Founder, Chairman and CEO of Astra. I’m focused on improving life on Earth from space.
San Francisco, CA
Joined August 2008
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- Following122
- Followers30.8K
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Chris Kemp retweeted
I wish you could park it outside my place in London, but the parking ticket folks are vicious here
Chris Kemp retweeted
Focus on what you can control. Build something, anything. A product, yourself, a family, your community, a team, a company or organization, relationships. Or help someone else do it. Don't complain or be a victim, ever. #PlayNiceButWin
Chris Kemp retweeted
Honored to be included again. Our focus stays the same: doing the work that gets us back to the pad. #adastra
There’s a big shake-up near the top of our annual US launch company rankings arstechnica.com/space/2026/0…
Chris Kemp retweeted
Congrats, @johnkrausphotos! You've captured so many unforgettable Astra moments — we can't wait to watch where your lens goes next with @NASAAdmin.
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
Chris Kemp retweeted
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!
Chris Kemp retweeted
Which happens first, Thursday space news edition:
45%Rocket 4 reaches orbit
55%DreamChaser reaches orbit
2,231 votes • Final results Chris Kemp retweeted
In case you missed it, catch Astra founder, chairman and CEO @Kemp in conversation with @ashleevance about the journey Astra has been on and what’s next.
Watch the full interview here: youtu.be/I_I_TS-dZdc?si=2yXV…
Chris Kemp retweeted
Astra's comeback for the ages: corememory.com/p/astra-space…
Chris Kemp retweeted
One of the more enjoyable stories over the last five years has been @ashleevance's insider coverage of Astra, @Kemp's willingness to engage, and a launch company that appears to be, however improbably, back from the dead.
Astra's comeback for the ages: corememory.com/p/astra-space…
Chris Kemp retweeted
Okay, people. @Kemp and I got the band back together to talk Wild, Wild Space and @Astra's $80m raise and return to the pad.
Full episode of the pod here on X
Timestamps
0:00:00 Introduction & Guest Chris Kemp
0:01:18 Astra's Journey and Current State
0:08:01 Taking Astra Private
0:10:17 New Leadership and Space Force Collaboration
0:12:18 Rocket Industry Landscape
0:14:22 Shifting to Larger Satellites
0:15:15 DoD Drone Launch Contract
0:21:19 Vision of Global Spaceports
0:24:25 Satellite Constellations and Dual Use
0:26:36 Global Telecom & Space Race
0:30:01 Open Standards & Space Interoperability
0:31:14 Life After Going Private
0:32:17 Lessons from the SPAC Era
0:34:03 Focusing on Rocket 4
0:36:15 Balancing Speed and Reliability
0:40:06 The Cost of Innovation
0:42:21 Fundraising and Customer Commitment
0:44:12 The Satellite Engine Business
0:45:09 Decentralized Constellation Vision
0:50:14 Future Plans and Series B
0:52:21 Why Kemp Keeps Going
0:54:20 What’s Next for Astra
0:56:06 Thoughts on the Competition
0:59:13 Sideways Rocket Explained
1:00:15 Vision for NASA's Future
Chris Kemp retweeted
On Mar 16, 1926 – History of Rocketry: Robert Goddard launches the first liquid-fueled rocket, at Auburn, Massachusetts.
Chris Kemp retweeted
Transporter-13 is scheduled to lift off today carrying multiple Astra spacecraft engines into orbit. Proud to support our partners on this SpaceX mission.
Targeting Friday, March 14 for a Falcon 9 launch of the Transporter-13 mission from Space Launch Complex 4E in California → spacex.com/launches/mission/…
Chris Kemp retweeted
California rocketmaker @Astra, which endured a tumultuous financial journey from private to public and back again, has snagged another chance to compete in orbital transportation.
payloadspace.com/inside-astr…
Chris Kemp retweeted
Astra wins DIU contract to support Rocket 4 development spacenews.com/astra-wins-diu…
Chris Kemp retweeted
Astra—yes, that Astra—is attempting to come back from the dead.
arstechnica.com/space/2024/1…
Chris Kemp retweeted
Department of Defense awards Astra contract valued up to $44 Million: astra.com/news/dod-awards-as…
Chris Kemp retweeted
A Rocket 4 first stage tank returns to the factory after passing qualification testing. This qualification confirms that the primary structure of Rocket 4 can withstand stress and loads far beyond those seen in flight and is a major milestone in the overall launch system design.
Chris Kemp retweeted
Excited to have witnessed the launch of Transporter 11, carrying the groundbreaking Tanager-1 satellite! 🌍 🛰️
This satellite, developed by a top-tier coalition including @NASAJPL @Planet @AirResources, will revolutionize our ability to track methane & CO2 emissions. Proud to be part of California’s bold leap in climate tech!
Chris Kemp retweeted
Transporter-11 is launching today from @SLDelta30 via a @SpaceX Falcon 9 with 116 payloads including two Astra Spacecraft Engines for two different customers: spacex.com/launches/mission/…
