Cell phone footage shot by Eric Van Dongen, who was watching the launch of Astra's 3.1 rocket which failed shortly after lift-off and crashed to the ground.
The rocket launch was on 9-11 from the spaceport at Kodiak Island, Alaska. (Local residents call it the 'spacepork'.) They were promised it would be a civilian launch complex but nearly all launches so far have been military Star Wars tests.
Representatives from the spaceport responded to the accident by saying:
The fire was put out quickly and no one got hurt, Mark Lester, president of the Alaska Aerospace Corporation told KMXT Radio.
“The launch was terminated early, which is part of our safety process,” Lester told the station. “We are prepared for these things. The key is public safety, and everything we did to keep the air, waterways and land free from the public is exactly why we do that in conditions like this.”
Since each test can provide new information and data, the launch was a success, Lester told KMXT.
In a blog post, officials at Astra, the company launching the rocket, said they were pleased with what happened with Rocket 3.1, and that they expect it to take three rocket flights in order to get a rocket into orbit.
“Early in the flight, our guidance system appears to have introduced some slight oscillation into the flight, causing the vehicle to drift from its planned trajectory leading to a commanded shutdown of the engines by the flight safety system,” they wrote regarding what occurred during the flight.
Maine state legislative leaders are pushing a proposal to create a 'Spaceport Complex' in Brunswick at the former naval air station. See the resolution now before the legislature to begin the process here.
Brunswick is alot different from Kodiak Island - much more populated area with all kinds of development near the former naval base.
This proposal to create the 'Spaceport Complex' has been done rather quietly with many legislators signing on in support. The public is just beginning to learn about the plan. It is being sold as jobs, jobs, jobs.
We'll keep you posted as we learn more.
Bruce
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