Astra Space Fails in Third Attempt to Reach Orbit
by Douglas Messier
Managing Editor
Astra Space’s Rocket 3.3 failed to reach orbit again on Saturday after liftoff from an Alaskan launch site, marking the third straight failure for the now public company.
The booster had a rough take-off, moving laterally in an unusual manner before recovering to fly toward space. Astra Space later revealed that one of the rocket’s five first stage Delphin engines shut down one second after launch. It is not known why the engine failed.
Astra said the range safety officer shut down the booster’s first stage 2 minutes 30 seconds into the flight after Rocket 3.3 veered off its planned trajectory. The first stage normally cuts off at 2 minute 50 seconds, followed by separation and ignition of the second stage.
A mass simulator provided by the U.S. Space Force was the only payload aboard the booster. The launch was conducted from the Pacific Spaceport Complex — Alaska on Kodiak Island.
It was the third orbital launch failure by Astra, which aims to mass produce inexpensive expendable rockets that can be launched on a daily basis. On Sept. 13, 2020, Astra’s range safety officer ended the company’s first attempt to reach orbit after Rocket 3.1 veered off course 30 seconds after liftoff.
Astra’s second attempt on Dec. 15, 2020 went better. The second stage passed the Karman line at 100 km, which is the internationally recognized boundary of space. But, the stage fell just short of the needed velocity to reach orbit.
Astra officials said the company adjusted Rocket 3.3’s fuel mixture and lengthened its first stage by 5 ft (1.5 m) so it could hold more propellant. The booster also featured a lighter second stage.
The failure came one day after Rocket 3.3 experienced a last-second abort on the launch pad as the first stage engines began to fire. Astra officials said there was an issue with the guidance program.
Astra’s stock (ASTR) decline by 9 percent to $10.62 in after-hours trading on Friday following the aborted launch attempt.
Astra merged with Holicity on June 30 and went public under its own name the following day on the Nasdaq Global Select Market. Holicity was a special purpose acquisition company that already traded on Nasdaq; its purpose was to find a company to merge with and take public.
8 responses to “Astra Space Fails in Third Attempt to Reach Orbit”
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Unfortunate. Here’s to better luck next time and hopes for that to be soon.
0007 is in the factory, so ?? for the next try.
So, no engine out capability.
Cheers
Neil
I wouldn’t say no engine-out capability, exactly. Not enough I’d agree with.
Well the vehicle proved that it is indeed expendable so there’s that.
Thus far, all of Astra’s vehicles have proved that. And, once an orbital success is achieved, they’ll go on proving it as Astra has eschewed reusability from the get-go. Astra is sticking firmly to the venerable ammunition model of rocketry.
Come on now. That was a fun launch. Points for style.
At the same time, first ever rocket drifting show