Author Topic: Astra Launch System 2 / Rocket 4  (Read 22503 times)

Offline niwax

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Re: Astra Launch System 2
« Reply #20 on: 02/01/2023 01:23 pm »
A bit engine rich at the end?
Some kerolox engine also sent TEA-TEB at shutdown

It looks very uniform for burn-through, the exhaust also seems to be quite low pressure to still be that bright green from copper. Igniter fluid would be my guess.
Which booster has the most soot? SpaceX booster launch history! (discussion)

Offline edzieba

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Re: Astra Launch System 2
« Reply #21 on: 02/01/2023 02:06 pm »
The green tinged flame is also visible in Firefly's testing of Lightning and Reaver (from which Astra's Rocket 4 engine is derived).

Offline FutureSpaceTourist

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Re: Astra Launch System 2
« Reply #22 on: 03/02/2023 01:33 pm »

Offline FutureSpaceTourist

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Re: Astra Launch System 2
« Reply #23 on: 03/17/2023 04:46 pm »
https://twitter.com/astra/status/1636785792252256256

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Our first hot fire using the thrust vector control (TVC) system for Rocket 4’s first stage engine. The TVC is the mechanism that allows us to control the direction of the thrust for the rocket used by our Guidance Navigation Control (GNC) systems. #AdAstra

Offline FutureSpaceTourist

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Re: Astra Launch System 2
« Reply #24 on: 03/24/2023 01:22 pm »
https://twitter.com/astra/status/1639266581644492806

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Join us for the livestream of @Astra's 2nd Annual Spacetech Day on Tuesday, April 25, 2023. We'll share updates on Launch System 2, the Astra Spacecraft Engine™, and more: http://astra.com/livestream #SpacetechDay2023

Offline FutureSpaceTourist

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Re: Astra Launch System 2
« Reply #25 on: 03/31/2023 10:42 pm »
https://spacenews.com/astra-says-rocket-4-development-on-schedule-for-late-2023-first-flight/

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Astra says Rocket 4 development on schedule for late 2023 first flight
Jeff Foust
March 31, 2023

WASHINGTON — Astra is still planning to conduct a first launch of its Rocket 4 vehicle before the end of the year as it scales up production of spacecraft electric propulsion systems.

Offline Tywin

Re: Astra Launch System 2
« Reply #26 on: 04/12/2023 03:37 pm »
Can someone confirm the engines of first and second stage of Astra Launch System 2?
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Re: Astra Launch System 2
« Reply #27 on: 04/12/2023 05:31 pm »
Can someone confirm the engines of first and second stage of Astra Launch System 2?
"Confirm," no, Astra has been extremely secretive about their engine choices. However, in practice we know that the first stage uses two Reaver engines, and Phantom Space's Daytona rocket (which nominally uses nine Ursa Major Hadleys on the first stage and a single Hadley on the second stage) lists the same second-stage thrust as Astra does in their payload user's guide. So Rocket 4's second stage is almost certainly powered by a single Hadley as well.

Offline FutureSpaceTourist

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Re: Astra Launch System 2
« Reply #28 on: 04/18/2023 07:47 pm »
https://twitter.com/astra/status/1648411323699703809

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We're just one week away from the livestream of @Astra's 2nd Annual Spacetech Day on Tuesday, April 25, 2023. Join us for updates on Launch System 2, the Astra Spacecraft Engine™, and more: https://astra.com/livestream #SpacetechDay2023


Offline FutureSpaceTourist

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Re: Astra Launch System 2
« Reply #29 on: 04/21/2023 01:26 pm »
https://astra.com/news/space-force-launch-rocket-4/

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SPACE FORCE AWARDS ASTRA NEW LAUNCH ORDER FOR ROCKET 4
APRIL 21, 2023
Task order valued at $11.45 million for a launch of an ESPA-class space vehicle and additional cubesats through the Orbital Services Program (OSP-4) contract

ALAMEDA, Calif. – April 21, 2023 – Astra Space, Inc. (“Astra”)(Nasdaq: ASTR) announced today that it has been awarded a launch task order for Rocket 4 through the United States Space Force’s Orbital Services Program (OSP)-4 contract.

