The era in which NASA carried out all of the same satellite launches and space missions is several years later. Today, the space agency more than once uses private partners to launch satellites into orbit and transport crews and supplies to and from the International Space Station. Last night, Dutch time, it was the turn of the new “resource”: Astra† Allowed a small commercial space organization to bring a NASA payload into space for the first time. Four small satellites called CubeSats. However, the ELeNa41 mission ended after only three and a half minutes with an uncontrollable spinning missile.
Problem after the second stage
Thus, the Astra rocket failed to complete the NASA mission. Both the missile and the payload were lost. In the video below you can see from 3:20 how things go wrong. Shortly after the second stage of the three-stage missile is disposed of, the Astra missile begins to spin uncontrollably. After a few seconds, the video connection stopped.
“We have a problem”
Astra CEO Chris Kemp couldn’t help but apologize. “We had a problem during the flight and I am sorry that we were unable to deliver our customers’ shipments,” said the CEO. An embarrassing failure for Astra, which has conducted all successful tests and launches so far from the Alaskan base. NASA’s ELeNa41 mission was the first to be conducted from Cape Canaveral. The cause of the problem is currently being investigated.
“Total coffee specialist. Hardcore reader. Incurable music scholar. Web guru. Freelance troublemaker. Problem solver. Travel trailblazer.”
More Stories
Two dengue patients at HOH
What are the main differences between humans and other mammals?
By Theo Olthuis: “Space gave its soft wings of sound”