CNN/IBN/AP/Washington Post After a second-stage rocket engine went down early on Sunday in space, Astra Space’s (ASTR.O) mission to put miniature storm-monitoring NASA satellites into orbit failed.
Astra’s Rocket 3.3 blasted off at 1:43 p.m. ET (1743 GMT) from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida at the time of the disaster.
“The initial part of the flight went well. As a result of this, we were not able to put our payloads into orbit, “explained Amanda Durk Frye, Astra’s webcast commentator.
Two tiny satellites developed by MIT’s Lincoln Laboratory were launched into space on the rocket. They will be used to study tropical storm moisture and precipitation. They were supposed to be the first of a set of six satellites for NASA. Astra plans to launch the rest of the set soon as well.
It was Astra’s second mission failure this year as the company tries to get its business off the ground with Rocket 3.3, a two-stage rocket that can carry 330 pounds (150 kilogrammes) of satellites into low-Earth orbit, reports Space.com.
Two of Astra’s seven efforts to put a satellite into orbit have been successful, the first in November of last year and the second in March of this year.
NASA works with small rocket companies to launch low-cost research payloads. This is done to help the rocket industry grow.
Thomas Zurbuchen, who was in charge of the project as the head of NASA’s science section, said on Twitter, “Despite today’s launch failure with @Astra, the mission gave a great chance for new research and launch capabilities.”
While we are saddened by the current situation, we recognise that taking risks in our broader NASA Science portfolio is essential for us to continue to lead.