diff --git a/docs/CURRENT-STATE.md b/docs/CURRENT-STATE.md
index a092350c7..47690bc30 100644
--- a/docs/CURRENT-STATE.md
+++ b/docs/CURRENT-STATE.md
@@ -812,7 +812,11 @@ position stay off the map. Genuine zero coordinates remain valid. Undisclosed
 stage coordinates, downrange distance and flight numbers remain unknown; the
 mission panel omits the flight-number label when no number was reported.
 Pending mission requests abort on disable/destruction and malformed launch
-snapshots preserve the last accepted display. Catalog groups, propagation cadence,
+snapshots preserve the last accepted display. A Launch Library stale-cache fallback
+retains its missions but reports STALE in Data Layers; a fresh snapshot clears that
+provenance. Hiding retained missions does not relabel them as fresh, and teardown
+clears the instance state. Injected getLaunches-only sources remain supported.
+Catalog groups, propagation cadence,
 tracking intent, replay timing, controls and source attribution remain unchanged.
 
 The fire layer now exposes `./layers/firms`: an instance factory with separate
diff --git a/scripts/format-scope.json b/scripts/format-scope.json
index 5ff9abe8c..b5e75f077 100644
--- a/scripts/format-scope.json
+++ b/scripts/format-scope.json
@@ -447,6 +447,7 @@
   "src/data/rocketLaunches.js",
   "src/layers/satellites/source.test.mjs",
   "src/layers/launches/source.test.mjs",
+  "src/layers/launches/ingestion.test.mjs",
   "src/layers/installations/lifecycle.js",
   "src/layers/installations/viewport.js",
   "src/layers/installations/controls.js",
diff --git a/src/layers/launches/controls.js b/src/layers/launches/controls.js
index d55394bcc..b0dc035cb 100644
--- a/src/layers/launches/controls.js
+++ b/src/layers/launches/controls.js
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ export function createControls({ state: layerState, services, parts, source }) {
         orbitMatches: layerState._orbitMatches,
         lastUpdate: layerState._lastUpdate,
         error: layerState._lastError,
+        stale: layerState._stale,
       };
     },
 
diff --git a/src/layers/launches/ingestion.js b/src/layers/launches/ingestion.js
index e7eab0565..bd1529c0b 100644
--- a/src/layers/launches/ingestion.js
+++ b/src/layers/launches/ingestion.js
@@ -168,9 +168,16 @@ export function createIngestion({
   async function performMissionUpdate(token) {
     try {
       ensureActiveTleLookup(token);
-      const payload = await source.getLaunches({
-        signal: layerState._sourceController.signal,
-      });
+      const { payload, stale } = source.getLaunchSnapshot
+        ? await source.getLaunchSnapshot({
+            signal: layerState._sourceController.signal,
+          })
+        : {
+            payload: await source.getLaunches({
+              signal: layerState._sourceController.signal,
+            }),
+            stale: false,
+          };
       const launches = parts.model.normalizeRocketLaunches(payload);
       if (
         !layerState._enabled ||
@@ -214,6 +221,7 @@ export function createIngestion({
       parts.panel.renderMissionPanel();
       layerState._lastUpdate = Date.now();
       layerState._lastError = null;
+      layerState._stale = stale === true;
     } catch (error) {
       if (layerState._enabled && token === layerState._lifecycleToken) {
         layerState._lastError = error.message;
diff --git a/src/layers/launches/ingestion.test.mjs b/src/layers/launches/ingestion.test.mjs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c19cb40e4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/layers/launches/ingestion.test.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,315 @@
+import test from 'node:test';
