ASTRA

Small rocket-builder Astra announced a "substantial" change to its development plan on Thursday, as the company reported another quarterly loss.

Shares of rocket-builder Astra fell sharply in trading on Monday after a weekend launch carrying NASA satellites failed to reach orbit.

California-based private space flight company Astra on Sunday attempted for the second time to launch a rocket from Florida with NASA’s help, once again failing to deliver its payload.

Space companies reported results for the first quarter of the year over the past several weeks – with many CEOs complaining of supply chain disruptions.

The company's mission on Tuesday was its first attempt to return to flight since the mid-launch failure of its LV0008 rocket on Feb. 10.

Remind us again why we can't just fund NASA appropriately? A private rocket company's first attempt to launch satellite's into space went awry yesterday when...

NASA said an "in-flight anomaly" prevented the rocket's payload of research satellites from being delivered to orbit.

NASA said an "in-flight anomaly" prevented the rocket's payload of research satellites from being delivered to orbit.

Space Launch Failure Astra's Rocket 3.3 lifts off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Fla., on Thursday, Feb. 10, 2022. (Craig Bailey/Florida Today via AP) (Craig Bailey)CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — (AP) — A rocket startup’s big Florida launch debut ended with all four mini satellites destroyed Thursday. California-based Astra sent its rocket soaring from Cape Canaveral after multiple delays, including a last-second engine shutdown Monday. Astra was among three companies picked by NASA in 2020 to launch small satellites. Astra was attempting its first launch from Cape Canaveral, following its first successful orbital launch last November from Alaska's Kodiak Island.

Shares of rocket builder Astra fell sharply in trading on Thursday after the company's latest mission failed to reach orbit.

After a couple scrubs, Astra will attempt to launch its rocket from Cape Canaveral in its first Florida launch.

ORLANDO, Fla. — Showers will continue to move through Central Florida on Wednesday morning. There will be wet roads around so be careful on the roads. We’ll have 30s and 40s around Central Florida. READ: Astra targeting Thursday afternoon for 3rd attempt at rocket launch from Space CoastSome patchy frost is possible in Marion County by the morning. Our next front arrives Sunday, with a chance of showers.

Small rocket builder Astra is attempting to launch its first mission from Florida on Monday.

Astra has rescheduled its first ever Florida launch attempt for Thursday, space officials announced Tuesday night.

Rocket builder Astra is preparing to launch from Florida for the first time as soon as this weekend.

The private space company Astra is planning its first launch from Florida, set to take place on Saturday, Feb. 5.

While the Space Coast is familiar with SpaceX and United Launch Alliance, now there’s a new rocket company preparing to blast off at the Cape.

The lessons learned from these incidents will inform future rocket launches.

While SpaceX and United Launch Alliance have been sending rockets up at an increased pace the past several years, the Space Coast is about to get much busier with more commercial rocket companies set to join the launch party.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — Astra announced Monday that it plans to deploy its first satellite in orbit for NASA in January. The launch will be Astra’s first from Cape Canaveral. “SLD 45, Space Florida, and Astra have moved at a rapid speed to demonstrate critical and responsive launch capabilities. We are excited to welcome Astra to Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.”READ: Artemis Moon mission delayed to 2025, NASA administrator saysAstra and Space Launch Delta 45, a part of the United States Space Force, allowed Astra to launch out of Cape Canaveral in record time, shortening the multi-year approval time to months, officials said. “Launching out of the Cape allows us to serve customers with mid-inclination delivery needs, broadening our market,” said Martin Attiq, chief business officer at Astra.

The private space company Astra is planning its first commercial launch from Florida's Space Coast, helping NASA to put a satellite into orbit.

Shares of rocket builder Astra surged in trading on Monday after the company reached orbit for the first time over the weekend.

A flurry of space companies filed requests with the FCC for new or expanded broadband networks, asking for approval of nearly 38,000 total satellites.

While Valneva’s new shot would be welcome, there are plenty of hurdles left for the French pharma’s product.

Rocket builder Astra's stock fell sharply in trading on Monday after the company's launch attempt over the weekend failed after an engine issue at liftoff.

San Francisco-based company Planet has tapped Astra to launch some of its Earth-observing spacecraft in 2022.

See the best photos on Space.com this week.