“The Space Force deliberately structured the OSP-4 contract to leverage emerging launch solutions for mission partners like the DoD Space Test Program,” said Lt. Col. Justin Beltz, chief of Space Systems Command’s Small Launch and Targets Division. “Today’s award reflects the tremendous promise industry is bringing to the table with systems like Rocket 4. We look forward to working with Astra to make this launch a success.”

The STP-S29B mission is a Category 2 Mission Assurance launch, which will entail substantial efforts from Astra in tandem with the Government team and its independent mission assurance contractors to support a mission designed for success.

“STP-S29B demands a higher level of mission assurance than previous Astra launches and therefore represents a significant increase in Astra’s coordination with the Space Force to perform a launch designed for mission success,” said Dr. Thomas Williams, senior director of Federal Sales at Astra. “Astra’s ability to compete for this mission was based on the tremendous work that our team has done to design a repeatably reliable Rocket 4 and our previous experience successfully delivering multi-manifest missions to their desired orbits.”

Offline FutureSpaceTourist

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Re: Astra Launch System 2 / Rocket 4
« Reply #30 on: 04/24/2023 01:05 pm »
https://twitter.com/astra/status/1650485884373078022

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The upper stage of Astra's Rocket 4 will use the vacuum variant of @ursamajortech's Hadley, an oxygen-rich staged combustion engine fueled by liquid kerosene that will provide 6,500 pounds of thrust: #AdAstra #UrsaMajorTech


Re: Astra Launch System 2 / Rocket 4
« Reply #31 on: 04/25/2023 08:25 pm »
During today's stream Astra unveiled a "sort of" complete Rocket 4 launcher. First "fit check" for the integrated vehicle.

First stage engines will be used for engine qualification testing
First stage structure and tanks are the qualification article that will be tested in the coming weeks.
Second stage engine is fully acceptance tested and qualified for flight by Ursa Major
Upper stage tank is the first tank they have built for the second stage, probably just a dev, not qual stage if I had to guess

Test launch this year is still possible I guess, will have to keep an eye on their financial situation as well. Still rocking that "manufacture and launch a rocket once a day" slogan too, we'll see how far they get :p

Offline FutureSpaceTourist

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Re: Astra Launch System 2 / Rocket 4
« Reply #32 on: 04/25/2023 10:35 pm »
https://twitter.com/tylerg1998/status/1650981872761987075

Quote
ICYMI: During @Astra’s 2nd annual Spacetech Day showcase, the company unveiled their Rocket 4 for the first time.

The unit they showed will be used for ground testing and fit checks in preparation for the vehicle’s first test flight NET the end of this year.

Offline FutureSpaceTourist

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Re: Astra Launch System 2 / Rocket 4
« Reply #33 on: 07/04/2023 06:20 pm »
https://twitter.com/thejackbeyer/status/1676294630369796111

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In our latest video we take a deep dive into @Astra's rocket factory, and their brand new rocket production line. We chat with CEO Chirs Kemp (@Kemp) and VP of Manufacturing Bryson Gentile, and I try to get a payload flown on Rocket 4! @NASASpaceflight

➡️


Offline TrevorMonty

Re: Astra Launch System 2 / Rocket 4
« Reply #34 on: 07/09/2023 12:21 pm »
Building factory that is geared upto weekly launches and capable of supporting daily launches.

Their business plan is behind times especially when competition will be flying RLVs. Once over dozen launches a year RLVs are the way to go.

Offline Robotbeat

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Re: Astra Launch System 2 / Rocket 4
« Reply #35 on: 07/10/2023 05:55 pm »
Building factory that is geared upto weekly launches and capable of supporting daily launches.

Their business plan is behind times especially when competition will be flying RLVs. Once over dozen launches a year RLVs are the way to go.
Totally agreed, but “cheap, frequent small expendables” is a perfect segue into making cheap ballistic *ahem* hypersonic missiles.

