Astra Space, Inc. is an American aerospace company headquartered in Alameda, California, that develops small-lift launch vehicles and spacecraft propulsion systems. It was founded in October 2016, building on an earlier company called Ventions, LLC established in 2005, led by chief executive Chris Kemp and chief technology officer Adam London. Astra reached orbit for the first time in November 2021 with its Rocket 3.3 vehicle, after six earlier launch attempts had failed, and the company also produces Hall-effect thrusters for satellite station-keeping and deorbiting through its 2021 acquisition of Apollo Fusion. Astra went public through a merger with a special-purpose acquisition company in July 2021 and returned to private ownership in July 2024; in October 2024 the US Department of Defense awarded it up to 44 million dollars to develop its next launch vehicle, Rocket 4.
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