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

** Space X set to launch Falcon 9 with 60 more Starlink satellites this week  but the launch day depends on the weather conditions at both the Cape and the area in the Atlantic where the booster will land. Keeping launch costs as low as possible is crucial for the economic viability of the Starlink enterprise, which will involve launching thousands of satellites. And that means recovering and reusing the boosters is very important. Today, SpaceX said they were now targeting Monday for liftoff:

Weather in the recovery area continues to be unfavorable so team is now targeting Monday, January 27 for launch of Starlink, pending Range availability

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) January 23, 2020

The on-pad test firing of the engines took place successfully last Monday:

Static fire of Falcon 9 complete ahead of launching 60 Starlink satellites. Due to extreme weather in the recovery area, team is evaluating best launch opportunity

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) January 20, 2020

Static Fire @SpaceX #Falcon9 #Starlink3 20 January 2020 pic.twitter.com/gYgAmD9EnL

— John Winkopp (@John_Winkopp) January 20, 2020

See also:

• Live coverage: Next SpaceX launch expected no earlier than Friday – Spaceflight Now
• SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft sails home after flawless in-flight abort test – Teslarati
• SpaceX fires up rocket for second launch in two days but high seas threaten delays – Teslarati

More SpaceX items below including the latest on Sunday’s successful in-flight abort test.

** Rocket Labs‘s next Electron launch will take a NRO spysat into orbit: Rocket Lab To Launch National Reconnaissance Office Mission – Rocket Lab

We’re excited to announce that our first mission of 2020 is a dedicated launch from LC-1 for the @NatReconOfc! The 14-day launch window opens from 31 Jan UTC. Full details: https://t.co/R1DFalvyCq pic.twitter.com/betmiKLYxr

— Rocket Lab (@RocketLab) January 20, 2020

See also: Rocket Lab announces NRO mission as agency diversifies launch providers – NASASpaceFlight.com

Rocket Lab has announced its first mission of 2020 – a dedicated launch for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO). Their workhorse Electron rocket, launching from Launch Complex 1 in New Zealand, will loft the classified NROL-151 satellite to an unknown orbit. The mission was awarded by the NRO as part of their Rapid Acquisition of a Small Rocket (RASR) program, with the goal of increasing the amount of small-lift launch providers they can choose from.

…

This mission will be Rocket Lab’s first launch for the NRO. The mission was nicknamed “Birds of a Feather”, likely referencing the Kiwi and Eagle, the national birds of the two involved countries.

Due to the classified nature of this launch, very few details have been made public. NROL-151’s purpose, orbit, size, and other specifications are unknown.

** A fuel leak during a static engine test by Firefly Aerospace resulted in a small fire at their Texas test facility but the company says there were no injuries or major damage to the pad or the Alpha rocket booster: Firefly confirms ‘anomaly’ and fire during first stage hotfire test – Spaceflight Now

Officials later clarified that no explosion occurred. Tom Markusic, Firefly’s CEO, told KXAN — the NBC television affiliate in Austin — that a fuel leak resulted in a small fire on the test stand.

Firefly was gearing up for the first in a series of full-scale first stage hotfire tests on a vertical stand in Briggs. The first stage of Firefly’s Alpha launcher, which the company previously said could be ready for a first flight this spring, is powered by four Firefly-built Reaver engines consuming kerosene and liquid oxygen propellants.

The company said Dec. 30 that qualification testing of the Alpha launcher’s first stage had started. The first stage is the last major piece of Firefly’s privately-developed launcher to undergo qualification testing, and the test campaign was expected to include multiple test-firings.

