KMXT 100.1 FM Public Radio in Kodiak, Alaska
The aerospace company Astra will be taking another shot at a Kodiak launch next month after a failed launch earlier this year.
This (Monday) morning, Astra announced on Twitter that their next launch is planned to take place between August 2nd and 7th, a six-day launch window that will be open from 11:30am to 3pm each day.
Astra will be launching Rocket 3.1, a small rocket launcher that the company is hoping will make its first trip to orbit from Kodiak.
If Rocket 3.1 sounds familiar, it’s an upgrade of the Rocket 3 version that failed to reach orbit back in March. Astra was attempting to win a launch challenge sponsored by DARPA, which stands for Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, an arm of the US military that develops new technology for military use.
Astra didn’t win that prize, but they are going to try again, as they are preparing their rockets to deliver satellites to low orbits.
Rocket 3.1 is a relatively small rocket, only 40-feet tall, which makes it more portable. Astra says that its rapid manufacturing and focus on small payloads, what they call a “mass-market delivery system”, makes their launch system more cost-effective than other aerospace operations.
Kodiak can expect temporary road closures of Pasagshak Road to Fossil Beach between August 2nd and 7th, with additional air and marine restrictions.
You can watch a test of the Rocket 3.1 here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-FENTJF5TE
