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Astra (American spaceflight company)
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Astra (American spaceflight company)
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Key Information

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Astra Space, Inc., formerly known as Ventions, LLC from 2005–2016, is an American space company based in Alameda, California, with facilities in Sunnyvale, California and Atwater, California. The company was initially an aerospace technology research firm that focused on SBIR contracts, developing small rocket engines for use on launch vehicles and satellite propulsion.[5] In 2012, the company shifted to developing launch vehicles and was selected for the DARPA ALASA program, eventually leading to the development and launch of the Astra Rocket series of launch vehicle utilizing both government and private funding after reincorporating itself to Astra Space, Inc. in 2016.[6][7][8] The company would have their first successful launch in 2021, nine years after the start of development, after 6 previous failed attempts.[9]

Astra became publicly traded in 2021 through a SPAC merger, reaching a valuation of over $3 billion.[10][11] The company diversified to become a satellite propulsion manufacturer, acquiring Apollo Fusion.[12] However, continued failures of Astra space launch vehicles resulted in financial difficulties, and in 2022, the company discontinued its active launch vehicles, later ending development of its planned successor.[13] To avoid bankruptcy following over $750 million in losses, the company agreed to be taken private by its CEO and CTO in 2023, and the deal was finalized in July 2024.[14][15]

Astra currently markets an ion propulsion system, the Astra Spacecraft Engine, producing thrusters for small satellites including those of the Space Development Agency's Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture megaconstellations.[16]

History

[edit]

Astra was founded in October 2016 by Chris Kemp and Adam London.[17]

Before being reincorporated as Astra Space Inc. in 2016, Ventions, LLC was a small San Francisco based aerospace research and design firm with a 10+ year history developing aerospace technology in partnership with NASA[18] and DARPA. Ventions was founded in 2005 and located at 1142 Howard Street, San Francisco, CA 94103.[clarification needed]

Following the 2016 reincorporation, Ventions, LLC employees expanded to a new building at Naval Air Station Alameda, known as "Orion", due to its location at 1690 Orion Street, Alameda, CA 94501.[19][20] This former naval jet engine testing facility provided the ability to perform in-house single engine testing, as opposed to the former Ventions, LLC test site at Castle Air Force Base. Due to Naval Air Station Alameda's vast retired runways, the company was able to perform full vehicle testing very close to their headquarters, eliminating the need for expensive and complex logistics for rocket testing.[21] Ventions chose Pacific Spaceport Complex – Alaska (PSCA) as their only launch site.

During early to mid 2019, most non-test related employees moved from the Orion building into a new building at 1900 Skyhawk Street, Alameda, CA 94501,[22] known as "Skyhawk". This allowed a large expansion of a previously cramped machine shop, additional in house machining capabilities, and a rocket production line in anticipation of Rocket 3. Additionally, this building has a number of known chemical contaminants[23] due to its history as a Naval jet engine overhaul facility (Building 360)[22] and is now designated as part of Naval Air Station Alameda Superfund site.[24][25]

Two suborbital test flights were conducted in 2018 from Pacific Spaceport Complex – Alaska (PSCA): one on 20 July 2018 (Rocket 1.0), and one on 29 November 2018 (Rocket 2.0). Both were stated to be launch failures by the Federal Aviation Administration.[26][27] However, Astra stated that both were successful and the second one was "shorter than planned".[28][29] Astra spent 2019 designing and building Rocket 3.0 integrating propulsion systems, avionics, and other pressurization/plumbing components into a high-performance electric pump-fed orbital launch vehicle.[citation needed]