[ Update: More about the incident: Firefly Aerospace statement – Firefly Aerospace on LinkedIn

Yesterday evening we attempted to hotfire test the Alpha first stage for the first time. Unfortunately, after the four Reaver engines ignited, an engine bay fire developed (flame jet to the left in video). The system immediately shut itself down and the fire was quickly pic.twitter.com/YGYcEshrd9

— Firefly Aerospace (@Firefly_Space) January 23, 2020

We’re getting the first look at the @Firefly_Space Alpha rocket test stand where a kerosene leak caused a fire during testing last night — you can see the damage is minimal @KVUE pic.twitter.com/mKct9xgVpz

— Bryce Newberry (@Bryce_Newberry) January 23, 2020

]

Here is a top down view of their Texas test facility:

Thanks to Google, we can watch Firefly’s Briggs, Texas site transition from a cow pasture to a world-class small launch vehicle test and production facility. We’re looking forward to enabling the next generation of LEO imaging constellations with the Firefly Alpha launch vehicle! pic.twitter.com/u6xASdMtBW

— Firefly Aerospace (@Firefly_Space) January 17, 2020

And a recent photo of the booster on the pad:

** Boeing ends DARPA sponsored XS-1 reusable rocket project: Boeing drops out of DARPA Experimental Spaceplane program – SpaceNews.com

And from Boeing: “Following a detailed review, Boeing is ending our role in the Experimental Spaceplane (XSP) program immediately. We will now redirect our investment from XSP to other Boeing programs that span the sea, air and space domains.”

— Jeff Foust (@jeff_foust) January 22, 2020

Boeing statement: “Following a detailed review, Boeing is ending our role in the Experimental Spaceplane (XSP) program immediately. We will now redirect our investment from XSP to other Boeing programs that span the sea, air and space domains.”

— Stephen Clark (@StephenClark1) January 22, 2020

Boeing won the competition over teams led by Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems and Masten Space Systems to build a rocket vehicle with a reusable first stage that could put 3000 lbs (1360)  into low earth orbit and be prepared for another flight in a short time. The key program goal was to demonstrate that the vehicle could fly everyday for ten straight days. It would then be up to Boeing to continue to offer the vehicle for operational satellite launch missions.

The USAF procurement establishment has tried to bring in smaller companies like Masten to compete with the big legacy aerospace behemoths on this sort of modest sized technology project. And sometimes a small firm actually makes it to the second phase in the process. However, the legacy giant still almost always wins the final round since it gets the check-boxes marked for greatest depth of engineering talent, experience, and resources. Unfortunately, this ignores the fact that the project will be assigned a low priority by the giant. The opposite is true for the small company, which most likely needs the project to succeed if it is to stay in business.

See also DARPA says Boeing is pulling out of Phantom Express space plane program – GeekWire.

** Stratolaunch grows as it seeks markets for the company’s gigantic airplane:

• Stratolaunch confirms interest in launch services and hypersonic vehicles – SpaceNews.com
• Stratolaunch Air-Launched Hypersonic Testbed, C. Corda et al, AIAA Space, Sept 2018

As Stratolaunch ramps up operations after being sold last year, it says it remains interested in providing launch services as well as supporting hypersonic vehicles.

In a Jan. 21 statement to SpaceNews, Stratolaunch spokesperson Art Pettigrue confirmed the company was interested in “reliable, routine access to space” while also confirming the company was interested in hypersonics research.

“Stratolaunch is exploring the development of aerospace vehicles and technologies, including the need for reliable, routine access to space,” Pettigrue said. “This exploration includes the need to significantly advance the nation’s ability to design and operate hypersonic vehicles.”

** Dawn Aerospace expands from smallsat thrusters to smallsat launchers: Satellite propulsion startup Dawn Aerospace developing small launch vehicle – SpaceNews.com

Dawn Aerospace is commercializing thrusters that use nitrous oxide and propene instead of hydrazine. Its 5-pound-force thruster is produced without components restricted by U.S. International Traffic in Arms Regulations, according to the company. 

Wink said Dawn Aerospace built three flight-ready propulsion systems for cubesats in 2019, and eight larger thrusters for microsatellites. This year the company aims to build 50 cubesat thrusters and 100 microsat thrusters, he said. 

Dawn Aerospace is using revenues from those sales to develop a drone-launched rocket system. Rea said the uncrewed spaceplane would fly above 100 kilometers, reaching a speed of 4-kilometers per second. An expendable two-stage rocket would then vault “several hundred kilograms” into low Earth orbit, Wink said. 

