Seems like EVERYONE is STILL trying to launch. It's almost 2025 and still feels like 2021. All these delays from.....well....everybody, gets old. Been saying this a few years now, but hopefully we all have better luck next year.
Well at least one company is launching. Maybe two soon with blue origin coming up but I’m not holding my breath until we actually see a launch day from them..
@@FerociousPancake888 ULA, Rocketlab, SpaceX and Firefly are all US companies flying to orbit semi-regularly. Northrup Grumman is also still around, though it's quite rare that they launch a Minotaur rocket and Antares is taking a break until the 300 series is ready in a year or so. So that's 4.5 companies in the USA alone.
What are you talking about? There are several launch providers regularly launching. What I think a lot of people don’t understand is that there isn’t some massively long manifest of payloads itching to get to orbit. The number of payloads launched per year is exactly how many needed to go to to orbit. This is a pretty small market all things considered. Other than starlink there aren’t really that many satellites that need to go to orbit each year
I'm very pessimistic about Astra. If Rocket 4 actually successfully launches, and starts doing so reliably, it will be doing it right as everyone else is starting to operate medium launch vehicles. The small launch market already struggled when it was only SpaceX doing rides shares, but when Neutron, MLV, Falcon 9, Starship, and New Glenn can do rides shares, I feel like Astra has no chance.
I'm guessing that the clandestine nature of Rocket 4's mobility and logistics is what's keeping it relevant. The DoD is apparently interested enough to help fund the project. No guarantees, of course, but I agree it's becoming a crowded, more competitive market.
@WasatchWind Rocket 4 (600kg to LEO/350kg to SSO) is only slightly larger than Rocketlab's electron (320kg LEO/ 200kg SSO). It's main competition will be Electron, Firefly's Alpha and Northrop Grumman's Minotaur, all of which have been flying despite rideshare options.
@plainText384 You misunderstand. Right now it's only SpaceX doing rideshare, in a few years, Rocket Lab, Firefly, and others like Blue Origin will be able to do it too. All these new medium launchers are also planning on incorporating reuse, so it will bring down further the cost per kilogram. There will finally be competitors to Falcon 9, and just rockets that are flying more often, and so available options in general, where in the past you had few options because most rockets were locked down already with preexisting launch contracts, cause they barely flew. All this is going to increase competition, therefore lowering price further, creating a pretty hostile environment for Astra.
@WasatchWind cost per kilogram isn't the only key metric. 200kg to SSO costs $7.5M on Rocketlab's Electron and only $1.2M on a Falcon 9 Rideshare mission. But Electron still flies regularly. Clearly, the flexibility that comes with a dedicated launch vehicle is worth a significant increase in launch costs for certain customers.
Huge fan of their "Tokyo Drift" launch absolutely one of the best and most unique ever. This is a very unique mission packet and mission set so glad to see they can still get funding and are sticking to the original approach as one problem with all current launch systems holistic is an ability to launch from basically anywhere and this most definitely has always pushed forward this unique approach hence why the keep getting funding I imagine. Glad for the update 😊😊
Is it just me or do their rockets seem more like they're trying to backdoor their way into being a ballistic missile provider than trying to be a launch provider? Everything fitting in/on trucks and being mobile deployable... what's the civilian benefit to that? A handful of fixed sites should cover a lot of potential orbits.
It's semi-cryogenic, meaning it would be a poor weapon platform. Too much set up time and equipment needed. I'm pretty sure it's intended to be exactly what they say, a "responsive" launch platform. I take that to mean it's likely going to be launch on demand spy sats.
I've always wanted Astra to succeed. I think the DARPA Launch Challenge for rapid space capability is important, and Astras attempt to mass produce a product was interesting. Here's hoping that Rocket 4 pays off!
it used to be a fun time whenever a rocket 3 launched, i knew something was highly likely to go wrong on a launch, so it was fun to guess what would go wrong, never got it right 🤣, hope that rocket 4 works
@TerraSpaceIndustries I understand. The Tokyo drift launch was hilarious. Just pointing out that saying they never got it right is incorrect, when they got it right twice.
That sideways launch was an epic display of how to fail a rocket launch in style. I'd like to see them succeed and provide another example of how privates can do what used to require Nation State support, and still does for much of the world.
