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Firefly Rocket Explodes; SpaceX Expands Starlink Fleet

9/30/2025

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Summary

Story summary

Firefly Aerospace's Alpha rocket exploded during a Sept. 29, 2025 test in Texas, destroying Alpha Flight 7's first stage.
An April 2025 failure damaged the upper stage after a booster broke apart; the FAA cleared Firefly to relaunch.
SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 on Sept. 28, 2025 from Vandenberg, delivering 28 Starlink satellites.
Starlink now has over 8,500 active satellites.

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Story summary

Firefly Aerospace's Alpha rocket exploded during a Sept. 29, 2025 test in Texas, destroying Alpha Flight 7's first stage.
An April 2025 failure damaged the upper stage after a booster broke apart; the FAA cleared Firefly to relaunch.
SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 on Sept. 28, 2025 from Vandenberg, delivering 28 Starlink satellites.
Starlink now has over 8,500 active satellites.