Author Topic: Astra Space  (Read 405737 times)

Online FutureSpaceTourist

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Offline jongoff

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Re: Astra Space
« Reply #101 on: 11/26/2018 10:51 pm »
That's actually in the evening on the 28th for those of us in North America (early morning UTC on the 29th).

~Jon

Offline Kryten

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Re: Astra Space
« Reply #102 on: 11/28/2018 12:46 pm »
https://apps.fcc.gov/oetcf/els/reports/STA_Print.cfm?mode=current&application_seq=85014&RequestTimeout=1000

 It doesn't really add much new information, but here's the FCC STA for flight 2. It's active from 9/1/2018 to 3/1/2019, and peak altitude is listed as 375km.

Offline ringsider

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Re: Astra Space
« Reply #103 on: 11/30/2018 05:25 am »
Did Astra get the rocket up?

Offline Kryten

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Re: Astra Space
« Reply #104 on: 11/30/2018 07:01 am »
Did Astra get the rocket up?
Yes, the FAA added it to their list of licensed launches. Given this didn't happen for the first launch, we can also likely take this as confirmation of launch success.

Offline ringsider

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Re: Astra Space
« Reply #105 on: 12/02/2018 07:44 am »
Did Astra get the rocket up?
Yes, the FAA added it to their list of licensed launches. Given this didn't happen for the first launch, we can also likely take this as confirmation of launch success.

It's interesting - they are now so stealthy they don't even get a peep in the press after what looks like a successful suborbital test launch.

Offline gongora

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Re: Astra Space
« Reply #106 on: 12/02/2018 01:24 pm »
Did Astra get the rocket up?
Yes, the FAA added it to their list of licensed launches. Given this didn't happen for the first launch, we can also likely take this as confirmation of launch success.

Being on that list says nothing about whether it was successful.

Offline RLA

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Re: Astra Space
« Reply #107 on: 12/02/2018 05:09 pm »
Did Astra get the rocket up?
Yes, the FAA added it to their list of licensed launches. Given this didn't happen for the first launch, we can also likely take this as confirmation of launch success.

It's interesting - they are now so stealthy they don't even get a peep in the press after what looks like a successful suborbital test launch.
Exactly but this is Astra's approach already since day 1, however I wondering why they having this odd approach like it's a top secret rocket program.

Anyway is it just visual illusion or does it looks like the second Astra is longer then the first one? I do looking to the existing pictures and video's and I seeing a difference where the first Astra didn't having a light-gray part between the fairing and the first stage but it's notable at the second Astra, also maybe it's a visual illusion too but it looks like the fairing is smaller at the second Astra then the first one.

Offline russianhalo117

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Re: Astra Space
« Reply #108 on: 12/02/2018 11:08 pm »
Did Astra get the rocket up?
Yes, the FAA added it to their list of licensed launches. Given this didn't happen for the first launch, we can also likely take this as confirmation of launch success.

It's interesting - they are now so stealthy they don't even get a peep in the press after what looks like a successful suborbital test launch.
Exactly but this is Astra's approach already since day 1, however I wondering why they having this odd approach like it's a top secret rocket program.

Anyway is it just visual illusion or does it looks like the second Astra is longer then the first one? I do looking to the existing pictures and video's and I seeing a difference where the first Astra didn't having a light-gray part between the fairing and the first stage but it's notable at the second Astra, also maybe it's a visual illusion too but it looks like the fairing is smaller at the second Astra then the first one.
They ditched the tapered stage one tank after the first launch.

Offline Lars-J

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Re: Astra Space
« Reply #109 on: 12/02/2018 11:27 pm »
Anyway is it just visual illusion or does it looks like the second Astra is longer then the first one? I do looking to the existing pictures and video's and I seeing a difference where the first Astra didn't having a light-gray part between the fairing and the first stage but it's notable at the second Astra, also maybe it's a visual illusion too but it looks like the fairing is smaller at the second Astra then the first one.

What images do you speak of? The last ones posted in this thread were from 2+ months ago. Are you talking about those or some newer images?
« Last Edit: 12/02/2018 11:28 pm by Lars-J »

Offline russianhalo117

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Re: Astra Space
« Reply #110 on: 12/02/2018 11:37 pm »
Anyway is it just visual illusion or does it looks like the second Astra is longer then the first one? I do looking to the existing pictures and video's and I seeing a difference where the first Astra didn't having a light-gray part between the fairing and the first stage but it's notable at the second Astra, also maybe it's a visual illusion too but it looks like the fairing is smaller at the second Astra then the first one.

What images do you speak of? The last ones posted in this thread were from 2+ months ago. Are you talking about those or some newer images?
He is referring to photos of launcher testing at former ANAS in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Offline Kryten

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Re: Astra Space
« Reply #111 on: 12/03/2018 11:09 am »
Did Astra get the rocket up?
Yes, the FAA added it to their list of licensed launches. Given this didn't happen for the first launch, we can also likely take this as confirmation of launch success.

It's interesting - they are now so stealthy they don't even get a peep in the press after what looks like a successful suborbital test launch.
Exactly but this is Astra's approach already since day 1, however I wondering why they having this odd approach like it's a top secret rocket program.
This seems to be the standard MO for the companies which are primarily funded through DARPA (Whittinghill, TGV, et.c.), there tends to be very little information outside of public SBIR documents. This is particularly striking in the case of Whittinghill who used to be funded primarily through NASA. Six years ago they were open enough to get a spotlight article in SpaceNews, and now their entire website is literally just their company name and an email address.

Offline jongoff

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Re: Astra Space
« Reply #112 on: 12/03/2018 08:53 pm »
Did Astra get the rocket up?
Yes, the FAA added it to their list of licensed launches. Given this didn't happen for the first launch, we can also likely take this as confirmation of launch success.

