Sept. 30 (UPI) — Firefly Aerospace halted a launch attempt Friday from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California after an engine shut down.
“The vehicle automatically stopped after ignition,” Firefly said on Twitter. “This is designed in the formula to ensure some safety. The team erased tonight’s launch attempt and is reviewing the knowledge for our next launch window. “
The company did not specify what triggered the automatic shutdown formula to be triggered.
The launch was to complete a verification mission, dubbed “To The Black,” in which the Alpha rocket would deploy several satellites into low-Earth orbit.
Firefly, one of NASA’s subcontractors in the Artemis lunar program, aims to become a major player in the highly competitive small advertising satellite launch market.
The company’s first attempt to launch the company’s Alpha rocket, on September 3, 2021, ended with an explosion minutes after liftoff.