Firefly Aerospace explores launching its Alpha rocket from Japan

Firefly Aerospace launches its sixth Alpha rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base on April 29, 2025. Image: Trevor Mahlmann / Firefly Aerospace

Firefly Aerospace may soon bring its Alpha rockets to the coast of Japan.

On Monday, Space Cotan Co., Ltd., operator of the Hokkaido Spaceport (HOSPO), announced it entered into a memorandum of understanding with the Texas-based launch company to conduct a feasibility study examining the practicality of launching Firefly’s Alpha rocket from its launch site.

Located in Taiki Town on the northern Japanese Island of Hokkaido, Hokkaido Spaceport bills itself as “a commercial spaceport that serves businesses and universities in Japan and abroad, as well as government agencies and other organizations.” It advertises launches from 42 degrees to 98 degrees, including Sun-synchronous orbits.

Hokkaido Spaceport has room for two launch complexes designed to support the launches of small, orbital-class rockets.

An artist’s interpretation of what the Hokkaido Spaceport may look like in the future. Graphic: Space Cotan

“Firefly will continue to expand our responsive launch capabilities to meet the growing demand of the satellite market across the globe,” said Adam Oakes, Vice President of Launch at Firefly Aerospace in a statement. “We look forward to exploring the opportunity to launch our Alpha rocket from Japan, which would allow us to serve the larger satellite industry in Asia and add resiliency for U.S. allies with a proven orbital launch vehicle.”

All six of Firefly Aerospace’s Alpha rocket launches so far took off from Space Launch Complex 2 at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The company is slated to launch its seventh Alpha rocket on a mission for Lockheed Martin, but a date hasn’t been announced while the company continues to work through a mishap investigation stemming from its sixth Alpha launch in April.

Establishing an memorandum of understanding with the Hokkaido Spaceport means that the two entities can flesh out a more concrete launch complex design and figure out all of the logistics to bring Alpha launch capabilities to Japan.

“By taking advantage of the ideal location of Taiki Town in Hokkaido, we will support various launch service providers and contribute to the revitalization of the space industry in the region,” said Yoshinori Odagiri, President and CEO of Space Cotan in a statement.

U.S. company, launching abroad

This wouldn’t be the first time that a U.S.-based space company took its launch capabilities overseas. The most prominent, modern example of this is Rocket Lab. The company is headquartered in Long Beach, California, but it has launched the vast majority of its more than 60 Electron rockets from Mahia, New Zealand.

Meanwhile, Firefly Aerospace also has its sights on bringing its launch capabilities to Europe. Specifically, they are working alongside the Swedish Space Corporation (SSC) towards launching from the Esrange Space Center in Kiruna, Sweden.

Most recently, a Technology Safeguards Agreement was signed on June 20 at the Embassy of Sweden in Washington D.C.. The agreement between the two countries creates the technical and legal apparatus to allow U.S. rockets to launch from Swedish spaceports.

Brent T. Christensen, the U.S. State Department Senior Official performing the Duties of Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security (left), and Maria Malmer Stenergard, Sweden’s Minister for Foreign Affairs (right), sign a Technology Safeguards Agreement at the Embassy of Sweden in Washington D.C. on June 20, 2025. Image: U.S. State Department

This was the sixth such agreement signed by the U.S. and another country to date. The plan would be to establish Launch Complex 3C as the newest home for the Alpha rocket.

“Finalization of the [Technology Safeguards Agreement] gets us one step closer to launching our Alpha rocket from Sweden and filling a void for the European satellite market,” Oakes said. “In collaboration with SSC, we’re building on the existing infrastructure at Esrange to move quickly and meet the responsive space needs of our NATO partners and commercial customers. This TSA agreement removes the regulatory barriers and provides customers with additional assurance that the U.S. and Sweden are committed to an orbital launch capability from Esrange.”

It’s unclear how soon Firefly Aerospace might be able to begin launching from Esrange.