Enlarge / Astra revealed a prototype of its Rocket 4 launch vehicle in May. (credit: Astra)
Astra is running out of money.
It’s been a year since Astra shelved its first orbital-class rocket after just two successful launches in seven flights. Chris Kemp, Astra’s founder and CEO, last year unveiled a new rocket design he said would be more reliable and capable of carrying heavier cargo into orbit.
A year later, the development of Astra’s new launch vehicle—named Rocket 4—appears to have slowed to a crawl. Astra has outfitted a new production line for Rocket 4 at the company’s headquarters in Alameda, California, but the company doesn’t have enough money to move forward on the program as quickly as it would like.
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