Astra Rocket 3.3 (LV0007) | STP-27AD2 (Auto Orbit) - Automated

Craft celebrating the successful test launch of the Astra Rocket 3.3 (LV0007) making Astra only the 7th private launch provider to achieve orbit.

Flight date: November 20, 2021

How did it go? :

– The rocket took off from Launch Pad 3B, Pacific Spaceport Complex in Kodiak, Alaska at 06:16:00 UTC on November 20, 2021. This makes Astra the 7th private launch provider to achieve orbit.

Astra launched the STP-27AD2 test payload on Rocket 3.3. STP-27AD2 is the second of two test launches for the Department of Defense (DoD) as part of the U.S. Space Force’s Space Test Program (STP). This was Astra’s 4th attempt at reaching orbit and the 1st to be successful.

STP-27AD2

Due to the classified nature of the program, not much is known about the plans the DoD has for these missions. STP-27AD2 is a non-deployable mass simulator with sensors like STP-27AD1, which will allow Astra and the DoD to validate Rocket 3’s capability. What we know so far is that this is the second of two planned missions flying on Astra’s Rocket 3. The first one, STP-27AD1, failed to reach orbit after an engine on the first stage failed less than a second after ignition. The DoD’s Space Test Program provides flight opportunities for test and experimental payloads.

Where did the payload go? :

500km low Earth orbit (LEO) at 86° inclination

Astra Rocket 3.3 (LV0007):

This Rocket 3.3, also known as LV0007, was Astra’s fifth iteration of the third version of their small-sat launch vehicle. The Rocket 3 series is Astra’s orbital rocket series with LV0007 being their 7th rocket overall. With a height of 13.1 m (43 ft), a diameter of 1.32 m (4.3 ft), and a payload capacity of approximately 50 kg to a 500 km Sun-Synchronous Orbit (SSO), it is in the same class of small-sat launch vehicles as Rocket Lab’s Electron.

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Craft Notes:

1. Auto-Launch to Orbit by Preprogrammed Vizzy. (Throttle 100%)
2. Multiple Pad and Rocket Camera setups (with Strongback cam)
3. Preprogrammed Vizzy for Launch to final insertion orbit (550 x 500 km) at a 86° inclination

**1. All staging events done by the onboard vizzy

DO NOT TOUCH ANY CONTROLS ONCE YOU START THE VIZZY

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Credits:

Predecessor Craft by RocketLabSR2rec - Astra Rocket 3.3 1:1 Scale With Realistic Upperstage
Base Vizzy by: KAL

Modifications to Rocket, Space-craft and Vizzy by OrbiteX

And ofcourse had to give a little nod to this ;) - (LV0006) :