** NASA and Boeing examining Starliner thruster performance on test flight: Starliner’s thruster performance receiving close scrutiny from NASA | Ars Technica

A NASA press release following the test discussed investigations into the timing issue that led to the failure to rendezvous with the ISS and into whether another uncrewed test flight was needed. The release

… did not mention thruster performance, but an agency source told Ars that engineers are looking closely at the performance of the Starliner propulsion system. In addition to four large launch abort engines, the service module has 28 reaction control system thrusters, each with 85 pounds of thrust and 20 more-powerful orbital maneuvering thrusters, each with 1,500 pounds of thrust.

During the post-flight news conference Jim Chilton, Boeing’s senior vice president of the Space and Launch division, said the service module thrusters were stressed due to their unconventional use in raising Starliner’s orbit instead of performing one big burn. As a result, the company had to shut down one manifold, which effectively branches into several lines carrying propellant to four thrusters. “We even shut down one manifold as we saw pressure go low ’cause it had been used a lot,” he said.

The NASA source said eight or more thrusters on the service module failed at one point and that one thruster never fired at all.

In response to a question about thruster performance, Boeing provided the following statement to Ars: “After the anomaly, many of the elements of the propulsion system were overstressed, with some thrusters exceeding the planned number of burns for a service module mission. We took a few cautionary measures to make sure the propulsion system stayed healthy for the remainder of the mission, including re-pressurizing the manifold, recovering that manifold’s thrusters. Over the course of the mission we turned off 13 thrusters and turned all but one back on after verifying their health.”

** UP Aerospace developing Spyder orbital rocket: Spaceport vertical launch area bustling with activity – Albuquerque Journal

UP expects to reach another milestone in February, when it conducts static ground tests on four different solid-propellant rocket motors it’s built at the spaceport to propel a new, four-stage, satellite-carrying rocket called the Spyder into low earth orbit, Larson said. Up has been developing Spyder for about five years in cooperation with NASA to offer a reusable, low-cost alternative to rapidly launch satellites.

“It will be a huge milestone for us when we static test all four motors,” Larson said. “We’ll lock up the technology and work out all the bugs.”

The orbital Spyder system won’t fly from the spaceport, because with four stages, some of the boosters could fall back to earth over potentially inhabited areas, Larson said. Rather, it will fly from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport on Virginia’s Wallops Island, where depleted stages can fall into the ocean.

But UP is also developing a suborbital version of the Spyder that will fly from the spaceport.

** History of the OTRAG clustered rocket concept:

** Here is a reminder of the single stage to orbit (SSTO) rocket from Pat Bahn of TGV Rockets and space analyst Tim Kyger: Op-ed | A Space Force needs spaceships – SpaceNews.com

In the 1990s, NASA identified three critical technology needed to make an SSTO spacecraft achievable:

(1) advanced composite materials;

(2) altitude compensating engines; and

(3) tri-propellant engines.

The required advanced composites materials have largely been developed over the past 25 years, as witness the improved aluminum alloys and more advanced carbon composites now available. The altitude-compensating engines are needed to so that one engine can both take off in the atmosphere and make orbit in a vacuum. NASA made progress on this with the one-third scale Lockheed Martin X-33 and the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) is currently investigating aerospike nozzles with the Affordable Responsive Modular Rocket (ARMR) Program. What has been lacking is the tri-propellant propulsion technology for SSTO-RLVs.

Entrepreneurial firms, such as TGV, have proposed novel approaches to the challenges of an SSTO-RLV. These innovations include new ways of approaching a tri-propellant engine, novel engine nozzles for altitude compensation, and new launch sites for more flexibility. Engineering for reliability, deep throttling, landing, and imaginative systems engineering are currently needed to improve the mass fraction and operability of a practical SSTO-RLV. These technologies are ready to be developed and brought into routine use in a reasonable time frame.

