A Firefly Aerospace rocket failed to deliver its payload to orbit on Tuesday, creating a cloud of debris in the sky before falling back down toward an ocean crash.

Launch provider says a nozzle extension on the upper engine was lost during stage separation, preventing the rocket from reaching orbit.

With Tuesday's events, four of six Alpha flights since 2021 have failed. Firefly, which was able to achieve a breakthrough moon landing in March, is vying with a handful of simila