Firefly Soars Beyond Borders: Alpha Rockets Set to Launch from Wallops and Sweden by 2026

The skies over Florida and California are growing increasingly crowded with rocket launches. Firefly Aerospace is charting a bold new course. The company is gearing up to launch its Alpha rocket from two fresh frontiers: the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport in Virginia and the Esrange Space Centre in Sweden. These new launch sites, expected to be operational by 2026, aim to sidestep the growing congestion at traditional U.S. launch pads while opening doors to global opportunities.

Firefly unveiled its ambitious plans in June 2024, eyeing an existing pad at Virginia’s Wallops Island—previously used by Northrop Grumman’s Antares rocket—and a brand-new launch complex at Esrange in northern Sweden. To date, Alpha has only taken flight from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, but Firefly is ready to expand its horizons.

At the Global Spaceport Alliance’s annual meeting on January 27, Adam Oakes, Firefly’s vice president of launch vehicles, confirmed the company’s commitment to these new sites. “The launch landscape is getting crowded, and even something as simple as weather can throw a wrench in your plans,” Oakes remarked, reflecting on Firefly’s experiences at Vandenberg. “We’re looking to diversify our launch options to keep pace with demand.”

Oakes highlighted the partnership with Esrange as a game-changer. “Esrange has been a cornerstone for space science, supporting over 600 sounding rocket launches and operating ground stations. The only thing missing from their resume is an orbital rocket launch—and that’s where we come in,” he said. “This partnership is a home run. It’s the perfect fit for Firefly’s first international launch site.”

Firefly’s Alpha rocket is no stranger to the spotlight. Since its maiden flight in 2021—which ended in failure—the vehicle has successfully completed five launches, including a July 2024 mission that deployed a cluster of NASA-sponsored cubesats into orbit. Looking ahead, Firefly plans to ramp up its launch cadence, with five Alpha missions slated for 2025, all from Vandenberg.

But 2026 promises to be a landmark year for the company. Firefly aims to conduct its first Alpha launch from Wallops in early 2026, followed by a debut launch from Esrange by late 2026 or early 2027. “It’s going to be a busy year for Firefly,” Oakes said, though he stopped short of specifying exact launch targets.

The Global Spaceport Alliance meeting also shed light on a broader challenge: improving interoperability between launch sites across different countries. Traditionally, launch facilities have been tailored to specific customers, making it difficult for rockets to operate seamlessly across borders.

Paul Cremins, head of spaceflight at the U.K.’s Department for Transport, emphasized the need for collaboration. “If we want to attract operators, we need to make our spaceports as appealing as possible,” he said. “But from a company’s perspective, if you’ve invested heavily in your launch infrastructure, sharing it with competitors isn’t exactly top of mind.”

Cremins pointed to opportunities for streamlining regulatory hurdles, such as mutual recognition of launch licenses and faster environmental approvals. “There’s room for quick wins in reducing the regulatory burden, especially for missions that require approvals from multiple countries,” he added.

For Firefly, navigating these regulatory waters is a top priority. “The regulatory process can really slow you down if you let it,” Oakes acknowledged. “We’ve made significant progress on the paperwork front, but there’s still work to be done. That said, we’re moving in the right direction.”

As Firefly prepares to blaze new trails from Wallops and Esrange, the company is not just expanding its launch portfolio—it’s helping to redefine the global launch landscape. With its sights set on 2026, Firefly is poised to light up the skies on both sides of the Atlantic.