In this photo provided by the Serbian Presidential Press Service, a worker holds a box of the Astra-Zeneca vaccines at Sarajevo Airport, Bosnia, Tuesday, March 2. Bosnia on Tuesday received 10,000 vaccines from neighboring Serbia amid a dispute with the international COVAX mechanism over a delay in planned shipments. Serbia's populist President Aleksandar Vucic flew to the Bosnian capital of Sarajevo to deliver the Astra-Zeneca vaccines to the authorities there. (Serbian Presidential Press Service via AP)SARAJEVO – SARAJEVO, Bosnia-Bosnia on Tuesday received 10,000 vaccines from neighboring Serbia amid a dispute with the international COVAX mechanism over a delay in planned shipments. Serbia’s populist president, Aleksandar Vucic, flew to Bosnian capital Sarajevo to deliver the AstraZeneca vaccines to the authorities there.

All those ventures are looking to compete with the small rocket leader Rocket Lab. CNBCAstra became the latest private rocket builder to reach space for the first time in December, after its Rocket 3.2 vehicle launched from Alaska. The SPAC merger values the rocket company at a $2.1 billion enterprise value. "Companies that are building long-term businesses and founders that are committed to a long-term vision or company don't let investors take over their company," Kemp said. "We're going to automate the factory itself, so that we can get a consistent output of rockets," Kemp said.

Formed in 2016, Astra is working on sending its 40-foot-tall (12 meters) rocket into space, allowing its commercial customers to send their satellites into orbit. Upon completion, the deal between Astra and Holicity, a so-called special purpose acquisition company (SPAC), could value Astra at $2.1 billion. Astra is just the latest space company to go public; the suborbital space tourism company Virgin Galactic began trading in October 2019 after it merged with another SPAC. Since then, shares have risen nearly fivefold, as investors bet on the company to eventually launch space tourists and science missions to space. In December, Astra successfully reached space with its Rocket 3.2 launch vehicle.

San Francisco-area start-up Astra is going to be the next publicly traded space stock, as well as the first that's dedicated to orbital rocket launches. Astra announced on CNBC's "Squawk Box" on Monday that it is merging with special purpose acquisition company Holicity to go public in a deal that values the rocket company at a $2.1 billion enterprise value. Astra will list on the Nasdaq under the ticker symbol ASTR when the deal closes, which is expected in the second quarter. The deal is expected to provide Astra with up to $500 million in cash proceeds, including $200 million in a PIPE round led by BlackRock. Shares of the Holicity SPAC jumped more than 75% in premarket trading Tuesday from its previous close of $10.33.

San Francisco-area startup Astra became the latest U.S. rocket builder to reach space on Tuesday, with the successful launch of its Rocket 3.2 vehicle from Kodiak, Alaska. Astra shared images captured by the rocket at the edge of space. The rocket did not carry any satellites or other payloads, as the launch was a demonstration mission. The company's rocket stands about 40 feet tall, putting it in the category of small launch vehicles. Astra's rocket is advertised as capable of carrying up to 100 kilograms to low Earth orbit.

A view from space courtesy of Astra's Rocket 3.2, which reached the final frontier during a test flight on Dec. 15, 2020. It's unclear at the moment exactly how high Rocket 3.2 got on this test flight, which did not carry any payloads, or whether the booster achieved orbit. For example, NASA recently awarded Astra $3.9 million to launch small satellites to Earth orbit. Today's test flight was an important step along that envisioned path. Astra was not counting on Rocket 3.1 or Rocket 3.2 to be completely successful.

Astra terminated the launch, the company’s first orbital test mission, about 30 seconds after liftoff when the rocket started drifting off course. Astra plans to launch its two-stage, 38-foot-tall (12 meters) Rocket 3.2 from the Pacific Spaceport Complex on Alaska's Kodiak Island between Dec. 7 and Dec. 18, representatives of the California startup announced last month. Here’s a look at Rocket 3.2’s final static fire test ahead of our December 7th launch. Rocket 3.2 is powered by five Delphin electric-pump-fed engines. Rocket 3.2 has already taken a big step toward launch: The vehicle has passed its required series of static-fire tests, Astra announced via Twitter last week .

