Updated January 7th 8:18 PM with details from ExoLaunch tweet.
SpaceX has been planning dedicated ridesharing launches with their first planned to take place later this month, but it might be going with two fewer payloads. Two of DARPA’s payloads that were planned to launch on the missions are apparently now damaged.
A $2 million prize is at stake today for the DARPA Launch Challenge attempt from Pacific Spaceport Complex Alaska on Kodiak Island.
DARPA, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, designed the challenge to help discover companies demonstrating “new and groundbreaking capabilities to address emerging Department of Defense needs.” California-based Astra is tasked with today’s launch which, if successfull, will be the first of three cash prize-winning launches.