From 2018 to 2020, Astra was a contender in the DARPA Launch Challenge; first, as one of three teams, although at this point Astra kept its involvement secret and was only referred to as "stealth startup" by the Challenge organizers. Then as the other two teams dropped out, Astra remained as the only team in the competition. The competition involved launching two small satellite payloads into orbit from two different launch sites in the U.S. with approximately two weeks between launches. Astra attempted to perform a launch for the Challenge in late February – early March 2020 from PSCA, but had to scrub the launch attempts (due to faulty sensor data) and in the end, did not launch a rocket for the Challenge. With the competition's only remaining team (Astra) being unable to launch a rocket within the set time frame, DARPA announced the DARPA Launch Challenge closed on 2 March 2020 with no winner. The prize of US$12 million went unclaimed.[28]

On 23 March 2020, Astra's Rocket 3.0 ("1 of 3"), the vehicle that was initially intended to launch as Astra's first rocket for the DARPA Launch Challenge, but which failed to launch within the challenge's launch window[30][31] and was subsequently reused for the next launch without DARPA involvement, suffered a fire on the launch pad (PSCA, Pad 3B[32]) prior to launch, destroying the rocket.[33] In September 2020, Astra attempted another orbital rocket launch, this time with their Rocket 3.1.[34] The rocket cleared the launchpad and began to ascend before a failure caused all the engines to shut down. The vehicle began to quickly fall back down to Earth, exploding on impact.[35] Next month, Astra was selected by the U.S. Air Force's AFWERX program to pursue the development of their Rocket 5.0, although it was not clear if the selection was tied to a specific monetary award.[36] In the last month of 2020, Astra's Rocket 3.2 nearly (but did not) reached orbit after a launch from Kodiak Island, Alaska.[37]

On 2 February 2021, Astra announced they planned to go public[38] through a reverse merger with special-purpose acquisition company Holicity in a deal that valued the rocket company at a $2.1 billion enterprise value.[39] Later in February, Astra announced the appointment of former Apple engineering leader Benjamin Lyon as its new chief engineer.[40]

On 7 June 2021, Astra announced their plans to acquire electric propulsion system manufacturer Apollo Fusion for $50 million, with the purchase being triggered by the merger with Holicity.[41]

In July, Astra completed its first day as a public company on the Nasdaq, the first publicly traded space launch and rocket company on the exchange.[42][43]

On 4 August 2022, together with the release of the Q2 2022 financial results, Astra announced that following two out of the previous four Rocket 3.3 launches being unsuccessful, they intended to fully transition to the upgraded Rocket 4, whose maiden flight has been subsequently rescheduled to 2023. Because of this, all remaining Rocket 3.3 launches had been cancelled and the company began talks with its customers to remanifest their payloads on Rocket 4.[44]

On 3 November, 2023, Astra disclosed in its U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filing that it defaulted on a $12.5 million debt financing agreement and could not assure it would be able to raise the necessary funds.[45][46]

In November 2023, Astra founders, Chris Kemp and Adam London, proposed a plan to privatize the company by acquiring all the outstanding stock, according to a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The stock is offered at $1.50 per share, a significant premium over the closing trading price. The proposal is now under review by Astra's board of directors.[47] On 24 November, 2023, the company raised $2.7 million from existing investors to continue operations while it works out its long-term plan.[48] In March 2024, Astra's board agreed for the company to be taken private by its co-founders at a $11.25 million valuation.[49][50]

Launch vehicles

[edit]
Main article: Astra Rocket

Astra produced several launch vehicle designs. Rocket 1 was a single test vehicle, with five first stage "Delphin" engines and a mass simulator in place of a functional second stage. Rocket 2 was likewise a test vehicle without a second stage.