Astra is now contracted to produce one "tactical" orbital rocket per day, 365 rockets annually, all rolling off the production line; AND on behalf the US Department of Defense. And, each one is portable AND designed to fit itself, and its 400kg classified payload, snugly into a conventional (and anonymous) shipping container, for transport around the Globe. Somewhere. If my country, New Zealand, WASN'T on friendly terms with the United States, I would be even MORE apprehensive about surviving every day in this Second Cold War. Astra... 🇺🇸🚀🚀🚀🚀🚛⛴🌏⁉️👤🇳🇿🦎⏳💥
Essentially how I see it, it's been quite a journey for these startups. Astra has not had an easy Journey. I honestly don't know if they have time or the funding left to be able to succeed now. You'll be interesting how it comes out, but if you don't have a reusable rocket and there's questions about reliability and more importantly funding. It's hard to see how they expect to compete of the government contracts which essentially saved SpaceX when they started out.
They have a production line, and intend to mass produce those, I think the goal is one rocket per day, if the average cost is under one million dollars per piece, then they will launch more cheaper than falcon9 and everyone else the satellites that can be launched with their rocket.
Gosh it is not a totally inspiring story, but quite possibly it is all being done on a fairly low budget. Musk / Spacex are in a league truly of their own, but he had the luxury of self-financing from the outset. Mind you, the likes of Rocket Lab also started small (which a kiwi founder no less!), and are kicking goals.
Astra's greatest feat has always been the horizontal rocket launch.
Fingers crossed they can overcome that legacy in the coming years
They should have patented that sideways exit stage left ability.🤣
Would be nice to see Astra succeed. Still wondering if finances will ground this company before a reliable vehicle can be developed.
Seems like EVERYONE is STILL trying to launch. It's almost 2025 and still feels like 2021. All these delays from.....well....everybody, gets old. Been saying this a few years now, but hopefully we all have better luck next year.
Well at least one company is launching. Maybe two soon with blue origin coming up but I’m not holding my breath until we actually see a launch day from them..
Patience is key because space is hard. Let's ba patient. Go team space!
Welcome to the industry.
@@FerociousPancake888 ULA, Rocketlab, SpaceX and Firefly are all US companies flying to orbit semi-regularly. Northrup Grumman is also still around, though it's quite rare that they launch a Minotaur rocket and Antares is taking a break until the 300 series is ready in a year or so. So that's 4.5 companies in the USA alone.
What are you talking about? There are several launch providers regularly launching. What I think a lot of people don’t understand is that there isn’t some massively long manifest of payloads itching to get to orbit. The number of payloads launched per year is exactly how many needed to go to to orbit. This is a pretty small market all things considered. Other than starlink there aren’t really that many satellites that need to go to orbit each year
I'm very pessimistic about Astra. If Rocket 4 actually successfully launches, and starts doing so reliably, it will be doing it right as everyone else is starting to operate medium launch vehicles.
The small launch market already struggled when it was only SpaceX doing rides shares, but when Neutron, MLV, Falcon 9, Starship, and New Glenn can do rides shares, I feel like Astra has no chance.
I'm guessing that the clandestine nature of Rocket 4's mobility and logistics is what's keeping it relevant. The DoD is apparently interested enough to help fund the project. No guarantees, of course, but I agree it's becoming a crowded, more competitive market.
@@kuckoo9036 Yeah - they're definitely looking like a military first launch provider. That seems like their natural niche.
@WasatchWind Rocket 4 (600kg to LEO/350kg to SSO) is only slightly larger than Rocketlab's electron (320kg LEO/ 200kg SSO). It's main competition will be Electron, Firefly's Alpha and Northrop Grumman's Minotaur, all of which have been flying despite rideshare options.
@plainText384 You misunderstand. Right now it's only SpaceX doing rideshare, in a few years, Rocket Lab, Firefly, and others like Blue Origin will be able to do it too. All these new medium launchers are also planning on incorporating reuse, so it will bring down further the cost per kilogram. There will finally be competitors to Falcon 9, and just rockets that are flying more often, and so available options in general, where in the past you had few options because most rockets were locked down already with preexisting launch contracts, cause they barely flew.
All this is going to increase competition, therefore lowering price further, creating a pretty hostile environment for Astra.