** SpaceX:

**** Crew Dragon spacecraft successfully escaped from a failing Falcon 9 booster shortly after launch from Pad 39A at KSC last Sunday. The in-flight abort (IFA) demonstration was the final major test flight before a Crew Dragon can carry astronauts to the ISS. There remain a couple of tests of the complete parachute system plus lots of reviews of IFA data, spacecraft and launcher systems, etc. The earliest that a Dragon will take a crew to the Station is late March but it might slip to late June.

Some videos of the IFA test:

Crew Dragon separating from Falcon 9 during today’s test, which verified the spacecraft’s ability to carry astronauts to safety in the unlikely event of an emergency on ascent pic.twitter.com/rxUDPFD0v5

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) January 19, 2020

Return of the Dragon:

She’s back! The #CrewDragon spacecraft that completed the in-flight abort test has arrived back at Cape Canaveral. After splashdown, teams from @SpaceX & the @usairforce 45th Operations Group’s Detachment-3 rehearsed crew recovery ops before bringing the spacecraft back to port. pic.twitter.com/Po9TVibS9J

— Jim Bridenstine (@JimBridenstine) January 20, 2020

The trunk was not expected to survive the long fall: SpaceX surprises after recovering spacecraft ‘trunk’ in one piece – Teslarati

Dragon trunk from in-flight abort test is in surprisingly good shape! pic.twitter.com/IGeffiNh9A

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 20, 2020

Misc. articles:

• NASA, SpaceX Complete Final Major Flight Test of Crew Spacecraft | NASA
• NASA considering extended Crew Dragon test flight to ISS – SpaceNews.com
• SpaceX conducts successful Crew Dragon In-Flight Abort Test – NASASpaceFlight.com

**** The post-flight press conference:

**** SpaceX may eventually try to catch a Crew Dragon with a net as they are currently trying to perfect for the fairings during satellite launches:

Elon wants to catch Dragon with the fairing catching ships to keep them out of the water. Mentions that they need to talk to NASA about that first and that fairing recovery needs to get more reliable first. #SpaceX

— Michael Baylor (@nextspaceflight) January 19, 2020

More here: Elon Musk says SpaceX could catch Crew Dragon and NASA astronauts with a giant net – Teslarati.

This is not the first time Musk has mentioned such a plan. Back in February 2018, he noted that SpaceX ship Mr. Steven (now Ms. Tree), designed to catch parasailing fairing halves out of the air, “might be able to do the same thing with Dragon — if NASA wants us to, we can try to catch Dragon.” The motivation behind catching Dragon – instead of fishing it out of the Atlantic Ocean – is effectively the same reason that SpaceX is trying to routinely catch Falcon fairings: it’s much easier to reuse aerospace hardware that hasn’t been dunked and soaked in saltwater.

Of course, Musk cautioned that SpaceX would only pursue Dragon catches if NASA were open to the idea – the space agency’s conservatism is already largely responsible for the death of propulsive Crew Dragon landing, also intended to make spacecraft reuse much easier. Additionally, the CEO qualified his comments by noting that SpaceX would attempt to catch Crew Dragon only after Falcon fairing halves are being routinely and reliably caught.

**** Starship

****** Elon Musk comments on Starship plans during informal session with media following NASA’s press briefing on the abort test.

Items of interest:

• Planned to fly later that day to Boca Chica to work with the team there.
• Expects there to be a lengthy period of overlap with Starship, Falcon 9, Crew Dragon, and Falcon Heavy all operating.
• Making very good progress on the Raptor engines.
  • Just finished the SN-20 unit.
  • Rate of production is increasing.
  • Each has incorporated improvements and expects these to continue up through SN-50
• Structure development going more slowly. Will focus on that while at Boca Chica.
  • The tank domes might seem a trivial issue but attaching them such that they can withstand the required pressures is a terrifically difficult problem.
  • Listed various other structure items including the interfaces between the tanks, landing legs, heat shield, etc.
  • Orbital propellant refilling is a crucial capability and very difficult. Precision rendezvous and docking of two Starships is similar to docking two big space stations.

****** SpaceX Boca Chica – Feeding the Starship Ring Making Machine – Jan.20.2020 – NASASpaceflight Channel

With Elon on site and buildings continuing to rise out of the ground, Starship SN1 Steel Rings were again on show, some being scrapped while the monolithic machine was being fed with more steel. Video and Photos from Mary (@bocachicagal) for NSF.