Rocket 3 was a 11.6 m (38 ft) launch vehicle that had an advertised payload capacity of 25–150 kg (55–331 lb) to a 500 km (310 mi) Sun-synchronous orbit. The rocket consisted of two stages. The first stage had five electric-pump-fed "Delphin" engines advertised at 6,500 lbf (29,000 N) of thrust each. The second stage had one pressure-fed "Aether" engine with 740 lbf (3,300 N) (vacuum) of thrust. The rocket was used as part of a project for the DARPA Launch Challenge, although challenge's deadline passed before any Rocket 3 launches. Launches of Rocket 3.0 and 3.1 resulted in failure, while Astra claimed success after Rocket 3.2 failed to reach orbit. Rocket 3.3 was larger than previous Rocket 3 variants, and multiple vehicles were produced and launched.[51][52][53] Rocket 3.3 serial number LV0007 became Astra's first rocket to reach orbit.[54] The final Rocket 3.3 produced, serial number LV0010, failed to launch the NASA TROPICS-1 mission.[55][56][57]

Rocket 4

[edit]

Rocket 4 is a new rocket design, improving on capability and reliability compared to the outgoing Rocket 3 series. 18.9 m (62 ft) in height and 1.8 m (5.9 ft) in diameter, its planned payload capacity is 550 kg to a 300 km low Earth orbit or 350 kg to a 500 km sun-synchronous orbit. The first stage is designed around Chiron engines (modified Firefly Reaver engines) with a combined thrust of up to 80,000 lbf (360 kN), while the second stage propulsion is a Ursa Major Hadley ITV engine with a thrust of 6,500 lbf (29 kN). Astra aims to achieve a weekly launch cadence with this vehicle.

Spacecraft Engine

[edit]
ASE hot fire test at Air Force Research Laboratory, Edwards Air Force Base

On June 7, 2021, Astra announced an acquisition of electric propulsion engine manufacturer Apollo Fusion and has continued manufacturing the Hall-effect thruster in-house. The engine utilizes Krypton or Xenon propellant for a total impulse of 200-300 kN-s[58] and has been integrated with several customer payloads that have launched to orbit. The spacecraft engine system consists of a thruster, power processing unit, feed system, and propellant tank.

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Astra (American spaceflight company)

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Astra Space, Inc. is an American company founded in October 2016 and headquartered in , that develops and operates small-lift launch vehicles and spacecraft propulsion systems to provide affordable access to for small satellites. The company, co-founded by (CEO) and Adam London (CTO), focuses on enabling frequent, low-cost launches to support satellite constellations for , communications, and other applications, with a mission to improve life on from space. Astra's key products include its Rocket series of launch vehicles—initially Rocket 3, now succeeded by the larger Rocket 4 under development—and the Astra Spacecraft Engine, a flight-proven electric propulsion system acquired through the 2021 purchase of Apollo Fusion. The company achieved its first suborbital flight in 2020 and became the fastest private entity to reach with a successful commercial launch in November 2021, just five years after founding. Following a 2021 SPAC merger that made it the first dedicated space launch provider publicly traded on , Astra faced financial challenges, including launch failures and market pressures, leading to its delisting and privatization in July 2024 through a buyout by its co-founders and investors. As of 2025, Astra is advancing Rocket 4 for a targeted mid-2026 debut, supported by a U.S. contract worth up to $44 million for development and potential delivery missions, while appointing veteran Dr. Alan Weston to lead its rocket program in March 2025.

History

2016–2019: Inception and technology development

Astra Space was founded in October 2016 by , a former , and Adam , an engineer from Ventions, LLC, in . The company reincorporated Ventions, a firm established in 2005 focused on miniaturized propulsion technologies, bringing an initial team of about 10 engineers to develop innovative aerospace solutions. Early efforts centered on research into small rocket engines for satellites and probes, leveraging prior (SBIR) contracts from and the Department of Defense (DoD) that funded electric pump-fed propulsion systems. In 2017, Astra pivoted from propulsion components to full launch vehicles, recognizing a market need for affordable, high-frequency access to amid growing demand from developers. This shift led to the development of suborbital prototypes to validate key technologies, including the Delphin engine, a battery-powered, pump-fed liquid serving as the foundational first-stage propulsion. Rocket 1.0, a single-stage test vehicle powered by five Delphin engines, underwent static fire tests and achieved a suborbital flight in April 2018 from the Pacific Spaceport Complex-Alaska, demonstrating basic ascent capabilities despite not reaching full operational altitude. Building on this, Astra advanced to Rocket 2.0 in late 2018, incorporating a partial second-stage structure and improved clustering for enhanced performance testing. The prototype conducted static fires and a suborbital test flight in November 2018 from a private site in , aiming to surpass the at 100 km altitude, though it encountered a speed controller shortly after liftoff. These early tests, performed at remote private facilities to accelerate , focused on validating reliability and integration without pursuing orbital insertion. By 2019, Astra had secured additional venture funding exceeding $100 million cumulatively since inception, enabling scaled production of the Delphin engines and expansion of manufacturing operations in Alameda. The company grew its workforce to over 100 employees, emphasizing in-house fabrication of propulsion components to support and future vehicle iterations.

