Astra is a newcomer to the business, and whatever is needed to launch the rocket - and the rocket itself - fits into a small number of shipping containers.
In today's test of "Rocket 3" (naming their products is not their forte), the thing seemed to fall over... hovered a bit... and then ascended. During or shortly after max Q, the rocket began to tumble and had to be terminated. The tumbling was caught by the on-board camera.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8Tdm797BzM
Rocket 3 resembles an ICBM and is scheduled to put between 25 and 150 kilograms into 500 km orbits.
It's their fifth launch to date.
Moderators: richierich, ua900, PanAm_DC10, hOMSaR
Re: Astra tests, launches and developments
Thanks for starting an Astra thread.
One of five first stage engines failed at lift off. This made the thrust to weight ratio 1 to 1. It hovered off of the pad. Didn’t start to climb until it burned off some propellant.
Tumble was due to intentional flight termination..
The initial “lean and hover” off of the pad reminded me of an early Atlas launch.
Better luck next time Astra!
One of five first stage engines failed at lift off. This made the thrust to weight ratio 1 to 1. It hovered off of the pad. Didn’t start to climb until it burned off some propellant.
Tumble was due to intentional flight termination..
The initial “lean and hover” off of the pad reminded me of an early Atlas launch.
Better luck next time Astra!
Re: Astra tests, launches and developments
zanl188 wrote:
Beat me to it!
Like those watching I though it's going to topple, then it......emerged, rose but as Scott said, no way it's getting to orbit now, moot point as it proved.
Brush themselves off, learn, fix, go again.
Good luck to them.
Re: Astra tests, launches and developments
Little problem with propellants leaking and taking out an electrical connector.
https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2021/10 ... stigation/
https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2021/10 ... stigation/
Re: Astra tests, launches and developments
Very nice! Though the last one will always be the more interesting to watch, this was a great thing to see. Congrats Astra!.
Tugg
Tugg
Re: Astra tests, launches and developments
I notice they left both gates open this time.
Re: Astra tests, launches and developments
Just bringing this back up since they've had two delays down in FL.
https://www.wesh.com/article/astra-cape ... h/39002484
Anyone with insight into the "why" for today's scrub at 0?
Tugg
"Standing down today due to a minor telemetry issue. We are giving the team time to complete a thorough review and will provide an update on the next launch opportunity for NASA's ELaNa 41 mission soo,"
https://www.wesh.com/article/astra-cape ... h/39002484
Anyone with insight into the "why" for today's scrub at 0?
Tugg
Re: Astra tests, launches and developments
Well, Astra had another hard day yesterday. This time it appears the fairing failed to open.
Scott Manley as usual has an excellent breakdown of the the entire thing:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLfl6ADRyu0
Come On Astra, I'm rooting for you! Space is HARD!
Tugg
Scott Manley as usual has an excellent breakdown of the the entire thing:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLfl6ADRyu0
Come On Astra, I'm rooting for you! Space is HARD!
Tugg
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Re: Astra tests, launches and developments
Tugger wrote:Well, Astra had another hard day yesterday. This time it appears the fairing failed to open.
Scott Manley as usual has an excellent breakdown of the the entire thing:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLfl6ADRyu0
Come On Astra, I'm rooting for you! Space is HARD!
Tugg
I love how Scott basically hands out exactly what went wrong by comparing the videos. The Pistons did not sperate the stage, and it was the actual second stage motor that did the "seperation" . Thus probably causing unintended thrust vectors due to the asymmetric forces present on the unplanned stage connections. '
Space is hard, but there are solutions.
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Re: Astra tests, launches and developments
Astra can't catch a break.
Yesterday's launch for NASA with 2 cubesats failed to reach orbit and the payload was lost.
https://www.theverge.com/2022/6/12/2316 ... ts-tropics
Upper stage failure...
That's 5 failed launches out of 7 attempts since the company started operations.
Yesterday's launch for NASA with 2 cubesats failed to reach orbit and the payload was lost.
https://www.theverge.com/2022/6/12/2316 ... ts-tropics
Upper stage failure...
That's 5 failed launches out of 7 attempts since the company started operations.
Re: Astra tests, launches and developments
It appeared they had an early SECO, just as they reached target altitude, but well before they reached orbital velocity. After which, the spacecraft tumbled and re-entered.
Scott Manley suggested that they would have needed an adjustment to flatten the trajectory at that point in the flight, so possibly something went wrong in that manuever, which caused the SECO and the subsequent tumble.
They came pretty close, another few minutes and they would have been in a stable orbit. The NASA mission requires 4 of the 6 satellites to be operational, so Astra now needs both of the follow on flights to succeed.
Scott Manley suggested that they would have needed an adjustment to flatten the trajectory at that point in the flight, so possibly something went wrong in that manuever, which caused the SECO and the subsequent tumble.
They came pretty close, another few minutes and they would have been in a stable orbit. The NASA mission requires 4 of the 6 satellites to be operational, so Astra now needs both of the follow on flights to succeed.
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Re: Astra tests, launches and developments
Astra is throwing in the towel with Rocket 3 and moving on to the larger launcher they announced back in May.
https://spacenews.com/astra-cancels-roc ... r-vehicle/
It's a bold strategy and I can't help but wonder if they're giving up just before the finish line.
No more Astra launches until at least 2024... I hope they manage to stay funded until then. It's becoming a competitive market.
https://spacenews.com/astra-cancels-roc ... r-vehicle/
It's a bold strategy and I can't help but wonder if they're giving up just before the finish line.
No more Astra launches until at least 2024... I hope they manage to stay funded until then. It's becoming a competitive market.
Re: Astra tests, launches and developments
NASA has dropped Astra as the launch provider for the remaining TROPICS missions, and is searching for another provider. The planned replacement Astra launch vehicle is not suited for the mission.
I wonder if Rocket Labs will get the TROPICS mission, launching from a NASA site if needed to get the right inclination.
I wonder if Rocket Labs will get the TROPICS mission, launching from a NASA site if needed to get the right inclination.
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