Space transport roundup – Dec.16.2019

A sampling of recent articles, videos, and images dealing with space transport (find previous roundups here):

** Several orbital launches are taking place this week:

**** SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 this evening with the JCSAT 18/Kacific 1 comm-sat  from Cape Canaveral. The first stage booster successfully landed on the “Of Course I Still Love You” droneship. SpaceX’s two fairing recovery vessels, “Ms. Tree” and “Ms. Chief,” did not capture the fairings in their nets but did grab them from the water:

A fairing taken from the water has in fact been reused on one F9 flight (Starlink launch on November 11, 2019).

Here are scenes from today’s launch:

This was the third flight of this booster, which flew in May and July of this year. Turn-around times are getting shorter. This was also the 47th successful recovery of a Falcon booster counting the side boosters for the three Falcon Heavy flights.

More about today’s mission:

More SpaceX items below.

**** A Russian Soyuz is set to launch from the Arianespace launch facility in Kourou, French Guiana on Tuesday with four satellites: Soyuz Flight VS23 – Arianespace

The COSMO-SkyMed Second Generation satellite for the Italian Space Agency and Minister of Defence will be the primary passenger of this flight, along with the Characterising Exoplanet Satellite (CHEOPS) on behalf of the European Space Agency (ESA). Three auxiliary payloads also will be on board: ANGELS and EyeSat for the French CNES space agency; and OPS-SAT for Tyvak (on behalf of ESA).

Liftoff is set for 3:54:20 am (8:54:20 GMT).  See also:

**** Boeing and ULA plan to launch an uncrewed Starliner spacecraft to the ISS this Friday, Dec. 20th at 6:36 am EST ( 1136 GMT) from Cape Canaveral on an Atlas V rocket. This will be the first space flight of a Starliner, one of the two Commercial Crew vehicles sponsored by NASA along with the SpaceX Crew Dragon. The Atlas V for the first time will include a Centaur upper stage outfitted with two RL-10 LOX/Liquid Hydrogen engines rather than the usual single engine configuration. (Two engine Centaurs have flown before on other rockets.)

“A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket, topped by the Boeing CST-100 Starliner spacecraft, stand on Space Launch Complex 41 at Florida’s Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on Dec. 4, 2019. The vehicle was in place on the launch pad for Boeing’s wet dress rehearsal ahead of the upcoming Orbital Flight Test, an uncrewed mission to the International Space Station for NASA’s Commercial Crew Program.” – NASA

**** China launched two Beidou navigation satellites on Monday on a Long March 3B and plans to launch a Long March 4B rocket on Friday with the CBERS 4A (China-Brazil Earth Resources Satellite) remote sensing spacecraft.

** BE-3U Hotfire engine test – Blue Origin

We’re currently testing the newest member of the BE-3 family, BE-3U (upper stage), a variant of the BE-3PM propelling New Shepard. With a back-to-back turbine assembly and a larger nozzle, BE-3U is optimized to operate in the vacuum of space and generates 710 kN (160,000 lbf) thrust in vacuum. Two BE-3U engines power New Glenn’s restartable upper stage, enabling the full range of customer missions including direct injection to geostationary orbit. Building on years of operational experience and rigorous testing, BE-3U will be one of the best understood rocket engines when it launches into space.

** Rocket Lab‘s launch pad facility at Wallops Island, Virginia to see first liftoff in spring of 2020. The LC-2 pad at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS) is essentially complete. It will be used primarily for US defense payloads.

** China’s space program has a lot riding on the next launch of the Long March 5. The first launch put a satellite into orbit but at a lower altitude than planned. The second launch failed completely. The space station project and space science missions beyond earth orbit need the LM-5: Why China’s next Long March 5 rocket mission will be about restoring national pride | South China Morning Post

A Long March 5 rocket is expected to blast off from a site in southern China this month carrying not only a next-generation communications satellite, but the hope that the mission will restore pride in the programme after a series of setbacks.

One of the sources who confirmed the plan said that the atmosphere at Wenchang Space Launch Centre on the northern tip of Hainan Island was “so tense there seems to be a shortage of oxygen”.

The Long March 5 – also known as the CZ-5 – is the largest launch vehicle in China’s space fleet. It can carry 25 tonnes into low Earth orbit, typically 645-1,610km (400-1,000 miles) from the surface.

** Gilmour Space Technologies partnering with the Australian Space Agency:

There doesn’t appear to be any funding involved; just general cooperation and support:

While the development of rockets has not been in the realm of the Australian space sector in the past, Minister for Industry, Science and Technology, Karen Andrews, highlighted how recent investments broadens the Australian space industry.

“This new partnership shows the breadth of capabilities being developed in Australia, supporting our mission to develop and grow the Australian space industry over the next ten years,” said Andrews.

Gilmour is developing the

ERIS launch vehicles [which] will deliver up to 450 kg to LEO, with ERIS-S (up to 200 kg to 500 km SSO) followed by ERIS-L (450 kg to 180-500 km SSO). 

The propulsion systems for the ERIS vehicles are based on ” Gilmour’s new and proprietary hybrid rocket engine”.

