Astra scrubs rocket launch from the Space Coast for a 2nd time on Monday

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. — It came down to the wire, but Astra had to abort what would have been the startup’s first ever launch from the Space Coast at the end of Monday’s countdown.

Monday’s launch was scrubbed due to a minor telemetry issue, equipment used to monitor the position and health of a launch vehicle.

The clock counted all the way down to t-minus zero before the launch was aborted.

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This was the second scrub for Astra, which called off Saturday’s attempt due to a launch range radar system issue.

Astra is trying to launch the Elana-41 Mission for NASA. It’s the company’s first operational mission.

The launch will bring four Cubesats, or tiny satellites, into space for NASA, as well as the University of Alabama, the University of California Berkley, and New Mexico State University.

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NASA chose Astra Space and two other companies to launch miniature satellites to increase its role in exploration, technology, research and education.

Astra is the first launch provider to receive a Part 450 license from the FAA. It’s an expedited license that allows for a higher launch cadence and greater flexibility.

Astra’s Rocket-3, which stands just 43 feet tall, was built to carry smaller payloads to orbit in an effort to expand access to space. The company’s launch from the cape will be a major milestone toward fulfilling that objective.

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According to its website, Astra, founded in 2016, aims to offer the “lowest cost-per-launch dedicated orbital launch service of any operational launch provider in the world.”

Astra delivered its first commercial payload into Earth’s orbit in 2021, and has conducted a handful of successful launches from the Pacific Spaceport Complex in Alaska.

Astra is the first launch provider to receive a Part 450 license from the FAA. It’s an expedited license that allows for a higher launch cadence and greater flexibility.

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Astra said it will be giving teams time to complete a thorough review and then will set a date for the next launch opportunity.

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