Welcome to S-SPACⁱ. In this week’s edition, Momentus and Astra say there are serious doubts about their long-term survival, Terran Orbital and Redwire saw first-quarter revenue increases, Virgin Galactic has set a date for its next launch, and Virgin Orbit entered into a stalking horse agreement for the purchase of its Boeing 747 aircraft.

by Douglas Messier
Managing Editor

Astra Space placed satellites into the orbit for the first time on Tuesday, marking a return to flight after a launch failure last month destroyed four CubeSats.

ALAMEDA, Calif. & SEATTLE, March 14, 2022 (Astra Space/Spaceflight Inc. PR) — Astra Space, Inc. (“Astra”) (NASDAQ: ASTR) and Spaceflight Inc. (“Spaceflight”), the leading global launch services provider, today announced a multi-launch contract. The first launch under this contract is planned for today, March 14, 2022, with a window opening at 9:22am PDT / 16:22 UTC out of the Astra Spaceport in Kodiak, Alaska, but may be shifted to March 15, 2022 depending on conditions at the launch site. [Editor’s note: It was delayed a day due to weather.] This agreement provides Spaceflight with launch opportunities using Astra’s launch services through 2025.

Video Caption: The Final System Test, also known as the “hot fire” engine test for Astra’s Launch Vehicle 0006. Astra is hoping the third time will be a charm. The publicly-traded launch provider will make another attempt to reach orbit with its Rocket 3 booster late this month from Pacific Spaceport Complex — Alaska on Kodiak Island. The window for the launch attempt opens on Aug. 27 and runs until […]

SpaceX dominated, China surged and Russia had another clean sheet as American astronauts flew from U.S. soil again in a year of firsts.

First in a series

by Douglas Messier
Managing Editor

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, 2020 was a very busy launch year with a number of firsts in both human and robotic exploration. A total of 114 orbital launches were attempted, with 104 successes and 10 failures. It was the same number of launches that were conducted in 2018, with that year seeing 111 successes, two failures and one partial failure.

ALAMEDA, Calif. (Astra PR) — Today, we announced that Astra will acquire Apollo Fusion. This acquisition enables Astra to efficiently deliver and operate throughout our solar system, and brings incredible technology and talent into our team.

So, what is this all really about? At Astra we’re focused on rapid and affordable access to space. This really requires two kinds of transportation: You always have to first fly from Earth to a low orbit on the edge of space, and Astra shines in getting you to the best possible low orbit for your mission. However, often you need to keep going — to fly higher in space for your operational mission. And this is where Apollo comes in.

ALAMEDA, Calif. (Astra PR) — We are thrilled to be working with Planet Labs on a multi-launch mission in 2022. This is a milestone for both of our companies, and creates an important inflection point as we begin delivering launch services to our customers that are creating a healthier and more connected planet.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. (NASA PR) — NASA has selected Astra Space Inc. to provide a launch service for the agency’s Time-Resolved Observations of Precipitation Structure and Storm Intensity with a Constellation of SmallSats (TROPICS) mission. The TROPICS mission consists of a constellation of six CubeSats and will increase the scientific community’s understanding of storm processes. The launch service contract for the TROPICS mission is a firm fixed-price contract valued at $7.95 million. […]

Launch provider to become first publicly traded space company on NASDAQ through merger with Holicity

ALAMEDA, Calif., February 2, 2021 – Astra, the fastest privately-funded company in history to demonstrate orbital launch capability, and Holicity Inc. (NASDAQ: HOL) (“Holicity”), a special purpose acquisition company (“SPAC”), today announced a definitive business combination agreement that will result in Astra becoming a publicly traded company. The transaction reflects an implied pro-forma enterprise value for Astra of approximately $2.1 billion. Upon closing, the transaction is expected to provide up to $500 million in cash proceeds, including up to $300 million of cash held in the trust account of Holicity and an upsized $200 million PIPE led by funds and accounts managed by BlackRock.

Astra Space’s Rocket 3.2 reached space but came up just short of reaching orbit on Tuesday after launch from Pacific Spaceport Complex — Alaska on Kodiak Island.