2020–2022: Launch operations and first orbital success

Astra initiated launch operations in 2020 with test flights of its Rocket 3 vehicle from the Pacific Spaceport Complex-Alaska (PSCA) in Kodiak. The company's first orbital-class test launch occurred on , 2020, when Rocket 3.1 lifted off but failed approximately 30 seconds after ignition due to pogo and thrust oscillations in the first stage engines, causing the vehicle to impact near the launch site. A second test flight followed on December 15, 2020, with Rocket 3.2 successfully reaching space—crossing the at about 100 km altitude—but the upper stage experienced a fuel mixture ratio anomaly, shutting down prematurely just short of orbital velocity and resulting in a suborbital trajectory. These early flights demonstrated progress in first-stage performance while highlighting challenges in stability and upper-stage reliability. Building on these tests, Astra secured contracts with the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) through the (STP) for rideshare missions, including the STP-27AD series, as well as agreements with for launches and commercial providers like Spaceflight Inc. for dedicated rideshares. The company also pursued opportunities with defense and industry partners to validate its rapid-launch capabilities. In parallel, Astra expanded its infrastructure at PSCA, enhancing pad operations and support facilities to support higher cadence, while securing approval for launches from (SLC-46) in to access diverse orbital inclinations. Astra's third orbital attempt came on August 28, 2021, with Rocket 3.3 carrying the DoD's STP-27AD1 from Kodiak. A leak from the fueling system ignited near the base, causing one of the five first-stage engines to shut down less than a second after liftoff and forcing the vehicle to ascend on four engines in a tilted posture. The rocket recovered briefly but was terminated by at T+2:28, failing to reach . Learning from the anomaly, which involved a faulty quick-disconnect valve allowing and to escape, Astra implemented fixes including redesigned feed systems and removed protective covers. The fourth attempt, STP-27AD2 on November 20, 2021, achieved Astra's first orbital success, launching from Kodiak and delivering the non-separating DoD test payload to a targeted 500 km sun-synchronous orbit at 86-degree inclination. The mission reached an apogee of approximately 507 km and perigee of 438 km, with the payload attaining orbital velocity of 7.61 km/s and demonstrating key technologies for responsive space access. This milestone, accomplished just five years after founding, validated Rocket 3's design for small-lift operations and cleared the path for commercial services. Between 2020 and 2022, Astra executed seven Rocket 3 flights in total, alternating between Kodiak and sites to broaden operational flexibility. Notable among these was the March 15, 2022, Astra-1 mission from Kodiak, Astra's first fully commercial success, which deployed 11 s—including payloads from Banner Aerospace, Endurosat, and PocketQube Shop—into a 418 km for technology demonstrations in communications and environmental monitoring. Efforts with included a planned rideshare for the constellation to study tropical cyclones, though the June 12, 2022, launch from failed due to an upper-stage cooling channel burn-through from uneven fuel flow. These operations underscored Astra's focus on affordable, frequent access to for and commercial clients. Amid ramping up launches, Astra went public in July 2021 through a merger with Holicity Inc., listing on under the ticker ASTRA with a pro-forma enterprise value of $2.1 billion and raising about $500 million in gross proceeds to fund production scaling and infrastructure growth. The merger positioned Astra as the first dedicated space launch company to trade publicly, enabling accelerated development of launch sites and vehicle iterations.

