Will Astra survive till 2026?

[trimeta]

Perhaps I was being too optimistic about "the satellite thruster business gets auctioned off." I guess they probably still have at least some equipment that's valuable, much like Virgin Orbit's headquarters/factory?

[niwax]

With the Apollo situation, Astra has effectively just declared bankruptcy.

In order to keep the initial price down, Astra agreed on payments to employees and the former owners as Apollo reached milestones, almost $100 million cash in total. They just offered a settlement of $7 million, or $2 million in cash and the rest in stock instead.

That's their biggest debt being settled at 7 cents on the dollar...

[dglow]

https://techcrunch.com/2023/08/28/astras-apollo-fusion-acquisition-followed-by-delays-and-desertion/

Astra’s Apollo Fusion acquisition followed by delays and desertion
Staff departures and overly optimistic delivery timelines impact Astra’s engine ambitions

Aria Alamalhodaei

@breadfrom / 10:12 PM GMT+1•August 28, 2023

SMDH here

If accurate, Astra bought the business only to ignore its people. I can’t think of many industries where human capital is more important. Moreover, Apollo Fusion’s acquisition may only have been a convenient sink for SPAC $$ in order to claim ‘diversification’. Sigh.

I’ve long wondered/hoped, against intuition, whether it was possible that Kemp & Co. were just dealt the unluckiest of hands … repeatedly. Turns out, Kemp is the CEO with no clothes, at least when it comes to people and team, in which case Astra’s series of unfortunate events makes perfect sense.

Minus Astra, sigh.

[TrevorMonty]

Perhaps I was being too optimistic about "the satellite thruster business gets auctioned off." I guess they probably still have at least some equipment that's valuable, much like Virgin Orbit's headquarters/factory?

Customers must be getting worried and probably looking to switch engine suppliers. Not straight forward as it would mean major redesign of satellite bus.

[Zed_Noir]

Perhaps I was being too optimistic about "the satellite thruster business gets auctioned off." I guess they probably still have at least some equipment that's valuable, much like Virgin Orbit's headquarters/factory?

Customers must be getting worried and probably looking to switch engine suppliers. Not straight forward as it would mean major redesign of satellite bus.

Maybe it time for a major player to acquire Astra to wind up the non Apollo Fusion thruster business. Otherwise finding alternate thrusters will likely lead to inquires at Hawthorne, who is currently the largest US producer of thrusters AFAIK.

[Robotbeat]

Busek is another provider.

I think Astra isn’t dead yet. Having a capability to build a bunch of missilesrockets cheaply and in very large numbers is valuable.

[TrevorMonty]

Busek is another provider.

I think Astra isn’t dead yet. Having a capability to build a bunch of missilesrockets cheaply and in very large numbers is valuable.

Military gave up on LOX fuelled missiles in 60s. The benefit was these obsolete missiles turned into basis for LVs.

[Robotbeat]

Busek is another provider.

I think Astra isn’t dead yet. Having a capability to build a bunch of missilesrockets cheaply and in very large numbers is valuable.

Military gave up on LOX fuelled missiles in 60s. The benefit was these obsolete missiles turned into basis for LVs.

where did I mention liquid oxygen? Draper is a storable version of the Hadley engine from Ursa Major. Ursa Major already is an engine provider for Astra

[JulesVerneATV]

Chris Kemp, CEO of Astra Space

[AndrewM]

Well, somehow, Astra is still alive as we prepare to enter 2026.

https://twitter.com/Astra/status/2000573921025016231?s=20 [Dec. 15]

Xenon thruster firing during pre-flight testing in our 3-chamber vacuum. (Sound on!)

In recent weeks, more Astra spacecraft engines have been placed in orbit and are now supporting maneuverability for customer satellites around the globe.