Rocket launch company Astra has suffered a second launch failure this year as its LV0010 launch vehicle failed to enter orbit with a pair of NASA meteorological satellites on board. “The top stage closed soon and we did not deliver the payloads into orbit,” the company tweeted. “We have shared our grief with NASA and the payload team. More information will be provided after a complete review of the data is completed.”
The launch was backed by NASA as part of its mission to deliver six TROPICS CubeSat meteorological satellites into orbit. These low-cost satellites were designed to help NASA better monitor the development of tropical storms.
NASA was disappointed, but remained optimistic about the Astra program. “Although today’s launch with Astra did not go as planned, the mission provided a great opportunity for new launch and science capabilities,” tweeted Thomas Zuburchen, associate administrator of NASA’s science division. “While we’re disappointed right now, we know it’s worth taking risks in our overall NASA science portfolio because innovation is needed to lead.”
Astra’s last mission also ended in failure, with the loss of four CubeSats, including three of the universities. The company blamed it for two separate issues, a wiring error and a software failure.
No wonder the launch errors early in the life of a rocket company: RocketLab has suffered three since it began launching in 2017, and even SpaceX failed with its first three launches of Falcon 1 between 2006 and 2008. However, Astra’s streak is starting to look like a problem. Of the seven orbital launch attempts, five have failed, with problems ranging from orientation issues to software defects to engine failures.
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