"Firefly Alpha Mishap Linked to Software Issue"

A software glitch in the guidance, navigation, and control (GNC) software of Firefly Aerospace’s Alpha rocket prevented the upper stage from completing a second burn during a December launch, leaving its payload, a Lockheed Martin technology demonstration satellite, in a low orbit. The glitch in the GNC software algorithm prevented the system from sending necessary pulse commands to the Reaction Control System (RCS) thrusters, and the investigation found that the error led to the mishap. Firefly is correcting the software error and implementing process changes to better detect similar problems in the future, with plans to launch Alpha again in the coming months.