2023–present: Business restructuring and revival

Following a series of launch failures in , Astra paused all orbital launch operations to address technical and financial challenges, contributing to a net loss of $178.4 million for the full year 2023 despite generating nearly $3.9 million in revenue. The company, which had peaked at around 400 employees in early 2023, implemented significant workforce reductions that year, including a planned 16% cut in the first quarter affecting approximately 60 positions and an additional 25% reduction in that eliminated about 70 roles primarily in the launch division. These measures, which reallocated over 50 engineers from development to , were part of a broader to achieve quarterly cost savings exceeding $4 million starting in late 2023 and to prioritize the more profitable spacecraft engine segment over the struggling Rocket 3 program, which had been effectively shelved after its cancellations. In early 2024, amid ongoing cash constraints that nearly led to , Astra's founders, including CEO , proposed taking the company private at a $30 million valuation to stabilize operations and avoid delisting from , a transaction that closed in July 2024 and reduced the workforce further to around 150 employees by October. This shift allowed Astra to consolidate facilities and focus resources on sustaining revenue from its electric propulsion systems, exemplified by a April 2023 to supply five kits for integration into Apex Satellite Buses' satellite platforms, with initial deliveries beginning that year. By October 2024, Astra secured a U.S. contract worth up to $44 million to prototype point-to-point cargo delivery solutions using its next-generation Rocket 4 , alongside a planned $50 million Series B round led by CEO to accelerate prototyping and testing. In March 2025, Astra appointed aerospace veteran Dr. Alan Weston as Head of Launch Program to lead Rocket 4 development. These efforts marked a strategic revival, with the company already profitable from electric propulsion sales and aiming to resume launches with Rocket 4's first flight targeted for mid-2026 from . As of November 2025, Astra reported steady progress on Rocket 4 prototypes, including ongoing integration of enhanced propulsion and guidance systems, with the first test flight targeted for mid-2026 from , supported by the recent funding and military contract. The company's spacecraft engine business continued to drive growth, projecting $50 million in annual revenue from electric propulsion sales in 2025, fueled by contracts like the one with Apex and demand for modular satellite technologies. In 2025 interviews and keynotes, CEO reiterated Astra's long-term 100-year vision for expanding human economic activity in space, emphasizing scalable launch services, in-space manufacturing, and sovereign access to orbit for nations worldwide as foundational to this revival.

Launch vehicles

Rocket 3

Rocket 3 is a two-stage, expendable orbital developed by Astra Space, designed for deployment with an emphasis on low-cost and rapid production. The vehicle measures 11.6 meters in height and 1.32 meters in , utilizing metallic structures to enable cost-efficient and compatibility with standard shipping containers for easy transport. It eschews labor-intensive carbon composite layups in favor of proven metallic designs to accelerate assembly and reduce complexity. The first stage is powered by a cluster of five Delphin engines, each delivering approximately 28 kN of thrust at for a total of 144 kN, using and () propellants in an electric pump-fed configuration driven by battery-powered motors. This setup allows for throttling to optimize ascent performance and avoids traditional hydraulic systems or complex turbopumps, simplifying operations and lowering costs. The second stage employs a single pressure-fed Aether engine producing 3.3 kN of vacuum thrust, also fueled by and , and is designed for multiple restarts to facilitate precise insertion maneuvers. Rocket 3 achieves a payload capacity of 100 kg to (LEO), with early suborbital demonstrations suggesting potential up to 150 kg under optimal conditions, at a target launch cost of $2.5 million. For more demanding 500 km sun-synchronous orbits (SSO), capacity is reduced to around 25 kg. The Rocket 3 family evolved through several variants to enhance reliability and performance. Rocket 3.0 served as the initial orbital configuration, followed by Rocket 3.1 with upgraded for better flight control. Rocket 3.2 incorporated further refinements to the and guidance systems, while the definitive Rocket 3.3 featured a stretched first-stage for increased volume and an enlarged second-stage , improving overall efficiency. Rocket 3 was retired in August 2022 following operational challenges, with Astra shifting resources to the larger Rocket 4. Key innovations in Rocket 3 center on the battery-powered electric pumps in the Delphin engines, which eliminate the need for gas generators or high-speed turbines, reducing mechanical complexity and enabling faster development cycles. The pressure-fed upper stage further streamlines the by relying on pressurization without pumps, contributing to the vehicle's overall simplicity and affordability for frequent launches.

