Astra Space

Astra’s mission is to Improve Life on Earth from Space® by creating a healthier and more connected planet.

• Plans a modular line of thin disc-shaped modular spacecraft platforms.
• Astra cut its overall headcount to about 120 employees from about 150 in March 2020 after anomaly during a prelaunch test and pandemic to survive until 2021.
• Pitches three businesses: launch services, spaceport services and satellite services.
• Three companies win NASA small launch contracts, 2020-12-12.
• Take a look inside Astra’s rocket factory, as the company prepares to go public.
• Astra’s 100-year plan: Q&A with CEO Chris Kemp, March 1, 2021.
• Astra Announces Launch Contract with Spire Global, 2021-08-12.
• Astra received a $3.9 million contract from NASA for Mission One from Venture Class Launch Services 2 program.
• Take a look inside Astra’s rocket factory, as the company prepares to go public.
• On-Orbit Data and Validation of Astra's ACE Electric Propulsion System.
• Astra to fly upgraded rocket on next launch, 2021-08-13.
• Astra finalizes plans for first Florida launch, 2022-02-01.
• Announced in 2022 that it has been selected by Airbus OneWeb Satellites to supply the Astra Spacecraft Engin for integration into the portfolio of Arrow commercial small satellites manufactured by AOS.
• What's next for Astra, with CEO Chris Kemp. Payload, 2022-10-04.
• Astra lays off 16% to focus on spacecraft thrusters and new rocket. November 2022, Spacenews.
• Astra's Rocket 4 - New launch system explained. 2022-11-13, VideoFromSpace.
• Awarded a launch contract add-on for Rocket 4’s first test flight with the U.S. Department of Defense in May 2023. This award is an add-on to Astra’s existing contract with the DIU.
• Rocket 4 is designed for a nominal payload capacity of approximately 600 kilograms to a 500 km mid-inclination orbit. 
• Astra is cutting 25% of its workforce and restructuring to focus more on its spacecraft engine business, CNBC, 2023-08-04.
  • Astra is cutting about 70 employees, as well as reallocating about 50 personnel from its rocket development program over to its space products unit, which builds the company’s spacecraft engines.
  •  Astra noted that it had 278 total orders for spacecraft engines, as of four months ago, worth about $77 million in contracts. It expects to deliver on “a substantial majority” of those orders by the end of 2024.
  • The prioritization of the spacecraft engine business “will affect the timing of the Company’s future test launches.”
• Astra considered bankruptcy as it struggled to raise cash, SpaceNews, 2024-04-19.