Astra Space Launch Failure: First Commercial Mission Falls Short

Astra's First Commercial Launch Faces Setback

Astra, recently transitioned to a publicly traded company, encountered an issue during its inaugural commercial launch. This mission, undertaken for the U.S. Space Force’s Space Test Program and carrying a contracted test payload, ultimately failed to reach orbital velocity.

The rocket successfully ignited all engines at launch from the Alaskan launchpad. However, an immediate failure of one of the five engines occurred shortly after ignition. This resulted in an unusual period of hovering and lateral movement before sufficient lift was achieved for an upward ascent.

Initial Ascent and Controlled Return

Despite the initial instability and noticeable sideways inclination, the rocket did attain a maximum altitude of approximately 50 kilometers (roughly 164,000 feet). Following this, Astra issued a command to terminate the flight, and the rocket executed a safe return to Earth.

Consequently, the mission did not fulfill its primary objective: reaching the designated orbital destination required for the payload deployment simulation outlined in the contract.

Company Response and Future Plans

“While we are disappointed in not fully meeting the mission objectives for the U.S. Space Force, a significant volume of valuable data was collected during this test flight,” stated Chris Kemp, founder, chairman, and CEO of Astra, in a company-released press statement.

He further indicated that the insights gained from this test will be integrated into the design of future launch vehicles, specifically mentioning LV0007, which is currently undergoing production.

Previous Launch Attempt

Astra’s previous launch attempt occurred in December. During that flight, the rocket reached space but fell short of achieving the necessary orbital velocity.

At the time, Astra expressed confidence that attaining a stable orbit would only require minor software adjustments to the rocket’s navigation system. This latest launch provides further data to refine those systems.