Rocket Lab · New Zealand / USA
Firefly Aerospace · USA
| Electron | Metric | Firefly Alpha |
|---|---|---|
| 300 kg | Payload to LEO | +243%1,030 kg |
| N/A | Payload to GTO | N/A |
| 18 m | Height | +61%29 m |
| ~$25,000/kg | Cost per kg | +72%~$14,500/kg |
| 95.4%+122% | Success Rate | 43% |
| 2017+0% | First Flight | 2021 |
| Yes | Reusable | No |
| Rocket Lab | Company | Firefly Aerospace |
| New Zealand / USA | Country | USA |
Payload to Low Earth Orbit (LEO) — relative scale
3
Electron wins
1
Tied
3
Firefly Alpha wins
Firefly Alpha delivers 243% more payload to LEO, making it the heavier lifter.
Firefly Alpha is more cost-effective at ~$14,500/kg vs ~$25,000/kg.
Electron has a higher success rate (95.4% vs 43%), indicating greater flight heritage.
Electron is reusable, which can significantly reduce long-term launch costs.
It's a close matchup — both rockets trade wins across different metrics, each excelling in different areas.