+import assert from 'node:assert/strict';
+import http from 'node:http';
+import * as Cesium from 'cesium';
+import { createLaunchSource } from './source.js';
+import { createState } from './state.js';
+import { createModel } from './model.js';
+import { createIngestion } from './ingestion.js';
+import { createControls } from './controls.js';
+import { createLifecycle } from './lifecycle.js';
+import { layerFeedState } from '../../data/feedState.js';
+
+const noop = () => {};
+
+async function fixture({ legacySource = false } = {}) {
+  const launch = {
+    id: 'owned-launch',
+    name: 'Owned mission fixture',
+    net: new Date(Date.now() - 3600000).toISOString(),
+    status: { name: 'Launch Successful' },
+    pad: { name: 'Owned pad', latitude: 28.6, longitude: -80.6 },
+    rocket: { payloads: [] },
+  };
+  const mode = { cache: 'HIT', results: [launch], hold: false };
+  let arrival;
+  let release;
+  const server = http.createServer((req, res) => {
+    if (req.url === '/api/celestrak/active') {
+      res.end('');
+      return;
+    }
+    assert.equal(req.url, '/api/launches');
+    const send = () => {
+      if (res.destroyed) return;
+      res.writeHead(200, {
+        'Content-Type': 'application/json',
+        'X-GEV-Cache': mode.cache,
+      });
+      res.end(JSON.stringify({ results: mode.results }));
+    };
+    if (mode.hold) {
+      release = send;
+      arrival?.();
+    } else send();
+  });
+  await new Promise((resolve) => server.listen(0, '127.0.0.1', resolve));
+  const origin = `http://127.0.0.1:${server.address().port}`;
+  const launchSource = createLaunchSource({
+    fetchImpl: (url, options) => {
+      assert.ok(['/api/launches', '/api/celestrak/active'].includes(url));
+      return fetch(new URL(url, origin), options);
+    },
+  });
+  const source = legacySource
+    ? {
+        getLaunches: launchSource.getLaunches,
+        getActiveTle: launchSource.getActiveTle,
+      }
+    : launchSource;
+  const services = {
+    overlays: {
+      setOverlayEntries: noop,
+      setOverlaySourceVisible: noop,
+      clearOverlaySource: noop,
+    },
+    render: { holdContinuousRender: noop, releaseContinuousRender: noop },
+  };
+  const state = createState({ services });
+  state._enabled = true;
+  state._lifecycleToken = 1;
+  state._dataSource = new Cesium.CustomDataSource('owned-qualification');
+  const canvas = Object.assign(new EventTarget(), {
+    disableRootEvents: true,
+    onwheel: null,
+    style: {},
+  });
+  const viewer = {
+    dataSources: new Cesium.DataSourceCollection(),
+    scene: { canvas, preRender: new Cesium.Event(), drillPick: () => [] },
+  };
+  await viewer.dataSources.add(state._dataSource);
+  // Only presentation boundaries are inert. Source, normalization, state,
+  // ingestion, lifecycle, stats and feed-state policy execute unchanged.
+  const parts = {
+    panel: {
+      createMissionPanel: noop,
+      renderMissionRoster: noop,
+      renderMissionPanel: noop,
+      clearMissionRosterHover: noop,
+    },
+    replay: { stopMissionReplay: noop },
+    selection: {
+      setSelectedMission: noop,
+      focusMission: noop,
+      stopMissionZoomAnchor: noop,
+    },
+    orbitRendering: {
+      removeMissionOrbitPrimitives: noop,
+      syncMissionOrbitPrimitiveVisibility: noop,
+    },
+    overlays: {
+      createReplayVehicleOverlay: noop,
+      clearMissionOverlaySources: noop,
+      hideReplayVehicleOverlay: noop,
+      destroyReplayVehicleOverlay: noop,
+    },
+    launchPad: {
+      initLaunchPadZonePrimitive: noop,
+      hideLaunchPadZone: noop,
+      destroyLaunchPadZonePrimitive: noop,
+    },
+    rendering: {
+      updateMissionFrame: noop,
