Astra rocket aborts 1st Florida launch attempt at last second (video)

Astra came tantalizingly close today (Feb. 7) to its first-ever launch of operational satellites. The California company’s Launch Vehicle 0008 (LV0008) was scheduled to launch the ELaNa 41 mission for NASA today from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. And it nearly happened: LV0008’s first-stage engines fired up at 1:50 p.m. EST (1850 GMT) … Read more

Astra scrubs 1st Florida launch attempt due to faulty ‘range asset’

Astra’s first launch of operational satellites will have to wait at least another day. The California company planned to launch the ELaNa 41 mission for NASA today (Feb. 5) from Florida’s Cape Canaveral Space Force Station but was thwarted by an issue at the launch range. “Unfortunately, due to a range asset that has gone … Read more

Astra will launch a rocket from Florida for the 1st time today and you can watch it live

Astra will launch its first-ever mission from the Lower 48 on Saturday (Feb. 5), and you can watch the action live. The California startup plans to launch the ELaNa 41 mission from Florida’s Cape Canaveral Space Force Station Saturday during a three-hour window that opens at 1 p.m. EST (1800 GMT).  Watch it live here … Read more

Astra test-fires rocket ahead of 1st Florida launch (video)

Astra took another step forward in preparing for its first-ever launch of operational satellites. The California company performed a “static fire” test with its Rocket 3.3 vehicle at Florida’s Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on Saturday (Jan. 22), briefly igniting the launcher’s first-stage engines while keeping it anchored to the pad. The test is part … Read more

SpaceX Dragon splashes down off Florida coast with nearly 5,000 pounds of science on board

SpaceX’s latest cargo mission is back on Earth with a huge haul of science experiments on board. The Dragon CRS-24 cargo ship splashed down today (Jan. 24) in the Atlantic Ocean at 4:05 p.m. EST (2105 GMT), off the coast of Florida near Panama City. “Splashdown of Dragon confirmed, completing SpaceX’s 24th resupply mission to … Read more