Firefly Aerospace is considering launching its rockets from Japan. This was announced by Space Cotan, the operator of the spaceport on the island of Hokkaido.
Launch of the Alpha rocket. Source: Firefly Aerospace
Recently, Firefly Aerospace has been actively exploring the possibility of launching Alpha rockets not only from the US, but also from other countries. In June 2025, the company received permission to conduct launches from the Swedish spaceport Esrange. The first mission is currently scheduled for 2026.
But Firefly isn’t going to stop there. It recently signed a preliminary agreement with Japanese company Space Cotan, which operates a spaceport on the island of Hokkaido. It stipulates the consideration of the possibility of launching the Alpha rocket from Japanese territory.
Launching Alpha from Japan “would allow us to serve the larger satellite industry in Asia and add resiliency for U.S. allies with a proven orbital launch vehicle,” said Adam Oakes, Firefly’s vice president of launches, in a statement posted on the Space Coast website.
According to Space Cotan representative Ryota Ito, a feasibility study will be conducted to assess regulatory barriers, timelines, and investments for the construction of a launch site for Alpha in Hokkaido. He also added that implementing the plan would require an agreement on space technology guarantees between Washington and Tokyo, which would allow American rockets to be launched from Japanese territory. Last year, the governments of the two countries began negotiations, but have not yet reached an agreement.
It is worth noting that although the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency has been launching rockets for several decades, the private aerospace sector in the Land of the Rising Sun is still in its infancy. Most Japanese satellite operators use foreign carriers.
Previously, the American company Virgin Orbit planned to use the Japanese airport Oita for LaucherOne rocket launches, but this plan was canceled after the company went bankrupt in 2023. Sierra Space also has plans to land the Dream Chaser cargo spacecraft in Oita after 2027.
It should be noted that in 2017, Firefly Aerospace was rescued by Ukrainian entrepreneur and philanthropist Max Polyakov, whose financial support helped the company survive bankruptcy. In August 2025, the company successfully completed its initial public offering on the NASDAQ high-tech stock exchange.
According to Reuters
AloJapan.com