+      addLaunchEntity(record) {
+        state._dataSource.entities.add({
+          id: record.id,
+          name: record.name,
+          position: Cesium.Cartesian3.fromDegrees(record.lon, record.lat),
+        });
+      },
+    },
+  };
+  const context = { state, services, parts, source };
+  parts.model = createModel(context);
+  parts.ingestion = createIngestion(context);
+  parts.controls = createControls(context);
+  parts.lifecycle = createLifecycle(context);
+  const current = () => {
+    const stats = parts.controls.methods.getStats();
+    return {
+      stats,
+      feed: layerFeedState(stats),
+      rendered: state._dataSource?.entities.values.map((x) => x.id) || [],
+      enabled: state._enabled,
+    };
+  };
+  return {
+    mode,
+    state,
+    source,
+    current,
+    viewer,
+    init: () => parts.lifecycle.methods.init(viewer),
+    update: () => parts.ingestion.methods.update(),
+    disable: () => parts.lifecycle.methods.disable(),
+    destroy: () => parts.lifecycle.methods.destroy(viewer),
+    holdArrival: () =>
+      new Promise((resolve) => {
+        arrival = resolve;
+      }),
+    release: () => release?.(),
+    async close() {
+      await parts.lifecycle.methods.destroy(viewer);
+      server.closeAllConnections();
+      await new Promise((resolve) => server.close(resolve));
+    },
+  };
+}
+
+test('fresh launches remain nominal through ingestion and the layer stats', async () => {
+  const f = await fixture();
+  try {
+    await f.update();
+    const value = f.current();
+    assert.equal(value.feed, 'nominal');
+    assert.equal(value.stats.count, 1);
+    assert.deepEqual(value.rendered, ['owned-launch']);
+    assert.equal(value.stats.error, null);
+    assert.ok(value.stats.lastUpdate);
+  } finally {
+    await f.close();
+  }
+});
+
+test('STALE-ERROR provenance reaches the layer feed state without dropping records', async () => {
+  const f = await fixture();
+  try {
+    f.mode.cache = 'STALE-ERROR';
+    assert.equal((await f.source.getLaunchSnapshot()).stale, true);
+    await f.update();
+    const value = f.current();
+    assert.equal(value.stats.count, 1);
+    assert.deepEqual(value.rendered, ['owned-launch']);
+    assert.equal(value.feed, 'stale');
+  } finally {
+    await f.close();
+  }
+});
+
+test('a fresh recovery clears stale launch provenance', async () => {
+  const f = await fixture();
+  try {
+    f.mode.cache = 'STALE-ERROR';
+    await f.update();
+    const stale = f.current();
+    f.mode.cache = 'MISS';
+    await f.update();
+    const recovered = f.current();
+    assert.equal(recovered.feed, 'nominal');
+    assert.equal(recovered.stats.count, 1);
+    assert.equal(recovered.stats.error, null);
+    assert.equal(stale.feed, 'stale');
+  } finally {
+    await f.close();
+  }
+});
+
+test('an empty stale snapshot still identifies its fallback provenance', async () => {
+  const f = await fixture();
+  try {
+    f.mode.cache = 'STALE-ERROR';
+    f.mode.results = [];
+    await f.update();
+    assert.equal(f.current().stats.count, 0);
+    assert.equal(f.current().feed, 'stale');
+  } finally {
+    await f.close();
+  }
+});
+
+test('getLaunches-only injected sources remain supported', async () => {
+  const f = await fixture({ legacySource: true });
+  try {
+    await f.update();
+    assert.equal(f.current().feed, 'nominal');
+    assert.deepEqual(f.current().rendered, ['owned-launch']);
+  } finally {
+    await f.close();
+  }
+});
+
+test('disable cancels a pending stale response without committing it', async () => {
+  const f = await fixture();
+  try {
+    await f.update();
+    const healthy = f.current();
+    f.mode.cache = 'STALE-ERROR';
+    f.mode.hold = true;