****** SpaceX Boca Chica – Facility Expansion Continues – Jan.21.2020 – NASASpaceflight Channel

More new buildings are about to be added to SpaceX Boca Chica’s facilities, alongside current and under-construction buildings. Not only a launch site, this is also a rocket (Starship) factory. Video and Photos from Mary (@bocachicagal) for NSF.

****** SpaceX Boca Chica – Preparing for New Starship Tank Test (Bopper 2.0) – Jan.22.2020 – NASASpaceflight Channel

SpaceX Boca Chica has been relocating test stands and mounts ahead of the transportation of the new Test Tank (fan dubbed Bopper 2.0) to the launch site for proof testing. Video and Photos from Mary (@bocachicagal) for NSF.

****** SpaceX Boca Chica – Night Ops – Bulkhead Lift – Nose Cone Welding – Jan.23.2020 – NASASpaceflight Channel

SpaceX worked through the night to prepare the new test tank by moving the first bulkhead out of the new production facility, while welding ops continued on the Starship SN1 Nosecone. Video and Photos from Mary (@bocachicagal) for NSF.

****** A place to build starships away from the weather:

Improved Accommodations pic.twitter.com/iRBK2yIfd7

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 22, 2020

Yeah, we just finished two more propellant domes. SpaceX team & supporting suppliers are doing amazing work ramping Starship production.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 22, 2020

See also SpaceX Starship factory churning out new rocket parts with Elon Musk’s help – Teslarati.

SpaceX’s South Texas team of Starship engineers and technicians – including CEO Elon Musk himself – are working around the clock to manufacture hardware that will likely become the company’s next Starship prototype in the near future.

Over the last few days, SpaceX has made quick progress churning out shiny steel rings and wrapping up propellant tank domes – the next round of full-scale Starship hardware. To better build the first flight and orbit-capable prototypes, not to mention hundreds or even thousands of Starship spacecraft and Super Heavy boosters in the years to come, SpaceX teams and contractors have spent the last two months aggressively expanding the company’s Boca Chica, Texas facilities. In fact, the very same company that built Tesla’s newest tent-based Model 3 assembly line – Sprung Instant Structures – has erected part of a massive, new Starship factory.

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

[ Update  3:35 pm:  Here is a video of the pre-test briefing at Kennedy held this afternoon at KSC:

• Kathy Lueders, manager, NASA Commercial Crew Program
• Benji Reed, director, Crew Mission Management, SpaceX
• Mike McAleenan, launch weather officer 45th Weather Squadron

More resources:

• SpaceX in-flight abort test: From viewing details to road closures, here’s everything to know – ClickOrlando.com
• SpaceX readying for Crew Dragon In-Flight Abort Test – NASASpaceFlight.com

Update 10:50 am: The SpaceX webcast  page is now configured for tomorrow’s schedule in-flight abort test and it offers the SpaceX IFA press kit (pdf). The webcast will go live about 20 minutes before lift off.

Tomorrow’s test will demonstrate Crew Dragon’s ability to separate from Falcon 9 and carry astronauts to safety in the unlikely event of an emergency on ascent pic.twitter.com/Cji4S5JDHl

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) January 17, 2020

Falcon 9 and Crew Dragon went vertical and the crew access arm was extended last night ahead of tomorrow’s in-flight demonstration of the spacecraft’s launch escape system. The four-hour launch window opens at 8:00 a.m. EST, 13:00 UTC → https://t.co/gtC39uBC7z pic.twitter.com/dS6R3hCgZi

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) January 17, 2020

Other resources:

• Early Weather Reports Positive for SpaceX In-Flight Abort Test | NASA
• SpaceX abort test serves as practice run for astronauts, rescue teams – Spaceflight Now

]

** SpaceX aims for two Falcon 9 launches in next three days starting with the in-flight abort (IFA) test on Saturday morning. On Monday there will be another batch of 60 Starlink satellites sent into low earth orbit.

