Astra just misses reaching orbit on second orbital launch attempt
Posted: Mon, Dec 21, 2020, 5:46 AM ET (1046 GMT)
Small launch vehicle company Astra just missed reaching orbit on its second launch Tuesday. The company's Rocket 3.2 lifted off from Kodiak Island, Alaska, at 3:55 pm EST (2055 GMT). The vehicle's first stage worked as planned, but the upper stage ran out of fuel about 12-15 seconds early, falling about half a kilometer per second short of the velocity needed to reach orbit. Astra, though, declared the launch a success, saying a change to the fuel mixing ratio on the upper stage should allow it to reach orbit on its next launch. The launch was the second in a series of three it said it would perform to demonstrate it could reach orbit with the rocket. A first launch in September failed shortly after liftoff. The next launch could take place within a few months.
Small launch vehicle company Astra just missed reaching orbit on its second launch Tuesday. The company's Rocket 3.2 lifted off from Kodiak Island, Alaska, at 3:55 pm EST (2055 GMT). The vehicle's first stage worked as planned, but the upper stage ran out of fuel about 12-15 seconds early, falling about half a kilometer per second short of the velocity needed to reach orbit. Astra, though, declared the launch a success, saying a change to the fuel mixing ratio on the upper stage should allow it to reach orbit on its next launch. The launch was the second in a series of three it said it would perform to demonstrate it could reach orbit with the rocket. A first launch in September failed shortly after liftoff. The next launch could take place within a few months.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
|
|
news links
|
|
Thursday, September 3
The BepiColombo mission begins its arrival at Mercury after nearly 8 years
CNN — 7:23 am ET (1123 GMT) One Year In, U.S. Space Command Headquarters Relocation Moving Expeditiously to 'Rocket City, USA'
US Dept. of Defense — 7:21 am ET (1121 GMT) Blue Origin breaks ground on new Canaveral facility ordered up by Space Force
Orlando Sentinel — 7:21 am ET (1121 GMT) Construction of British deep space radar to begin in 2027
UK Defence Journal — 7:21 am ET (1121 GMT) Blue Origin Beats Rocket Lab, Wins $700 Million Mars Communications Contract
Investor's Business Daily — 7:19 am ET (1119 GMT) |
