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  Rocket 3.1 takes off Friday evening from Kodiak, Alaska. [credit:
  John Kraus for Astra ]

After months of technical and weather delays, Astra launched its first orbital rocket on Friday night from a spaceport in southern Alaska.

The stubby, small rocket’s five main engines lit several seconds before liftoff, and then the booster named Rocket 3.1 began to climb into the deepening evening sky. Rocket 3.1 appeared to climb straight and true for about 15 seconds before it began to sway back and forth a little bit.

Later, the company’s co-founder and chief technology officer, Adam London, would explain that a problem with the rocket’s computerized guidance system introduced a slight roll oscillation. As this happened, the vehicle began to drift away from its planned trajectory.