The IFA window opens at 8:00 am EST:

• SpaceX In-Flight Abort: Launch Readiness Review Complete, Weather 90% ‘Go’ for Test – Commercial Crew Program/NASA
• NASA, SpaceX In-Flight Abort Test Briefings, Events and Broadcasts | NASA

The in-flight abort test for #CrewDragon is happening this Saturday. Weather is currently 90% GO!

7:45am ET – Live @NASA TV coverage starts

8:00am ET – Liftoff (beginning of 4-hour window)

9:30am ET – Post-test news conference live on NASA TV

More: https://t.co/2dPQocNdpQ pic.twitter.com/LVmrFra4O1

— Jim Bridenstine (@JimBridenstine) January 16, 2020

.@SpaceX‘s uncrewed in-flight abort test is targeted for 8am ET on Jan. 18. This test will show that the #CrewDragon can protect astronauts even in the unlikely event of an emergency during launch.

Currently, weather is 90% GO for the demonstration. https://t.co/PgHZol6PQA pic.twitter.com/kWCq7IHiq1

— NASA Commercial Crew (@Commercial_Crew) January 15, 2020

SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon capsule have arrived at pad 39A in Florida, where the vehicle will be lifted vertical in preparation for an in-flight test of the human-rated ship’s launch escape system Saturday. https://t.co/e9tMYft6Jd pic.twitter.com/5y6fLudCmp

— Spaceflight Now (@SpaceflightNow) January 16, 2020

The Starlink 3 launch is set for 12:20 pm EST (1720 GMT) on Monday. See also

• Live coverage: SpaceX prepares for Crew Dragon in-flight abort test – Spaceflight Now
• SpaceX set for back-to-back weekend launches: Crew Dragon abort test, 60 more Starlink satellites – Teslarati

More SpaceX items below.

** An Ariane 5 rocket sent two satellites to GEO transfer orbits on Thursday. The spacecraft were the EUTELSAT KONNECT for the telecom operator Eutelsat and GSAT-30 for the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO).

• Ariane Flight VA251 – Arianespace
• Flight VA251: Ariane 5 lifts off from French Guiana – Arianespace
• Arianespace gears up for busy 2020 with dual-passenger Ariane 5 mission – NASASpaceFlight.com

** Construction of Blue Origin facilities at Cape Canaveral making rapid progress according to Florida Today space reporter Emre Kelly:

An image of the New Glenn launch pad construction:

Launch Pad for #BlueOrigin 16 January 2020 pic.twitter.com/1XpSQGLSce

— John Winkopp (@John_Winkopp) January 16, 2020

** Boeing Starliner returns in good shape to KSC after orbital test mission:  Boeing expects ‘minimal refurbishment’ on reusable Starliner crew capsule – Spaceflight Now

We are excited to welcome @BoeingSpace‘s CST-100 #Starliner back home at the company’s Commercial Crew and Cargo Processing Facility!

The spacecraft is currently undergoing inspection after its Orbital Flight Test: https://t.co/mP8w5p3tHj pic.twitter.com/9VptsVDIJu

— NASA Commercial Crew (@Commercial_Crew) January 16, 2020

** Boeing releases a video taken inside Starliner during the test flight: Boeing releases in-cabin video from Starliner’s orbital test flight – Spaceflight Now

Boeing caption:

Take a look inside the #Starliner on its Orbital Flight Test. Four interior cameras captured the mission, and this video covers nearly every dynamic event during the flight, including launch, separation events, on-orbit maneuvering, re-entry and landing. This is just a preview of what’s to come from the Dec. 20-22 flight as we prepare to release all our onboard mission footage.

** China successfully launched remote sensing satellite Jilin-1  on a Long March-2D rocket from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in the northern province of Shanxi on January 15.