Which is partially why I think DARPA has been supporting smallsat launch startups for the last >2 decades, even if the companies themselves don’t tout that business case. Hence the storable propellant rocket engine Draper from Ursa Major (now an engine manufacturing partner of Astra). Hence RocketLab’s “HASTE”
« Last Edit: 07/10/2023 05:56 pm by Robotbeat »
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To the maximum extent practicable, the Federal Government shall plan missions to accommodate the space transportation services capabilities of United States commercial providers. US law http://goo.gl/YZYNt0

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Re: Astra Launch System 2 / Rocket 4
« Reply #36 on: 07/10/2023 06:02 pm »
Building factory that is geared upto weekly launches and capable of supporting daily launches.

Their business plan is behind times especially when competition will be flying RLVs. Once over dozen launches a year RLVs are the way to go.
Totally agreed, but “cheap, frequent small expendables” is a perfect segue into making cheap ballistic *ahem* hypersonic missiles.

Which is partially why I think DARPA has been supporting smallsat launch startups for the last >2 decades, even if the companies themselves don’t tout that business case. Hence the storable propellant rocket engine Draper from Ursa Major (now an engine manufacturing partner of Astra). Hence RocketLab’s “HASTE”
That doesn't explain Astra itself, though, which exclusively uses kerolox engines. I guess they could do a 9/1 thing with Ursa Major's Draper engine, but that would be a pretty big change.

Offline Robotbeat

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Re: Astra Launch System 2 / Rocket 4
« Reply #37 on: 07/10/2023 06:24 pm »
I don’t believe Astra’s founders built it to be a ballistic missile company. But that’s kind of the obvious remaining use case for mass manufacturing of small expendables once reuse is proven like it is now. Draper is an evolution of Hadley, which Astra is already using. And technically, for prompt global strike based in the US, it’s not necessarily required to use storables.

DARPA may have different motivations than Astra.
Chris  Whoever loves correction loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid.

To the maximum extent practicable, the Federal Government shall plan missions to accommodate the space transportation services capabilities of United States commercial providers. US law http://goo.gl/YZYNt0

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Re: Astra Launch System 2 / Rocket 4
« Reply #38 on: 07/10/2023 06:27 pm »
I don’t believe Astra’s founders built it to be a ballistic missile company. But that’s kind of the obvious remaining use case for mass manufacturing of small expendables once reuse is proven like it is now. Draper is an evolution of Hadley, which Astra is already using. And technically, for prompt global strike based in the US, it’s not necessarily required to use storables.

DARPA may have different motivations than Astra.
People thought the US military would save Virgin Orbit too, since their "launch from an airplane" tech was more flexible than anything else. That didn't work out either.

Offline Robotbeat

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Re: Astra Launch System 2 / Rocket 4
« Reply #39 on: 07/10/2023 06:32 pm »
I don’t believe Astra’s founders built it to be a ballistic missile company. But that’s kind of the obvious remaining use case for mass manufacturing of small expendables once reuse is proven like it is now. Draper is an evolution of Hadley, which Astra is already using. And technically, for prompt global strike based in the US, it’s not necessarily required to use storables.

DARPA may have different motivations than Astra.
People thought the US military would save Virgin Orbit too, since their "launch from an airplane" tech was more flexible than anything else. That didn't work out either.
Virgin Orbit’s capabilities didn’t disappear. You’ll never guess what Virgin Orbit’s firesale sold assets are gonna be used for…

(ahem, “hypersonic testbed”… which means weapons-related hypersonic testing and RocketLab, which is boosting US-side capacity for defense-related—but non-orbital—missions like HASTE, bought up Virgin Orbit’s factory in California…)
Chris  Whoever loves correction loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid.

To the maximum extent practicable, the Federal Government shall plan missions to accommodate the space transportation services capabilities of United States commercial providers. US law http://goo.gl/YZYNt0

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