Name: Maiden Flight — Astra Rocket 4
Start: 2026-12-31T00:00:00Z
End: 2026-12-31T00:00:00Z
Location: Launch Complex 48

Question 1

What rocket is launching Maiden Flight?

Accepted Answer

Maiden Flight is launching on the Astra Rocket 4.

Question 2

Who is launching Maiden Flight?

Accepted Answer

Maiden Flight is being launched by Astra Space, a commercial launch provider founded in 2005.

Question 3

Where is Maiden Flight launching from?

Accepted Answer

Maiden Flight is launching from Launch Complex 48 at Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA.

Question 4

What orbit is Maiden Flight heading to?

Accepted Answer

Maiden Flight is heading to Low Earth Orbit (LEO).

Question 5

Is the Astra Rocket 4 reusable?

Accepted Answer

No — the Astra Rocket 4 is an expendable launch vehicle.

Question 6

What is the Maiden Flight mission?

Accepted Answer

First flight of Astra Space's second generation small satellite launch vehicle.

Question 7

Where is the Kennedy Space Center?

Accepted Answer

NASA's John F. Kennedy Space Center is on Merritt Island, Florida, immediately north of Cape Canaveral. Named for President Kennedy in 1963, it has been the United States' primary human-spaceflight launch site since the 1960s.

Question 8

Which rockets launch from the Kennedy Space Center?

Accepted Answer

SpaceX leases Launch Complex 39A for Falcon 9, Falcon Heavy and crewed Dragon missions, while NASA launches the Space Launch System for the Artemis Moon programme from Launch Complex 39B.

Question 9

Did Apollo and the Space Shuttle launch from Kennedy?

Accepted Answer

Yes — the Launch Complex 39 pads sent every Apollo Moon mission and every Space Shuttle crew on their way, including Apollo 11 in 1969 and the first shuttle flight, STS-1, in 1981.

Question 10

What's the difference between the Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral?

Accepted Answer

They are separate, neighbouring sites. Kennedy is NASA's centre on Merritt Island; Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, just to the south, is run by the U.S. Space Force. Together they make up Florida's Space Coast.

Question 11

Can you watch a launch from the Kennedy Space Center?

Accepted Answer

The closest public viewing is from the ticketed Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, which runs launch-day bus packages. Free off-site views are best from Playalinda Beach and the Titusville riverfront.

Maiden Flight

Overview

Mission details

Launch Window

Launch Complex 48

Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA

Frequently asked questions