Astra Rocket 3.3 launches TROPICS-1

Astra Space’s Rocket 3.3 launch vehicle (LV0010) launched NASA’s TROPICS-1 mission, two TROPICS 3U CubeSats, from Space Launch Complex 46 (SLC-46), Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Cape Canaveral, Florida, on 12 June 2022, at 16:43 UTC (12:43 EDT). According to NASA, “The Time-Resolved Observations of Precipitation structure and storm Intensity with a Constellation of Smallsats (TROPICS) mission will provide rapid-refresh microwave measurements over the tropics that can be used to observe the thermodynamics of the troposphere and precipitation structure for storm systems at the mesoscale and synoptic scale over the entire storm lifecycle.”
Photo credit: Astra

[sonoftherepublic]

Wishing Astra the best as they work through the issues and hope they have many successful flights in the years to come. The frustration is palpable, but success is often born through failures and mistakes.

[lizhongshen]

In U.S. schools, teachers will say:
you did a great job!
You are 50% success!

[MichaelClark-uwex]

I bet it looked pretty cool during reentry with the payload and all that fuel still onboard.

And I was rooting for them too, we need more private space exploration and exploitation.

[northroad]

Why not show the interesting part where the upper stage blows and goes wildly off course?

[AeonExploration]

from what I hear, 2/3 launches won’t affect it too much, but it’s still unfortunate that this was lost. Hope they can find out what happened and get back soon.

[Round_Slinger]

I've got a couple hundred shares of Astra because I believe in them and I still do. They are getting better with every attempt.

[penhacaus]

Hope they will get back with a solution.
Keep going on

[centaura]

Wishing good luck to the people of Astra Rocket. The next rocket should be a winner. Look at Space X, the early rockets were exploding until they improved the experiences. L

[Gayston]

Thats sad that they didn’t reach orbit