It's interesting - they are now so stealthy they don't even get a peep in the press after what looks like a successful suborbital test launch.
Exactly but this is Astra's approach already since day 1, however I wondering why they having this odd approach like it's a top secret rocket program.
This seems to be the standard MO for the companies which are primarily funded through DARPA (Whittinghill, TGV, et.c.), there tends to be very little information outside of public SBIR documents. This is particularly striking in the case of Whittinghill who used to be funded primarily through NASA. Six years ago they were open enough to get a spotlight article in SpaceNews, and now their entire website is literally just their company name and an email address.

I don't think Astra is DARPA funded for anything at the moment, but it is true that DARPA/DoD-funded efforts usually include an annoying requirement that any public information releases have to go through a DoD review process that can take up to 30-45 days. Even a tweet. Which definitely cuts down on your ability to say anything publicly or engage in any sort of a conversation about things. Personally, for non-classified stuff, I think that's... unwise... on the military's part. Circling back to my original comment though, while Astra may have inherited some tight lippedness from Ventions which was primarily funded from NASA and DoD contracts, I don't think they're currently being funded by the DoD, so I think this is more a business decision. It could be that with a close competitor like Vector, they don't feel the need to tip their hand when they don't feel they need to raise extra money to get to flight.

~Jon

Online FutureSpaceTourist

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Re: Astra Space
« Reply #113 on: 12/06/2018 09:00 pm »
Quote
Astra Space suborbital launch fails
by Jeff Foust — December 6, 2018

WASHINGTON — A test flight in Alaska of a small launch vehicle by a stealthy startup company ended in failure in late November, the Federal Aviation Administration has revealed.

[…]

“Even though all five engines failed, all debris landed in the spaceport boundary and there were no injuries or property damage to the uninvolved public.”

https://spacenews.com/astra-space-suborbital-launch-fails/

Offline ringsider

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Re: Astra Space
« Reply #114 on: 12/07/2018 02:22 pm »
I suspect he was not supposed to say anything about that....

Offline ringsider

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Re: Astra Space
« Reply #115 on: 02/17/2019 09:48 am »
Commercial Customer Launch (Name NDA restricted) Update

Commercial Customer X (P120 mission) successfully launched on July 20, 2018. P120 was the first commercial launch from PSCA in our twenty-year history.
 
Flight #2 is scheduled for October 2018.

Due to changes in the design of the Launch Vehicle a third flight is not expected until the summer of 2019.

Facility Damage Report from July 20, 2018 Launch

WALTER reported that commercial customer P120 had a successful launch, however the flight was not successful. 

Flight damage was limited to the Integration Processing Facility (IPF) exterior siding without  causing any structural or internal damage to the facility. 

The customers insurance agency has taken full responsibilities and is working with AAC to resolve. 

Spacecraft Assembly and Transfer Facility Structural Issue

WALTERS reported that after P120 launched from LP2 staff noticed a deformation in the rails. 

In subsequent meetings with AAC’s engineering firm, BRPH it was concluded the new SCAT is considerably heavier than the predecessor as well as using a new roller configuration.


http://www.akaerospace.com/sites/default/files/minutes/2018%2009%2013%20Board%20of%20Directors%20Minutes.pdf

« Last Edit: 02/17/2019 09:54 am by ringsider »

Online Steven Pietrobon

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Re: Astra Space
« Reply #116 on: 02/18/2019 05:21 am »
WALTER reported that commercial customer P120 had a successful launch, however the flight was not successful. 

Flight damage was limited to the Integration Processing Facility (IPF) exterior siding without  causing any structural or internal damage to the facility.

That's taking spin to the next level! How could the launch have been successful went it must have gone out of control and damaged the IPF building? Pictures of the IPF in the link below (before the damage).

http://www.parabolicarc.com/2016/08/20/alaska-officials-rededicate-pacific-spaceport-complex/
Akin's Laws of Spacecraft Design #1:  Engineering is done with numbers.  Analysis without numbers is only an opinion.

Offline brussell

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Re: Astra Space
« Reply #117 on: 02/18/2019 09:19 pm »
Spin by who? Has the company said anything publicly? Besides, how do you know what's the success criteria?

WALTER reported that commercial customer P120 had a successful launch, however the flight was not successful. 

Flight damage was limited to the Integration Processing Facility (IPF) exterior siding without  causing any structural or internal damage to the facility.

That's taking spin to the next level! How could the launch have been successful went it must have gone out of control and damaged the IPF building? Pictures of the IPF in the link below (before the damage).

http://www.parabolicarc.com/2016/08/20/alaska-officials-rededicate-pacific-spaceport-complex/

Offline gongora

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Re: Astra Space
« Reply #118 on: 03/06/2019 03:26 am »
Astra filed a heavily redacted FCC permit application (0131-EX-CN-2019) that seems to be for avionics testing near their facility in California.  It mentions the antenna being in a rocket that is less than 50 feet tall.
« Last Edit: 03/06/2019 03:27 am by gongora »

Offline PM3

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Re: Astra Space
« Reply #119 on: 04/11/2019 03:22 am »
There are rumours that Astra is one of three finalists of the Darpa Launch Challenge. Three out of 55 contenders! This would mean they will launch a Darpa payload in early 2020, and a second one if the first launch succeeds.

https://spacenews.com/three-companies-selected-for-darpa-launch-challenge/

Quote
Todd Master, the manager of the competition at DARPA, said the unnamed company will identify itself closer to the dates of the competition. “At this time they’re not ready to do that,” he said.
"Never, never be afraid of the truth." -- Jim Bridenstine

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