Firefly Aerospace’s Alpha rocket suffered a technical failure after launch on Tuesday, causing a Lockheed Martin satellite to crash into the Pacific Ocean.
About two minutes after liftoff from Vandenberg Space Force Base, Alpha’s upper-stage engine nozzle broke off during separation, "substantially reducing the engine's thrust," Firefly said.
Despite continuing to ascend to 320 kilometres, the rocket failed to reach orbit and reentered the atmosphere, impacting safely north of Antarctica.
The mission, Alpha’s sixth, was meant to carry Lockheed’s LM 400 Technology Demonstrator, designed to test technologies for defence clients. A Lockheed spokesman said lessons from the project would benefit future customers.
Firefly’s livestream showed debris detaching during ascent, and the company later deleted an initial post acknowledging a lower-than-planned orbit. An investigation with Lockheed, the U.S. Space Force, and FAA is underway.
The failure marks Alpha’s fourth setback in six attempts since 2021. Firefly, aiming to compete with SpaceX, has seen mixed fortunes, including a moon landing earlier this year.
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On Tuesday, the U.S. dollar strengthened against major peers, while the euro fell following slower-than-expected inflation in Europe. Market movements were relatively subdued as investors focused on upcoming U.S. economic data.
U.S. President Donald Trump and his team are actively exploring options to acquire Greenland, with discussions including the potential use of the U.S. military, which is "always an option," according to a statement from the White House on Tuesday.
Leaders from the U.S. and European countries moved closer to finalising legally binding security guarantees for Ukraine following a “Coalition of the Willing” meeting in Paris on Sunday.
Wall Street closed higher on Tuesday, boosted by optimism over artificial intelligence (AI) and a strong rally in Moderna shares, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average approaching a record high.
Germany’s foreign intelligence service secretly monitored the telephone communications of former U.S. President Barack Obama for several years, including calls made aboard Air Force One, according to an investigation by the German newspaper Die Zeit.
Israeli media report that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu chaired a lengthy security meeting that reportedly focused on the country’s regional threats, including Gaza, Lebanon, and Iran.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday (4 January) that the United States could carry out further military action in Venezuela following the capture of President Nicolás Maduro. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, he said Washington now effectively controls the country.
At the end of last year, U.S. President Donald Trump was reported to have raised the Azerbaijan–Armenia peace agenda during a conversation with Israel’s prime minister, warning that if peace were not achieved, Washington could raise tariffs on both countries by 100 percent.
President Ilham Aliyev said 2025 has politically closed the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict, as a Trump-era reset in U.S. ties, new transport corridors and a push into AI, renewables and defence production reshape Azerbaijan’s priorities.
Tesla delivered 1.64 million vehicles in 2025, down 9%, as BYD becomes the top EV maker.
SpaceX will gradually lower 4,400 Starlink satellites this year to improve space safety.
Poland has asked the European Commission to investigate TikTok after artificial intelligence-generated content calling for the country to leave the European Union appeared on the platform, which Warsaw says was likely Russian disinformation.
Tianhui-7 satellite to be used for geographic mapping, land resource surveys, and scientific research.
Iran successfully launched three satellites on Sunday using a Russian Soyuz rocket from Russia’s Far East, marking the latest stage in growing Iran-Russia space cooperation.
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