Astra Space plans to launch its Rocket 4 vehicle in the first quarter of 2027. The company claims the new rocket will reduce orbital delivery costs to approximately $1,000 per kilogram. According to CEO Chris Kemp, current market rates range between $25,000 and $35,000 per kilogram.
The Rocket 4 is designed to carry a payload of 1,000 kilograms. This represents a significant increase in capacity compared to the company's Rocket 1, which reached orbit in 2021 with a 75-kilogram payload. Despite the higher capacity, the production cost of the new vehicle remains comparable to the previous version.
The technical design of Rocket 4 abandons the electric-driven turbopumps used in earlier versions. Instead, the engine utilizes a gas-driven turbopump system that draws gas from the combustion chamber. This configuration eliminates the need for heavy batteries, which previously hindered performance.
Astra Space has opted for a mass-production strategy focused on single-use rockets rather than reusable systems. The company describes the vehicle as a low-cost, disposable structure and aims to achieve a production rate of hundreds of units annually. The CEO identified the availability of launch sites as the primary challenge for scaling operations.
