TOKYO, Firefly Aerospace (FLY.O) is considering launching its Alpha rocket from Japan as the U.S. rocket maker accelerates its global expansion in satellite launch services, according to Space Cotan, operator of the Hokkaido Spaceport.
If realized, Japan would become Firefly’s second overseas launch site – and its first in Asia – following an upcoming Alpha mission from Sweden. Firefly, a Texas-based competitor to Elon Musk’s SpaceX, made its Nasdaq debut earlier this month.
Firefly Aerospace’s first Alpha rocket lifts off minutes before suffering a catastrophic anomaly during its first launch leading to the loss of the vehicle 2 minutes, 30 seconds after liftoff from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, U.S. September 2, 2021.
Space Cotan said it has signed a preliminary agreement with Firefly to study the feasibility of Alpha launches from Hokkaido, about 820 km northeast of Tokyo. The review will cover regulatory requirements, timelines, and necessary investment for new launch facilities.
“Launching Alpha from Japan would allow us to serve Asia’s growing satellite industry and provide greater resiliency for U.S. allies with a proven orbital vehicle,” said Adam Oakes, Firefly’s vice president of launch, in a statement on Space Cotan’s website.
However, the plan hinges on a space technology safeguards agreement (TSA) between Washington and Tokyo that would permit U.S. rocket launches in Japan. Negotiations began last year but no deal has been reached. A similar TSA signed with Sweden in June cleared the way for Firefly’s operations in the Arctic. Firefly’s Alpha rocket has faced challenges, with four of six launches since 2021 ending in failure, the most recent in April.
Japan has decades of experience with state-led rocket launches, but its private space industry remains in the early stages. Domestic satellite operators continue to rely heavily on foreign providers like SpaceX’s Falcon 9 and Rocket Lab’s Electron.
Previous attempts to bring foreign launch players to Japan have had mixed results. Virgin Orbit’s plan to launch from Oita Airport collapsed after the company’s 2023 bankruptcy, while Sierra Space is still pursuing plans to land its spaceplane there after 2027. Last month, Taiwanese firm TiSpace attempted what would have been the first foreign launch from Hokkaido, but the suborbital test failed within a minute.
Japan’s government aims to ramp up to 30 domestic rocket launches annually by the early 2030s, offering subsidies to private players such as Space One and Toyota-backed Interstellar Technologies.
