I'm not sure if this is just some noise, but "Pomerantz Law Firm Investigates Claims On Behalf of Investors of Astra Space, Inc."https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/shareholder-alert-pomerantz-law-firm-investigates-claims-on-behalf-of-investors-of-astra-space-inc---astr-301365630.html
Is this company finished? All communication seems non-existent since the August launch.
Been hearing rumors that @Firefly_Space is sellling engines to @Astra. Firefly CEO has said it has a deal to sell 50 engines to some rocket maker. Astra CEO Chris Kemp, however, denied this is an interview with me. “We are not buying engines from Firefly,” Kemp said. He addedThat Astra will buy IP as needed. "There could be a relationship with Firefly, right?," he said. "But we are not having them make engines for us."Don't totally know what all this means. . . .
Quote from: Davidthefat on 09/21/2021 03:27 pmThey'll need a lot of infrastructure to be built up to produce the Reaver engines, even if they have all the IP like engineering drawings, etc. The TCA specifically is made completely different processes from the Astra's engines (details on that are discussed in prior conversations). How reliant Astra will be on outside suppliers for each step of the TCA fabrication process is important to see as investors. May be they'll just develop their own TCA and just take the power pack from Reaver. One point to consider: The TCA in the Reaver engine is "integral" to the engine itself thanks to the nature of the tap-off cycle. I suspect it would be very difficult substitute Firefly's TCA with a different, considering the exact method the combustion gas is extracted in the TCA probably has very much to do with the performance and reliability of the engine. Plus, I'm sure the extraction method is the secret sauce that's hard to nail down.
They'll need a lot of infrastructure to be built up to produce the Reaver engines, even if they have all the IP like engineering drawings, etc. The TCA specifically is made completely different processes from the Astra's engines (details on that are discussed in prior conversations). How reliant Astra will be on outside suppliers for each step of the TCA fabrication process is important to see as investors. May be they'll just develop their own TCA and just take the power pack from Reaver.
How close does one Reaver come to replacing the 5 Delphins on Rocket 3?
Quote from: JEF_300 on 09/21/2021 06:09 pmHow close does one Reaver come to replacing the 5 Delphins on Rocket 3?740 kN reaver engine versus 5 28 kN Delphin engines.
Could this be a reaction to the recent Astra failure? Seems like something that would have already been in planning stages for some time.
Quote from: ncb1397 on 09/21/2021 06:26 pmQuote from: JEF_300 on 09/21/2021 06:09 pmHow close does one Reaver come to replacing the 5 Delphins on Rocket 3?740 kN reaver engine versus 5 28 kN Delphin engines.I think that 740 kN number is for the Firefly first stage, with four Reavers. So about 185 kN per engine, versus 140 kN for a set of five Delphins.
Question would be roll control of the vehicle (if that means they'll use gas thrusters or what) and retrofitting the vehicle with a new thrust structure and an additional TVC axis on the engine + engine controller, etc...
Max Haot, CEO at Launcher (who also imported Ukraininan tech/IP to have an off-the-shelf turbopump) thinks the deal is "insane"