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[The livestream has ended. A replay of the webcast is available above.]
Astra Space cut short its first launch attempt since the company went public, with the rocket’s engines firing for a while and then shutting down.
The rocket did not take off from the ground due to the launch interruption, and Astra said it would investigate the cause of the problem. The company hopes to make another launch attempt as early as Saturday.
Astra shares fell more than 10% out of trading hours from Friday’s close at $ 11.67, before partially rebounding to trade lower about 6%.
A screenshot from the company’s launch livestream shows the LV0006 rocket engines triggering briefly before an abortion causes the attempt to be postponed.
Astra
Astra launches its LV0006 rocket from the Pacific Spaceport Complex in Kodiak, Alaska. The US Space Force is the first paying customer for an Astra launch, with a test payload flying above the rocket.
The vehicle is 43 feet tall and fits into the small rocket segment of the launch market. Astra’s goal is to launch as many small rockets as possible, with the goal of launching one rocket per day by 2025 and lowering its price even further by $ 2.5 million.
The mission will test various enhancements to Astra’s rocket since its last mission in December. While this previous mission arrived in space, the rocket nearly reached orbit.
LV0006 on the launch pad in Kodiak, Alaska.
Astra
The company’s window for this launch lasts 16 days until September 11. A delayed rocket launch attempt, known in the industry as a scrub, can occur for a variety of reasons, ranging from bad weather to a technical problem.
Astra partnered with NASASpaceflight – a space industry content organization that is not affiliated with the US agency – to webcast the launch.
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