+    const arrived = f.holdArrival();
+    const pending = f.update();
+    await arrived;
+    await f.disable();
+    f.release();
+    await pending;
+    const value = f.current();
+    assert.equal(value.enabled, false);
+    assert.equal(value.stats.lastUpdate, healthy.stats.lastUpdate);
+    assert.equal(value.feed, 'nominal');
+    assert.equal(f.state._sourceController.signal.aborted, true);
+  } finally {
+    await f.close();
+  }
+});
+
+test('hiding retained stale records does not relabel them as fresh', async () => {
+  const f = await fixture();
+  try {
+    f.mode.cache = 'STALE-ERROR';
+    await f.update();
+    await f.disable();
+    assert.equal(f.current().feed, 'stale');
+    assert.equal(f.current().stats.count, 1);
+  } finally {
+    await f.close();
+  }
+});
+
+test('destroy clears the previous feed state and records', async () => {
+  const f = await fixture();
+  try {
+    f.mode.cache = 'STALE-ERROR';
+    await f.update();
+    await f.destroy();
+    const value = f.current();
+    assert.equal(value.stats.count, 0);
+    assert.equal(value.stats.lastUpdate, null);
+    assert.equal(value.feed, 'nominal');
+    assert.equal(value.enabled, false);
+  } finally {
+    await f.close();
+  }
+});
+
+test('destroy followed by actual init starts a clean instance with owned handlers', async () => {
+  const f = await fixture();
+  try {
+    f.mode.cache = 'STALE-ERROR';
+    await f.update();
+    await f.destroy();
+    await f.init();
+    const value = f.current();
+    assert.equal(value.feed, 'nominal');
+    assert.equal(value.stats.count, 0);
+    assert.equal(value.stats.lastUpdate, null);
+    assert.equal(value.stats.error, null);
+    assert.equal(value.enabled, false);
+    assert.equal(f.viewer.dataSources.length, 1);
+    assert.equal(f.viewer.scene.preRender.numberOfListeners, 1);
+    const click = f.state._clickHandler;
+    const move = f.state._moveHandler;
+    assert.ok(click instanceof Cesium.ScreenSpaceEventHandler);
+    assert.ok(move instanceof Cesium.ScreenSpaceEventHandler);
+    assert.equal(
+      typeof click.getInputAction(Cesium.ScreenSpaceEventType.LEFT_CLICK),
+      'function',
+    );
+    await f.destroy();
+    assert.equal(click.isDestroyed(), true);
+    assert.equal(move.isDestroyed(), true);
+    assert.equal(f.viewer.dataSources.length, 0);
+    assert.equal(f.viewer.scene.preRender.numberOfListeners, 0);
+  } finally {
+    await f.close();
+  }
+});
diff --git a/src/layers/launches/lifecycle.js b/src/layers/launches/lifecycle.js
index 58d70d34b..75b0276a3 100644
--- a/src/layers/launches/lifecycle.js
+++ b/src/layers/launches/lifecycle.js
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ export function createLifecycle({
       viewer.dataSources.add(layerState._dataSource);
       layerState._count = 0;
       layerState._lastUpdate = null;
+      layerState._stale = false;
       layerState._lastError = null;
       layerState._orbitMatches = 0;
       parts.overlays.clearMissionOverlaySources();
@@ -160,6 +161,7 @@ export function createLifecycle({
       layerState._count = 0;
       layerState._orbitMatches = 0;
       layerState._lastUpdate = null;
+      layerState._stale = false;
       layerState._activeTleText = null;
       layerState._activeTlePromise = null;
       layerState._activeTlePromiseToken = 0;
diff --git a/src/layers/launches/state.js b/src/layers/launches/state.js
index 0f0194221..d70be5b54 100644
--- a/src/layers/launches/state.js
+++ b/src/layers/launches/state.js
@@ -19,6 +19,8 @@ export function createState({ services }) {
 
   state._lastError = null;
 
+  state._stale = false;
+
   state._orbitMatches = 0;
 
   state._clickHandler = null;