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takyon writes:

Astra, DARPA prepare for upcoming launch challenge

Astra and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) are readying for the first launch in a dual-mission "launch challenge". Astra, the launch contractor, is currently conducting final preparations ahead of the launch of their Rocket 3.0 vehicle, nicknamed "1 of 3". Both missions will launch from the Pacific Spaceport Complex – Alaska (PSCA) in Kodiak, Alaska. The first launch attempt is scheduled for 3:30 PM ET on February 28. The window stretches until March 1.

Thursday's launch will be the third for Astra, coming after two launches in July and November 2018. Both launched from the PSCA in Alaska. These were originally believed to be failures. However, Astra stated that the first was successful, and the second was only "shorter than planned". Neither were designed to reach orbit, as they didn't have functioning second stages.

[...] Tuesday's launch, the first in the challenge, will see "1 of 3" lift four small payloads to a 445km orbit. DARPA has stated that they will accept an orbit as low at 150km as a success.

The list of payloads includes two cubesats from the University of South Florida that will test communications between cubesats, a single Department of Defense-sponsored cubesat called "Prometheus", and Tiger Innovations' Space Object Automated Reporting Systems (SOARS) payload – which will remain attached to the second stage.

Astra only learned of the payload manifest on January 22 of this year. As part of the challenge, they will have to integrate the payloads themselves.

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