Update to 1:31 pm ET: Astra now aims to launch two hurricane-exploding cubes of NASA’s TROPICS mission at 1:43 pm EDT (1743 GMT).
Astra aims to achieve its second consecutive satellite-delivery success today.
The California-based startup aims to launch two puppies on Sunday (June 12). Cubes With time-bound observations of NASA’s rainfall system and storm intensity and the work of tropics.
Astra and NASA will attempt a liftoff when the two-hour window opens at 12 noon EDT (1600 GMT). The launch will take place Cape Canaveral Space Force Station Astra’s 43-foot (13 m) missile vehicle 0010 (LV0010) in Florida. You can watch it live here on Space.com, courtesy of Astra, or Directly through the company And its livestream partner, NAASASpaceflight.com.
Video: Check out Astra’s Rocket 3.2 launch on its 1st successful flight
The two-stage LV0010 appears to be ready to go; The rocket underwent a standard fire test – a routine preview test of a launcher’s engines fired while the vehicle is anchored to the ground – earlier this week, Astra announced via Twitter (Opens in new tab).
The LV0010’s aircraft will arrive about three months after Astra’s first full mission success. On March 15, LV0009 Used various customer payloads In their designated orbit shortly after departure from the Pacific Spaceport campus on Kodiak Island, Alaska.
Successful sustainable fire for ASNASA TROPICS-1! #AdAstra pic.twitter.com/Ibm2GvW2GyJune 6, 2022
Astra Reached orbit earlierBut it was on a test flight that did not carry any operational satellites.
If all goes according to plan, the upcoming release will be the first of three Trophics flights for Astra this year. Each of those missions will elevate two TROPICS cubes, which will explore the formation and evolution of hurricanes in more detail.
The TROPICS network will allow researchers to monitor the development of tropical cyclones almost every hour – more often than not possible by currently operating weather satellites, NASA officials said.
Editor’s note: The story was updated twice on Saturday, June 11, to add to the release time announced by Astra and to add a link to Astra / NASASpaceflight.com livestream.
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