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.
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