option for the southern pads. The hills and marine layer obstruct your view a bit but this is the closest you'll get, it's just outside the security checkpoint. There are a few other good intersections along W Ocean Ave (notably Renwick & W Ocean Ave).

Harris Grade Road: Alternative angle for all pads. It's up high on a hill and above the marine layer so you'll always have a view but it's much further away at 17 kilometers.

How to get there

Rental car is easiest. Vandenberg Space Force Base is approximately 2.5-hours drive northwest of Los Angeles International Airport or 4 hours drive south of San Francisco International Airport. Note that although Vandenberg Space Force Base hosts commercial space launches it is primarily a military base and public access is limited.

Accomodation

Nearby hotels in Lompoc or Santa Maria.

Nearby parking

Parking available at the visitor center.

Agency details