Exclusive — Astra is in final preparations for its first launch of 2021, carrying a Space Force satellite, and is targeting a window of Aug. 27 to Sept. 11.
@Kemp The launch from the Pacific Spaceport Complex on Kodiak Island, Alaska is the first of two Astra has under contract from the U.S. Space Force’s Space Test Program, with the latter planned for later this year. $ASTR cnbc.com/2021/08/05/ast…
@Kemp $ASTR initially climbed after its Nasdaq debut but has since slid, dropping down near $8 a share.
Kemp: “We appreciate shareholders patience with us as we build and launch rockets so we can start to begin recognizing revenue." cnbc.com/2021/08/05/ast…
@Kemp .@Astra has "over 50 launches in our backlog," Kemp said.
The company reports its Q2 results on Aug. 12 after the market close. $ASTR cnbc.com/2021/08/05/ast…
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Virgin Galactic $SPCE begins its Q2 2021 call, with CEO Michael Colglazier and CFO Doug Ahrens. cnbc.com/2021/08/05/vir…
CEO Colglazier confirms that private astronauts sales will begin at $450,000 per seat, while microgravity research and professional astronaut training flights are priced at $600,000 $SPCE
Colglazier: Over 125,000 people have donated and entered the Omaze lottery to win one of two seats on a future spaceflight. $SPCE
Blue Origin releases another comparison infographic, this one focused on the HLS program and the company's lunar lander versus the "immensely complex & high risk" approach NASA is taking with SpaceX's Starship: blueorigin.com/blue-moon/nati…
Blue Origin emphasizes that SpaceX "has never conducted an orbital launch" from Boca Chica with Starship "and must demonstrate the ability to do so 7-11 times within 1-week increments," as well as perform a "never been done" before cryogenic fuel transfer.
In a one pager, Blue Origin says NASA's decision to pick only Starship is "wrong for America's leadership in space" and again repeats that NASA "ran a flawed acquisition." blueorigin.com/assets/blue-or…
Starlink leadership gave FCC officials an update during a call on July 29, largely focused on the company's next generation satellites: cnbc.com/2021/08/03/spa…
SpaceX also highlighted Starship again as key to accelerating Starlink deployments, with company leaders previously saying the rocket will be able to carry 400 of the satellites per launch, up from 60 per Falcon 9 launch. cnbc.com/2021/08/03/spa…
Blue Origin is hosting a briefing from its facility in Texas:
—CEO Bob Smith
—Flight director Steve Lanius
—VP of New Shepard operations Audrey Powers
—New Shepard chief engineer Chris Jaeger
—Director of astronaut sales Ariane Cornell
Thread:
Lanius: Weather forecast shows "a slight chance of rain and thunderstorms in the early morning hours" but should "clear in time" for the launch window "with light winds expected."
"The upper level wind forecast is favorable for launch."
Powers highlights Blue Origin's work with the FAA throughout the New Shepard development program:
"We've collaborated with them very closely ... the whole commercial space team at the FAA has been with us through every step of this program."
Earth imagery specialist @Satellogic, with investors including Tencent and SoftBank, is merging with Cantor Fitzgerald SPAC $CFV at a $1.1 billion valuation to list on the Nasdaq in early Q4. cnbc.com/2021/07/06/spa…
@Satellogic Here is how Satellogic compares itself to competitors like BlackSky $SFTW, Planet, Maxar $MAXR and more: cnbc.com/2021/07/06/spa…
@Satellogic I also asked Satellogic CEO Emiliano Kargieman @earlkman, given the company's work in Beijing, about if he's worried about state ownership of corporations:
"In China we're selling to commercial players in the market ... so we don't see any concerns." cnbc.com/2021/07/06/spa…