** Munich-based Isar Aerospace raises $17M for small rocket launch system: European Launch Company ISAR Aerospace Closes $17 Million Series A Funding Round – SpaceWatch.Global

Isar is developing the Spectrum rocket which

… is a two-stage launch vehicle that is specifically designed for satellite constellation deployment. Payload capabilities of up to 1’000kg to low-earth orbit and a multi-ignition second stage engine enable flexible access to space for major satellite systems. Spectrum is designed to handle the most challenging mission parameters and offers engine-out capability on the first stage for highest mission success.

From the SpaceWatch.Global article:

Over the past year, Isar Aerospace has been developing its Spectrum rocket at unmatched speed. The development is fully on track for first launch in late 2021 while key milestones such as propulsion system hotfire testing and agreements for launch site access have been achieved. “At Airbus Ventures we’re proud to add Isar Aerospace to our global portfolio of innovative launch systems,” remarks Airbus Ventures Financial Officer and EMEA team member Claas Carsten Kohl. Mathieu Costes, Airbus Ventures Partner adds “We’re pleased to entrust Daniel and his outstanding team, bringing impressive new technologies and approaches to the challenges of Low Earth Orbit, to represent our first deal in Germany. Together with our investment round co-leader Earlybird and under the continuing guidance of Bulent Altan we’re pleased to help draw together the ecosystems of new space excellence in both Germany and in the wider Airbus universe.”

** More about the Leo Aerospace balloon launch systems: Using Balloons to Launch Rockets – Universe Today

Since the turn of the century, space exploration has changed dramatically thanks to the unprecedented rise of commercial aerospace (aka. NewSpace). With the goal of leveraging new technologies and lowering the costs of launching payloads into space, some truly innovative and novel ideas are being put forth. This includes the idea of using balloons to carry rockets to very high-altitudes, then firing the payloads to their desired orbits.

Also known as “Rockoons”, this concept has informed Leo Aerospace‘s fully-autonomous and fully-reusable launch system – which consists of a high-altitude aerostat (balloon) and a rocket launch platform. With the first commercial launches slated for next year, the company plans to use this system to provide regular launch services to the microsatellite (aka. CubeSat) market in the coming years.

See also the earlier item here about Leo.

** Vector Launch in final death throesVector files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy – SpaceNews.com

Small launch vehicle company Vector filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy Dec. 13 as part of an agreement that could see some of its satellite technology assets sold to Lockheed Martin.

Vector had been one of the leading companies in the small launch vehicle market until August, when the company said that a “significant change in financing” led it to pause operations and lay off nearly all of its more than 150 employees. Jim Cantrell, Vector’s chief executive, also left the company at the time. That announcement came just two days after the company won an Air Force launch contract.

According to industry sources familiar with the company, the August layoffs were triggered when one of the company’s major investors, venture fund Sequoia, withdrew its support for the company because of concerns about how the company was managed. That came as Vector was working on a new funding round, and Sequoia’s decision had a domino effect, causing other investors to back out. Sequoia didn’t respond to a request for comment in August about any role it played in Vector’s problems.

** Update on second Virgin Galactic SpaceShipTwo rocketplane:

** The secretive Astra launch company plans a test flight of the company’s rocket sometime between mid-February and the end of March: OET Special Temporary Authority Report

A snapshot of their rocket:

** SpaceX:

**** SpaceX adds more engine test stands at the McGregor, Texas facility: SpaceX set to activate additional test stands ahead of busy 2020 – NASASpaceFlight.com

SpaceX’s McGregor test facility is about to open two new test stands to accommodate increased Raptor engine production and a busy Falcon 9 manifest in 2020. Recent aerial images of the McGregor Texas-based facility show that both of the test stands are nearly ready for activation – with the first firings expected to occur this month.

**** Kepler Communications launching two batches of smallsats for an Internet of Things (IoT) constellation on Falcon 9 rideshare flights:

Kepler:

Kepler announced today that it has selected SpaceX as launch partner to deliver a portion of its first Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite constellation into space onboard SpaceX’s reusable Falcon 9 launch vehicle.

Kepler has procured 400 kg of launch capacity from SpaceX for the deployment of multiple satellites. These spacecraft incorporate both a high-capacity Ku-band communications system and a narrowband payload, for both high-speed data transfers and for low-power direct-to-satellite IoT connectivity.       

This will be the first time the two companies are partnering for a LEO deployment, and it will be a historical event as it marks Kepler’s first use of SpaceX’s new SmallSat Rideshare Program, which will see the launch of multiple small spacecraft into sun-synchronous orbit (SSO).

**** The team at www.USLaunchReport.com watches the booster recovered from the latest Starlink launch transported from Port Canaveral to the hangar to prepare for another launch:

**** Starship

****** Tim Dodd, the Everyday Astronaut, discusses the issue of a Starship abort system:

****** SpaceX Boca Chica Launch Control Center – December 15, 2019 – NASASpaceflight.com

As SpaceX’s Boca Chica steel machine keeps pumping out monolithic rings for Starship Mk3, groundwork is being laid for SpaceX’s Launch Control Center (LCC). Footage and photos from Mary (@bocachicagal) for NSF.

****** SpaceX Boca Chica – Foundations of a Starship Production Factory – Dec. 14, 2019 – NASASpaceflight.com

As the gutting of Mk1’s remains is ongoing, workers are working on foundations for what will be a number of buildings that will be producing sections for a fleet of Starships and Super Heavy boosters. Footage and photos from Mary (@bocachicagal) for NSF. Edited by Brady Kenniston (@TheFavoritist)

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