After weeks of bad weather, an Earthquake and other delays, private space startup Astra launched its orbital rocket on the first of three tests from Alaska last week. On Sept. 11, Rocket 3.1 launched from the Pacific Spaceport Complex in Kodiak, Alaska. That triggered a shutdown of the engines by the flight safety system and the rocket broke apart, tumbling back down in a fiery explosion. “I don’t think that’s supposed to happen,” someone says, and then when the explosion can be seen from the launch site, “holy moly!”Culton and her viewing party were worried about the Astra launch operators. Rocket 3.1's orbital launch attempt pic.twitter.com/nm1bDewdl5 — Astra (@Astra) September 12, 2020The next rocket, called 3.2 is ready for Astra’s second orbital launch test, according to the company.

Astra | John KrausYears of private funding flowing into young and growing space companies has ground to a halt during the coronavirus pandemic, in what one firm describes as a "culling" of space companies backed by venture capital. Investment in private space companies had seen a golden age in recent years, including a record nearly $6 billion last year. The space sectors most at riskThe vast majority of VC-backed space companies are not yet profitable, Quilty Analytics noted, with less than half of the companies generating revenue currently. Additionally, the firm pointed out that "dumb luck will also play a role" in which space companies survive this crisis. Looking aheadWhile the short-term outlook has soured for VC-backed space companies, Quilty Analytics said it is still bullish on the space industry's growth over the long-term.

Rocket builder Astra, a San Francisco-area startup, recently reduced its staff through a mix of furloughs and layoffs in order to survive delays caused by the coronavirus pandemic, a person familiar with the situation told CNBC. Astra cut its overall headcount to about 120 employees from about 150 last month, the person said. Astra was previously hoping to close a new round of funding in the next few months. But investors across the U.S. have frozen new deals, instead focusing on helping existing portfolio companies survive. Astra's customers are worried about surviving this crisis themselves, the person said, with about half of its customers looking to pull out or at the very least renegotiate.

The day's planned launch attempt was scrubbed, ending Astra's chance to win the DARPA Launch Challenge. The DARPA Launch Challenge sought to encourage the development of private American rockets that can launch small military satellites cheaply and on short notice. And Rocket 3.0 was going to carry payloads on its first DARPA Launch Challenge flight four of them, in fact. Related: Gallery: Declassified US spy photos and designsAstra wasn't necessarily expecting to win the DARPA Launch Challenge. "And we are capable of, and will, over the months ahead, launch and launch and launch again, potentially from different sites.

Editor's note: Astra and DARPA have called off today's planned DARPA Launch Challenge liftoff due to bad weather at the launch site. Astra's Rocket 3.0 at the Pacific Spaceport Complex in Alaska in February 2020, ahead of a planned liftoff for the DARPA Launch Challenge. Keeping the company in the dark for so long is part of the DARPA Launch Challenge, which rewards flexibility and adaptability. The DARPA Launch Challenge was first announced in 2018. Today's launch was originally scheduled for Tuesday (Feb. 25), but bad weather pushed the target date back.

It was updated again at 1:50 a.m. EST on Feb. 27 with news of the Feb. 28 target date. A California spaceflight company's quest to win the $12 million DARPA Launch Challenge is now scheduled for Friday (Feb. 28), after a three-day weather delay. Astra is now targeting Friday, during a three-hour window that opens at 3:30 p.m. EST (1830 GMT), according to the DARPA Launch Challenge website. pic.twitter.com/FFa8qa7LXOFebruary 24, 2020The DARPA Launch Challenge aims to spur the development of private American rockets that can loft small military satellites cheaply, efficiently and frequently. Eighteen companies expressed interest in the DARPA Launch Challenge when it was announced in 2018, but just three Astra, Virgin Orbit and Vector Launch advanced to become full participants.

(Image credit: Astra)The quick turnaround is integral to the Launch Challenge, which seeks to spur the development of rockets capable of lofting small military satellites efficiently and on short notice. DARPA announced the Launch Challenge two years ago. This too is part of the Launch Challenge, which requires that launch providers be flexible and adaptable. The follow-on mission will also lift off from a different pad at the Pacific Spaceport Complex, another key aspect of the DARPA Launch Challenge . "And we are capable of, and will, over the months ahead, launch and launch and launch again, potentially from different sites.