ALAMEDA, California — Rocket builder Astra wants to simplify the launch business, with the soon-to-be-public company on a quest to both cut manufacturing costs while dramatically increasing the number of launches to a daily rate.

Astra is preparing to go public by the end of June through a merger with SPAC Holicity, in a deal that will infuse as much as $500 million capital into the company. In the meantime, Astra is expanding its headquarters on the San Francisco Bay while the company prepares for its next launch this summer.

A SPAC, or special purpose acquisition company, raises capital in an initial public offering and uses the proceeds to buy a private firm and take it public.