A close up view of Rocket 3.2's engines shortly after liftoff. Astra / John Kraus
Shares of rocket builder Astra Space began trading Wednesday on the Nasdaq, as it became the latest space company to go public after closing a SPAC deal.
Astra trades under the ticker ASTR, with shares previously listed under the special purpose acquisition company Holicity.
"Now we have a space company that everyone can invest in on the public markets," Astra CEO Chris Kemp told CNBC. "The same kinds of things you do to make a rocket great are the same behaviors that you have to invest in to make a company great. You don't want any inefficiencies."
The stock slipped shortly after trading opened but rebounded to rise 8%, up from its previous close of $12.35 a share.