Rocket 4

Rocket 4 represents Astra Space's evolution in small-lift launch vehicles, designed to deliver payloads of up to 600 kg to a 500 km mid-inclination , addressing the demand for dedicated missions in the sector. Recent updates indicate an introductory payload capacity of 750 kg to , positioning it as a cost-effective alternative for constellation deployments and tactical missions. Physically, Rocket 4 measures approximately 18.9 meters in and 1.8 meters in for the first , incorporating stretched tanks to boost capacity compared to prior designs. The overall liftoff mass is around 30,000 kg, utilizing and as across both stages. This configuration supports a fairing volume suitable for ESPA-class or multiple CubeSats, with a usable internal of 3.4 meters and of 1.7 meters. The first stage employs two tap-off cycle engines derived from earlier Astra propulsion technology, delivering a combined sea-level thrust of approximately 356 kN (80,000 lbf). These engines incorporate improved for greater efficiency over the pressure-fed systems of previous rockets. The second stage features a single restartable Hadley engine, provided by , with vacuum of about 29 kN (6,500 lbf) and gimbaling capability to enable precise insertion, including support for sun-synchronous orbits up to 700 km. Announced in May 2022, Rocket 4's development faced delays following operational challenges with Rocket 3, leading to a pause in 2023 and the company's transition to private ownership in July 2024. Efforts resumed in 2025, bolstered by projected $50 million in revenue from satellite propulsion sales in 2025 and a contract worth up to $44 million from the U.S. Department of Defense through the Defense Innovation Unit. Stage testing occurred throughout 2025, with the first static fire tests targeted for late in the year and an inaugural flight planned for mid-2026 from sites such as Cape Canaveral or Kodiak. Quarterly launches are anticipated starting in 2027. Astra aims for launch costs below $5 million per flight, leveraging automated processes to achieve rapid turnaround times and scalability for and commercial customers. The design remains expendable in its initial configuration, with potential for future variants incorporating partial reusability to further reduce expenses.

Engines and propulsion

Launch vehicle engines

Astra's launch vehicle engines are designed with a focus on simplicity, rapid development, and cost efficiency, primarily utilizing electric pump-fed architectures to avoid the complexity of traditional turbopumps or gas generators. The Delphin engine, serving as the primary first-stage propulsion for earlier vehicles like Rocket 3, employs brushless DC motors powered by lithium-ion batteries to drive propellant pumps, using and (RP-1/LOX) as propellants. This configuration achieves a sea-level of approximately 29 kN (6,500 lbf). The pump-fed design philosophy emphasizes efficiency gains over pressure-fed systems while reducing manufacturing costs through extensive use of 3D-printed components for key elements like injectors and nozzles, which enable quick iterations and lower production times. In its initial iteration (Delphin V1), the engine was battery-limited to a burn time of 180 seconds, suitable for the ascent profile of Rocket 3, where five engines provided clustered . For Rocket 4, the first stage will be powered by two turbopump-fed engines, modified from Firefly Aerospace's Reaver engines, each providing approximately 42,000 lbf (187 kN) of thrust for a total of about 84,000 lbf. The upper stage of Rocket 4 will use a single Hadley engine from . For upper-stage propulsion on Rocket 3, the Aether engine is a pressure-fed system delivering approximately 3 kN (740 lbf) of thrust, using /. It features restart capability up to five times and integrates reaction control thrusters for precise attitude control, allowing multiple burns for orbital insertion and maneuvering. This design provides reliable performance without the need for pumps. Engine development and validation occurred at Astra's facility, where over 100 hot-fire tests were conducted by 2022, encompassing sea-level static fires and altitude simulations to verify performance under operational conditions. These tests confirmed the robustness of the electric pump system and 3D-printed hardware, paving the way for flight integration.