• China launches new remote-sensing satellite – Xinhua
• Long March 2D launches Kuanfu-1 and co-passengers – NASASpaceFlight.com

** New funding moves SpinLaunch closer to first test of catapult launch system:

• SpinLaunch: New Investment – LeonardDavid.com
• SpinLaunch Receives Additional Investment of $35 Million From Formidable Group of Investors, Bringing Total Investment to Date to $80 Million | SpinLaunch/Business Wire

The responsive launch system utilizes a large mass accelerator to provide on demand launches of small satellites in virtually any weather at an order of magnitude lower cost and higher frequency than any existing or proposed launch system.

Investors include Airbus Ventures, GV, KPCB, Catapult Ventures, Lauder Partners, John Doerr and Byers Family. The funds from this investment will be used to scale the SpinLaunch team and technology and continue to build out SpinLaunch’s new corporate headquarters in Long Beach, California, and complete the flight test facility at Spaceport America in New Mexico.

“Our team at SpinLaunch greatly appreciates the continued support of this formidable syndicate of investors, who share our vision of enabling low-cost and frequent launch of imaging and communications constellations that will protect our planet and humanity.” said CEO Yaney. “Later this year, we aim to change the history of space launch with the completion of our first flight test mass accelerator at Spaceport America.”

In January 2019, SpinLaunch relocated to a new 140,000 square foot facility in Long Beach, California, and funds will be used for the buildout of this corporate headquarters and investing in equipment and machinery to be a world-class R&D manufacturing facility. In addition, the company is hiring additional talent for both its Long Beach headquarters and Spaceport test facility. First flight test is expected later this year.

** Northrop Grumman Cygnus cargo ship to stay longer in orbit after departing from the ISS: NASA, FCC approve Cygnus NG-12 post-Station mission extension – NASASpaceFlight.com

Coming two weeks before the NG-12 Cygnus is scheduled to depart the International Space Station on 31 January 2020, NASA’s Johnson Space Center officially requested, and the Federal Communications Commission approved, a post-Station mission extension for the craft. 

For this mission, Cygnus had a pre-flight approval to perform two weeks of solo flight operations after leaving the Station before destructively re-entering.  That solo flight operation has now been extended to 31 days in large part due to the planned 9 February launch of the NG-13 Cygnus from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport in Virginia.

** Generation Orbit tests Ursa Major Technologies propulsion system for X-60A hypersonic project: X-60A program conducts integrated vehicle propulsion system verification test – Wright-Patterson AFB

The Air Force Research Laboratory’s X-60A program recently achieved a key developmental milestone with the completion of integrated vehicle propulsion system verification ground testing.

The X-60A is an air-launched rocket designed for hypersonic flight research. It is being developed by Generation Orbit Launch Services under an AFRL Small Business Innovation Research contract. The goal of the X-60A program is to provide affordable and routine access to relevant hypersonic flight conditions for technology maturation. This test included both cold flow and hot fire testing with the Hadley liquid rocket engine developed by Ursa Major Technologies. Flight-like hardware was tested using flight-like operational procedures. The test runs covered full duration burns, engine gimbaling for thrust vector control, and system throttling.

“This test series was a critical step in reducing risk and gathering necessary system integration data in preparation for our upcoming flight tests,” said Barry Hellman, AFRL X-60A program manager. “When we go to flight later this year, we hope to demonstrate the capability of the X-60A to provide affordable access to hypersonic flight conditions, which will position AFRL to deliver an innovative test capability for the Air Force and other DoD organizations.”           

X-60A is a single-stage liquid rocket primarily designed for hypersonic flight research and is launched from a modified business jet carrier aircraft. It is capable of testing a wide range of hypersonic technologies including airbreathing propulsion, advanced materials, and hypersonic vehicle subsystems. The vehicle propulsion system utilizes liquid oxygen and kerosene propellants. The system is designed to provide affordable and regular access to high dynamic pressure flight conditions above Mach 5.

During the upcoming flight tests based out of Cecil Spaceport in Jacksonville, FL, the X-60A will fly at relevant conditions necessary for technology maturation. Data will be collected to validate the overall vehicle design functionality as well as performance predictions.

