Demonstration mission for NASA as part of the agency's CubeSat Launch Initiative. It includes 4 CubeSats developed by three universities and NASA’s Johnson Space Center.
Astra Rocket 3.0 is the third version and first orbital version of Astra Space's small satellite launch vehicle. It is designed to carry 100kg in LEO.
Astra Space said March 7 it identified two problems that led to the failure of a launch last month as the company gears up for a new launch that may be imminent.
Four NASA-funded nanosatellites were lost Thursday when an Astra rocket tumbled out of control minutes after liftoff from Cape Canaveral, the fourth time in five tries that the startup space company has failed to reach orbit.
"How can the government better leverage your commercial conops?"
The first operational launch of Astra’s Rocket 3.3 vehicle failed Feb. 10 when the rocket’s upper stage appeared to tumble out of control after stage separation.
Astra Space aborted and then scrubbed a launch of its Rocket 3.3 small launch vehicle Feb. 7 seconds before liftoff.