@WasatchWind cost per kilogram isn't the only key metric. 200kg to SSO costs $7.5M on Rocketlab's Electron and only $1.2M on a Falcon 9 Rideshare mission. But Electron still flies regularly. Clearly, the flexibility that comes with a dedicated launch vehicle is worth a significant increase in launch costs for certain customers.
Huge fan of their "Tokyo Drift" launch absolutely one of the best and most unique ever. This is a very unique mission packet and mission set so glad to see they can still get funding and are sticking to the original approach as one problem with all current launch systems holistic is an ability to launch from basically anywhere and this most definitely has always pushed forward this unique approach hence why the keep getting funding I imagine. Glad for the update 😊😊
Is it just me or do their rockets seem more like they're trying to backdoor their way into being a ballistic missile provider than trying to be a launch provider? Everything fitting in/on trucks and being mobile deployable... what's the civilian benefit to that? A handful of fixed sites should cover a lot of potential orbits.
It's semi-cryogenic, meaning it would be a poor weapon platform. Too much set up time and equipment needed. I'm pretty sure it's intended to be exactly what they say, a "responsive" launch platform. I take that to mean it's likely going to be launch on demand spy sats.
@@TheOwenMajorthe USSR used cryogenic ICBMs. Would be hard to justify these days though.
I've always wanted Astra to succeed. I think the DARPA Launch Challenge for rapid space capability is important, and Astras attempt to mass produce a product was interesting. Here's hoping that Rocket 4 pays off!
Thanks for the update.
I am looking forward to see how far sideways rocket 4 will go. Perhaps they can pitch it as a new means of point to point transportation 🤔.
despite troubles i hope they eventually succeed, every company that gets off the ground is win for everyone
go Astra! hope they succeed
it used to be a fun time whenever a rocket 3 launched, i knew something was highly likely to go wrong on a launch, so it was fun to guess what would go wrong, never got it right 🤣, hope that rocket 4 works
They actually got it right multiple times.
@myotherusernamerules yes, but it's the times they didn't we had a laugh lol.
@TerraSpaceIndustries I understand. The Tokyo drift launch was hilarious. Just pointing out that saying they never got it right is incorrect, when they got it right twice.
👍
That sideways launch was an epic display of how to fail a rocket launch in style. I'd like to see them succeed and provide another example of how privates can do what used to require Nation State support, and still does for much of the world.
one thing that makes me sure of there success is the persistence which actually finally paysoff
I am waiting for uber launch. no wait, lyft rockets.
just why do we need another rocket company?
I dont know if i can see adstra surviving
I thought Astra ran out of money a while back lol
Astra is now contracted to produce one "tactical" orbital rocket per day, 365 rockets annually, all rolling off the production line; AND on behalf the US Department of Defense.
And, each one is portable AND designed to fit itself, and its 400kg classified payload, snugly into a conventional (and anonymous) shipping container, for transport around the Globe. Somewhere.
If my country, New Zealand, WASN'T on friendly terms with the United States, I would be even MORE apprehensive about surviving every day in this Second Cold War. Astra...
🇺🇸🚀🚀🚀🚀🚛⛴🌏⁉️👤🇳🇿🦎⏳💥
If it's not reusable, it can't be profitable.
Essentially how I see it, it's been quite a journey for these startups. Astra has not had an easy Journey. I honestly don't know if they have time or the funding left to be able to succeed now. You'll be interesting how it comes out, but if you don't have a reusable rocket and there's questions about reliability and more importantly funding. It's hard to see how they expect to compete of the government contracts which essentially saved SpaceX when they started out.
They have a production line, and intend to mass produce those, I think the goal is one rocket per day, if the average cost is under one million dollars per piece, then they will launch more cheaper than falcon9 and everyone else the satellites that can be launched with their rocket.
Gosh it is not a totally inspiring story, but quite possibly it is all being done on a fairly low budget.
Musk / Spacex are in a league truly of their own, but he had the luxury of self-financing from the outset.
Mind you, the likes of Rocket Lab also started small (which a kiwi founder no less!), and are kicking goals.
We need that all wasted budget for Spacex, its make nosense spend all that money to the trash
DoD money which is for a very specific capability that SpaceX can’t provide.
Luckily spaceX makes it's own money so it doesn't deal with you people
Even your English is questionable