[9] The first launch attempt was on 3 September 2021 but the vehicle did not reach orbit when one of the first stage engines failed during ascent.

The initial 2014-vintage design of Alpha was two-stage-to-orbit vehicle with the first stage powered by an FRE-2 methalox engine, which consisted of twelve nozzles arranged in an aerospike configuration.

[18][19] In 2015, NASA's Launch Services Program awarded Firefly Space Systems, the predecessor to Firefly Aerospace, a US$5.5 million Venture Class Launch Services contract to incentivize the development of Alpha, as part of a program to enable easier space access for the small satellite market.

[4][24] The first test launch and Maiden flight of Firefly Alpha occurred on 3 September 2021 at 01:59 UTC,[8][25] from a leased pad at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, and was to fly southwest over the Pacific Ocean.

[26] Due to an engine failure caused by a sensor cable disconnect approximately 15 seconds after the launch, the rocket lost control at transonic speeds approximately two and a half minutes after launch that resulted in manual activation of the flight termination system and loss of the vehicle.

The Alpha first stage is powered by four Reaver 1 LOX / RP-1 tap-off cycle engines,[33] delivering 736 kN (165,000 lbf) of thrust.