Astra’s next-generation rocket just crossed the Atlantic. Rocket 4.0 arrived in the UK the same way it’s designed to launch: in standard shipping containers. Mobile. Containerized. Orbital. The future of launch is everywhere.

Full details: globenewswire.com/news-relea…

There’s a big shake-up near the top of our annual US launch company rankings arstechnica.com/space/2026/0…

I’m humbled and energized to bring my passion for photography and storytelling to NASA and work under @NASAAdmin Jared Isaacman as Special Communications Assistant to the Administrator. With my focus now fully on working alongside the best and brightest at NASA, my independent media coverage and for-hire work comes to an end. Thank you all for following along over the years! Be sure to follow NASA’s channels to see great content from across the agency. I have deep respect for NASA’s communicators and creatives, individuals whose work I’ve followed and admired for a long time. I’m profoundly grateful for the opportunity to work with them to help continue sharing NASA’s story with the widest audience possible and inspiring the next generation to look up to the stars. Under Administrator Isaacman’s leadership, we will do just that. John Kraus Special Communications Assistant to the Administrator NASA

I grew up in Ohio where, for generations, my family worked for GM, Ford, NCR, Fujitec, and Frigidaire. We forgot that our ability to build is our greatest deterrent. It's time to bring manufacturing back to the Heartland. 🇺🇸 Check out my new essay for American Affairs 👇

Our TPUs are headed to space!  Inspired by our history of moonshots, from quantum computing to autonomous driving, Project Suncatcher is exploring how we could one day build scalable ML compute systems in space, harnessing more of the sun’s power (which emits more power than 100 trillion times humanity’s total electricity production). Like any moonshot, it’s going to require us to solve a lot of complex engineering challenges. Early research shows our Trillium-generation TPUs (our tensor processing units, purpose-built for AI) survived without damage when tested in a particle accelerator to simulate low-earth orbit levels of radiation. However, significant challenges still remain like thermal management and on-orbit system reliability.  More testing and breakthroughs will be needed as we count down to launch two prototype satellites with @planet by early 2027, our next milestone of many. Excited for us to be a part of all the innovation happening in (this) space!

30 second hotfire provides data in thermal steady state, allowing us to further optimize our new first stage engine combustion chamber.

Sound on! Here’s the recent hotfire of Astra’s most powerful Rocket 4 first stage engine.

Astra plans mid-2026 first launch of Rocket 4 spacenews.com/astra-plans-mi…

Hotfire at our test facility in preparation for testing the new combustion chamber for the next-generation Astra first stage engine that will power Rocket 4.