Tag: rocket 3
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Astra launch fails on first TROPICS flight for NASA
The first of three flights to launch the TROPICS satellites for NASA lifted off on Sunday during at 1:43 PM EDT (17:43 UTC). Astra’s LV0010 vehicle launched from SLC-46 at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, making the company’s seventh orbital launch attempt. After a nominal first stage burn, the upper stage engine shut down…
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Astra successfully returns to flight with mission for Spaceflight Inc.
Rocket 3.3, the first Astra rocket to successfully launch to orbit, has successfully returned to flight in what was a closely watched mission just over one month after ELaNa-41 failed during fairing and stage separation. The launch took place on Tuesday, March 15 at 9:22am PDT / 16:22 UTC. This mission for Spaceflight Inc., designated Astra-1,…
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Astra suffers failure on ELaNa 41 mission
Astra has launched the ELaNa 41 mission for NASA, the company’s first flight from Space Launch Complex 46 (SLC-46) at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The LV0008 launch vehicle, the third Rocket 3.3 vehicle, lifted off at 3:00 PM EST (20:00 UTC). An anomaly occurred near the time of stage separation which…
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Astra successfully makes orbit on fourth attempt
Smallsat launch startup Astra Space has now joined the short list of companies with a successful orbital rocket. The launch window for the mission, number LV0007, opened on November 18 (November 19 UTC), but a first launch attempt was scrubbed. LV0007 finally lifted off at 10:16 PM PST on November 19 (06:16 UTC on November…
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Astra completes investigation and schedules next orbital launch attempt
Astra has completed the investigation into the terminated launch of LV0006 in August 2021. A propellant leak caused an engine failure at liftoff, resulting in insufficient thrust to achieve orbit. Design changes have been implemented to address the anomaly for Astra’s next rocket, LV0007. The launch window for LV0007 opens on October 27 and continues…
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Astra’s third orbital launch attempt suffers engine failure and termination
Continuing the iterative path toward reaching orbit, Astra attempted its third orbital launch on Aug. 28. The first Rocket 3.3 vehicle, designated LV0006, lifted off on Saturday, Aug. 28 at 3:35 PM PDT (22:35 UTC). Less than one second after liftoff, an engine on the first stage failed, causing a sideways ascent off the pad.…
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Astra CEO Chris Kemp previews Rocket 4.0, daily launches, and a smarter planet
In December 2020, Astra launched Rocket 3.2 to space. The successor, Rocket 3.3, will make Astra’s first flight with a payload on board as early as this summer. And by the end of the year, the Rocket 3 series is planned to launch on a monthly basis. In 2022, Astra is planning to debut Rocket…