Three months after Astra’s last attempt at an orbital rocket launch from Kodiak, they successfully launched a rocket that crossed the border between Earth’s atmosphere and outer space. Rocket 3.2 blasted off from Kodiak on Tuesday afternoon.
The goal of the mission was a nominal first-stage burn, followed by fairing separation and stage separation. According to Astra, Rocket 3.2 achieved all goals.
A quick video recap of our 8.5-minute flight to space today! pic.twitter.com/gvElF4fbAZ
— Astra (@Astra) December 16, 2020
One significant result of the successful launch is that Astra now believes they will be ready for their first customer payload within a few months, as well as the ability to deliver to customers. As of Wednesday, they have contracted over two dozen launches.
What’s next for Astra? They are working on their next rocket, utilizing what was learned by Rocket 3.2’s data.
