The failure was a major setback for Astra’s small rocket, its fifth launch mishap in seven flights.
California-based Astra on Sunday launched two shoebox-size NASA satellites from Cape Canaveral in a modest mission to improve hurricane forecasts, but the second stage of the company’s low-cost booster malfunctioned before reaching orbit and the payloads were lost.
“The upper stage shut down early and we did not deliver the payloads to orbit”, Astra tweeted. “We have shared our regrets with @NASA and the payload team. More information will be provided after we complete a full data analysis.”
We had a nominal first stage flight. The upper stage shut down early and we did not deliver the payloads to orbit. We have shared our regrets with @NASA and the payload team. More information will be provided after we complete a full data review. It was the seventh launch of Astra’s small “Venture-class” rocket and the company’s fifth failure. Sunday’s launch was the first of three planned for NASA to launch six small CubeSats, two at a time, into three orbital planes. Given the somewhat risky nature of relying on tiny shoebox-size CubeAats and a rocket with a very short track record, the $40 million project requires just four satellites and two successful launches to meet mission objectives. The NASA contract calls for the final two flights by the end of July. Whether Astra can meet that schedule given Sunday’s failure is not yet known.
“Although today’s launch with @Astra did not go as planned, the mission offered a great opportunity for new science and launch capabilities”, tweeted NASA science chief Thomas Zurbuchen. Although today’s launch with @Astra did not go as planned, the mission offered a great opportunity for new science and launch capabilities. https://t.co/9s30sDWJzz
Sunday’s launching came and hour and 43 minutes late, primarily to ensure the booster’s load of liquid oxygen propellant was at the proper temperature. Finally, hoping to chalk up the company’s third successful flight to orbit, Astra engineers counted down down to liftoff at 1:43 p.