Spacecraft propulsion systems

The Astra Spacecraft Engine (ASE) is an electric propulsion system developed for small satellites, utilizing a to provide low-thrust, high-efficiency maneuvers such as station-keeping and orbit raising. The system operates at a nominal input power of 400 W, delivering approximately 25 mN of thrust with propellant or 18 mN with , while achieving a of about 1,400 seconds on and 1,300 seconds on . Each thruster unit provides a total impulse exceeding 10,000 Ns, with a dry mass of 2.5 kg including the integrated power processing unit (PPU). Designed for propellant flexibility, the ASE accommodates both and to enable cost optimization, as krypton offers a lower-cost alternative with comparable performance for certain missions. Key design features include a heaterless, instant-start for reliable ignition, a novel magnetic lensing configuration to confine and accelerate plasma, and a radiation-hardened PPU with 95% that handles power conditioning and control. The thruster has been tested across a power range of 280 W to 600 W, supporting adaptability for various power budgets under 1 kW. The ASE achieved its first orbital flight heritage with successful ignition aboard the Spaceflight Sherpa-LTE1 orbital transfer vehicle in 2021, validating on-orbit performance for Department of Defense-related missions. In 2023, Astra secured a with Apex to supply initial Kits—each including the thruster, PPU, and propellant management—for integration into Apex's Aries satellite buses, with deliveries beginning that year to support constellation deployments. These integrations enable efficient electric for orbit adjustments in small to medium satellites. As of 2023, Astra had received 278 orders for the ASE. The ASE's modular architecture allows clustering of multiple units, scaling total power from 1 kW to 5 kW by combining up to 10 thrusters for higher-thrust applications in satellite constellations. As one of the few U.S.-manufactured Hall-effect thrusters with demonstrated flight heritage, it positions Astra as a key supplier in the growing market for domestic electric propulsion systems.

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  47. https://ursamajor.com/media/press-release/ursa-major-to-provide-upper-stage-rocket-engines-for-astras-rocket-4/
  48. https://spaceexplored.com/2025/11/09/when-will-astra-return-to-launching-rockets/
  49. https://astra.com/news/dod-awards-astra-contract-44-mill/
  50. https://everydayastronaut.com/stp-27ad2-astra-rocket-3/
  51. https://www.bisresearch.com/insights/how-are-electric-pumps-transforming-rocket-propulsion-and-the-future-of-space-launch
  52. https://www.voxelmatters.com/the-15-coolest-space-companies-using-am/
  53. https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=57602.60
  54. https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2022/03/astra-return-to-flight/
  55. https://spacenews.com/astra-reveals-details-of-next-larger-rocket/
  56. https://alamedapost.com/features/alameda-life/astra-alamedas-hometown-rocket-company/
  57. https://astra.com/spacecraft-engine/
  58. https://astra.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/ASE-DATA-SHEET-2023-1.pdf
  59. https://satsearch.co/products/astra-astra-spacecraft-engine-ase
  60. https://astra.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/ASE-DATA-SHEET-JUNE-2022.pdf
  61. https://www.nasa.gov/smallsat-institute/sst-soa/in-space_propulsion/
  62. https://spacenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/SmallSat_2023_final.pdf
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