Firefly Alpha Block 2 TacSat — launch date, time, visibility & where to look

First of up to 25 launches of Low Earth Orbit technology demonstration satellites to be built and operated by Lockheed Martin. TacSat is an intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance spacecraft with a mission to prove specialized sensing and communications capabilities on orbit. The satellite will participate in exercises that highlight cross-domain kill-web connectivity, enabling timely execution of tactical space missions. TacSat will host a proven Lockheed Martin infrared sensor on board that brings previously developed technology to space for the first time. This sensor produces high quality imagery and it can interface with federated Battle Management Command & Control (BMC2) combat systems to provide joint forces with a comprehensive view of threats. The satellite will also feature Lockheed Martin’s first 5G.MIL® payload on orbit. This provides cellular-like networking for military space assets, making satellite constellations more resilient. It also helps enable seamless connectivity with tools in the air, at sea and on land. Launch operation will also again demonstrate responsive space pre-launch operation capabilities.

Firefly Alpha Block 2 on the pad
Rocket
Firefly Alpha Block 2
Provider
Firefly Aerospace
Launch site
Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA
Status
To Be Determined

Countdown to liftoff

Targeting December 2026 — the exact date and time are not set yet. Launch dates firm up close to the attempt; set a free alert below to get the final time.

Launch time

This launch time is not yet confirmed. Rocket launches often slip by hours or days for weather, technical checks, or range scheduling; treat the time above as a target and re-check close to the date.

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Sky outlook at the pad

Daily cloud cover and rain chance at Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA (liftoff is still beyond the 7-day forecast window):

  • Today 47% cloud 2% rain
  • Mon 83% cloud 1% rain
  • Tue 12% cloud 1% rain
  • Wed 2% cloud 0% rain
  • Thu 5% cloud 0% rain
  • Fri 37% cloud 1% rain
  • Sat 24% cloud 2% rain

Forecast at the launch site; check your own sky too: cloud over you can hide a launch the pad forecast says is clear.

Pro members get the 7-day outlook for their own saved locations + a weather go/no-go call. Pro · $19.99/yr

Visibility map: how far away can you see it?

Each ring shows how far away Firefly Alpha Block 2 is line-of-sight visible that many seconds into flight: about 89 miles by T+30s, 192 miles by T+60s, and roughly 305 miles by T+90s. City dots are colored by the expected view quality; the table below has the direction to look from each.

N ↑ T+90s T+75s T+60s T+45s T+30s T+15s Los Angeles, CA — 144 mi from the pad · excellent view expected Los Angeles Santa Barbara, CA — 57 mi from the pad · excellent view expected Santa Barbara San Luis Obispo, CA — 36 mi from the pad · excellent view expected San Luis Obispo Pismo Beach, CA — 27 mi from the pad · excellent view expected Pismo Beach San Diego, CA — 244 mi from the pad · excellent view expected San Diego Bakersfield, CA — 100 mi from the pad · good view expected Bakersfield Long Beach, CA — 155 mi from the pad · excellent view expected Long Beach Fresno, CA — 145 mi from the pad · good view expected Fresno San Jose, CA — 192 mi from the pad · good view expected San Jose Space Launch Complex 2W
Firefly Alpha Block 2 | TacSat visibility range: each ring marks how far away the rocket is above the horizon that many seconds after liftoff, out to about 305 miles at T+90s. Rings are line-of-sight geometry from a representative ascent profile, centered on the pad — the rocket also travels downrange, stretching views along its track, and night launches are often visible well beyond the outer ring. Assumes clear skies and an open horizon.

Which cities can see this launch?

Estimated visibility from major towns near US launch sites, assuming clear skies and an open horizon. The 10 most likely first:

CityVisibilityLook towardDistance to pad
Vandenberg Village, CA Excellent west-northwest 9 mi
Lompoc, CA Excellent northwest 12 mi
Orcutt, CA Excellent southwest 13 mi
Guadalupe, CA Excellent south-southwest 15 mi
Santa Maria, CA Excellent southwest 17 mi
Los Alamos, CA Excellent west 20 mi
Buellton, CA Excellent west-northwest 27 mi
Pismo Beach, CA Excellent south 27 mi
Solvang, CA Excellent west-northwest 29 mi
San Luis Obispo, CA Excellent south 36 mi
Show all 94 cities
CityVisibilityLook towardDistance to pad
Santa Barbara, CA Excellent west-northwest 57 mi
Ventura, CA Excellent west-northwest 83 mi
Oxnard, CA Excellent west-northwest 91 mi
Bakersfield, CA Good west-southwest 100 mi
Thousand Oaks, CA Excellent west-northwest 109 mi
Malibu, CA Excellent west-northwest 121 mi
Mojave, CA Good west 140 mi
Los Angeles, CA Excellent west-northwest 144 mi
Fresno, CA Good south-southwest 145 mi
Pasadena, CA Excellent west-northwest 147 mi
Long Beach, CA Excellent west-northwest 155 mi
San Jose, CA Good south-southeast 192 mi
San Diego, CA Excellent northwest 244 mi
Laredo, TX Marginal west 1342 mi
Corpus Christi, TX Marginal west 1449 mi
McAllen, TX Marginal west 1454 mi
Rockport, TX Marginal west 1462 mi
Port Aransas, TX Marginal west 1467 mi
Harlingen, TX Marginal west 1483 mi
Los Fresnos, TX Marginal west 1499 mi
Bayview, TX Marginal west 1501 mi
Brownsville, TX Marginal west 1504 mi
Laguna Vista, TX Marginal west 1509 mi
Port Isabel, TX Marginal west 1514 mi
South Padre Island, TX Marginal west 1515 mi
Grand Isle, LA Not visible — 1827 mi
Gulf Shores, AL Not visible — 1935 mi
Pensacola Beach, FL Not visible — 1965 mi
Tallahassee, FL Not visible — 2125 mi
Valdosta, GA Not visible — 2173 mi
Gainesville, FL Not visible — 2253 mi
Brunswick, GA Not visible — 2268 mi
Savannah, GA Not visible — 2273 mi
Jacksonville, FL Not visible — 2276 mi
Tampa, FL Not visible — 2286 mi
Hilton Head Island, SC Not visible — 2289 mi
St. Augustine, FL Not visible — 2305 mi
Lakeland, FL Not visible — 2313 mi
Palm Coast, FL Not visible — 2318 mi
Charleston, SC Not visible — 2325 mi
Sanford, FL Not visible — 2333 mi
Orlando, FL Not visible — 2333 mi
Daytona Beach, FL Not visible — 2337 mi
Kissimmee, FL Not visible — 2337 mi
New Smyrna Beach, FL Not visible — 2347 mi
Mims, FL Not visible — 2361 mi
Titusville, FL Not visible — 2363 mi
Myrtle Beach, SC Not visible — 2368 mi
Rockledge, FL Not visible — 2375 mi
Merritt Island, FL Not visible — 2376 mi
Port Canaveral, FL Not visible — 2379 mi
Cocoa Beach, FL Not visible — 2382 mi
Satellite Beach, FL Not visible — 2387 mi
Melbourne, FL Not visible — 2388 mi
Palm Bay, FL Not visible — 2390 mi
Indialantic, FL Not visible — 2391 mi
Richmond, VA Not visible — 2396 mi
Sebastian, FL Not visible — 2402 mi
Washington, DC Not visible — 2404 mi
Vero Beach, FL Not visible — 2411 mi
Fort Pierce, FL Not visible — 2420 mi
Port St. Lucie, FL Not visible — 2423 mi
Baltimore, MD Not visible — 2424 mi
Annapolis, MD Not visible — 2433 mi
Newport News, VA Not visible — 2453 mi
West Palm Beach, FL Not visible — 2456 mi
Norfolk, VA Not visible — 2466 mi
Fort Lauderdale, FL Not visible — 2467 mi
Miami, FL Not visible — 2474 mi
Cape Charles, VA Not visible — 2476 mi
Virginia Beach, VA Not visible — 2483 mi
Dover, DE Not visible — 2483 mi
Exmore, VA Not visible — 2484 mi
Onancock, VA Not visible — 2485 mi
Salisbury, MD Not visible — 2486 mi
Pocomoke City, MD Not visible — 2491 mi
Philadelphia, PA Not visible — 2495 mi
Chincoteague, VA Not visible — 2503 mi
Wallops Island, VA Not visible — 2503 mi
Berlin, MD Not visible — 2507 mi
Rehoboth Beach, DE Not visible — 2511 mi
Ocean City, MD Not visible — 2515 mi
Cape May, NJ Not visible — 2518 mi
Ocean City, NJ Not visible — 2532 mi

Where to look

A rocket lifts off below the horizon for distant viewers, then climbs into view as it gains altitude and flies downrange. Closer to the pad you'll see it within seconds; a few hundred miles away it can take three to six minutes to rise over the horizon. Find an open view in the direction shown for your city and start watching at liftoff.

10° 71° T+10s T+5m 10s SE S SW W
From Vandenberg Village, CA: rises T+10s in the WNW, peaks 71°.
10° 82° T+10s T+5m 10s SE S SW W
From Lompoc, CA: rises T+10s in the NW, peaks 82°.
10° 39° T+10s T+5m 10s SE S SW
From Orcutt, CA: rises T+10s in the SW, peaks 39°.

More from Firefly Aerospace ↗

Before you go

Firefly Alpha Block 2 TacSat launch FAQ

When is the Firefly Alpha Block 2 TacSat launch date and time?

Firefly Alpha Block 2 TacSat is currently targeting Dec 31, 2026, 12:00 AM UTC / Dec 30, 2026, 7:00 PM Eastern / Dec 30, 2026, 4:00 PM Pacific. Status: To Be Determined. Launch dates slip often; the countdown on this page tracks the latest target, or set a free alert to get the final time.

Where does Firefly Alpha Block 2 TacSat launch from?

From Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA, operated by Firefly Aerospace. If you are within a few hundred miles, the city-by-city table on this page shows the expected view from your area and which direction to look.

How far away can you see the Firefly Alpha Block 2 TacSat launch?

Roughly 305 miles with clear skies: within about 89 miles of the pad the rocket clears the horizon in the first half-minute, and by T+90 seconds it is high enough to be line-of-sight visible around 305 miles away. Night launches can be visible even farther as the exhaust plume catches sunlight. The visibility map on this page shows the range rings and which cities fall inside them.

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Launch data from TheSpaceDevs Launch Library 2. Page generated August 30, 2026.