** Lots of private space launch activities expected in 2020: This year may finally fulfill the promise of private human spaceflight | Ars Technica

This year could see the fulfillment of a number of long-promised achievements in human spaceflight. For the first time, private companies could launch humans into orbit in 2020, and two different companies could send paying tourists on suborbital missions. The aerospace community has been watching and waiting for these milestones for years, but 2020 is probably the year for both.

We may also see a number of new rocket debuts this year, both big and small. A record number of missions—four—are also due to launch to Mars from four different space agencies. That’s just the beginning of what promises to be an exciting year; here’s a look at what we’re most eagerly anticipating in the coming 11.5 months.

** SpaceX:

**** Falcon 9 up close:  SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket shown off in unprecedented detail ahead of next US Air Force launch – Telsarati

**** More about SpaceX’s plans to build new mobile tower at Pad 39A for vertical installation of military satellites: SpaceX’s Falcon rockets might need a giant tower on wheels for US military launches – Teslarati

SpaceX reportedly plans to build a massive mobile gantry – effectively a tower on wheels – at one of its two Florida launch pads, a bid to meet obscure military launch criteria needed to secure highly lucrative Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy launch contracts from the US government.

Although this is not the first time that SpaceX and vertical integration have been thrown around in the same sentence, it is the first time that the company is reportedly close to actually finalizing its plans along those lines and constructing a real solution at one or more of its three orbital-class launch pads.

**** Starship

****** Construction of Starship SN-1 ramping up. Here is a new tweet from Elon:

Starship orbital vehicle SN1, liquid oxygen header tank & nosecone pic.twitter.com/IaSEdIyZgP

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 16, 2020

****** SpaceX Boca Chica – Deconstruction Day – NASASpaceflight.com

At SpaceX Boca Chica, engineers have begun dismantling the test tank (“Bopper”), the UFO Steel Rings and an old bulkhead, while the Starship SN1 Nosecone gained a friend in the Windbreak. Muted due to high wind noise conditions. Footage and photos from Mary (@bocachicagal) for NSF. Edited by Jack Beyer (@thejackbeyer).

****** SpaceX Boca Chica – More Buildings, Test Tank Dismantled, Starship Rings – NASASpaceflight.com

A very busy SpaceX Boca Chica video, as more buildings are constructed, steel rings are mated and Test Tank “Bopper” is literally pulled apart. Video and Photos from Mary (@bocachicagal) for NSF with additional photos from NSF Member Nomadd (@@nomadd13)

****** Boca Chica operations receive deliveries from Florida facility: SpaceX Transports Starship Hardware with Addition of New Ship – NASASpaceFlight.com

SpaceX’s GO Discovery ship has arrived in Texas to deliver more Starship hardware to Boca Chica, a facility that continues to expand. A Jobs Fair was held today, showing SpaceX’s expansion intent. Video and Photos from Mary (@bocachicagal) for NSF.

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Frozen Orbit

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

** SpaceX test fired Falcon 9 on Pad 39A on Saturday in preparation for the in-flight abort (IFA) test of the Crew Dragon space. The test is currently set to lift off on January 18th at 8 am EST.

Static fire of Falcon 9 complete – targeting January 18 for an in-flight demonstration of Crew Dragon’s launch escape system, which will verify the spacecraft’s ability to carry astronauts to safety in the unlikely event of an emergency during ascent

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) January 11, 2020

The test starts at around 24:40 into this video:

NASA previews the test: SpaceX, NASA Gear up for In-Flight Abort Demonstration | NASA

And posts this animation:

See also Elon Musk says a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is about to be “destroyed in Dragon fire” – Teslarati.

More SpaceX items below.

** Virgin Galactic’s second SpaceShipTwo nears completion: Second Spaceship in Virgin Galactic’s Fleet Completes Major Build Milestone – Virgin Galactic

See latest Space Tourism Roundup for more about this and other Virgin Galactic news.

** Arianespace heads for a busy year in 2020 with multiple types of rockets lifting off from Kourou, Kazakhstan, and Russia: Arianespace could launch record 22 missions in 2020 – SpaceNews.com

Half of the European launch provider’s 2020 manifest is comprised of OneWeb launches — 10 Soyuz missions and the inaugural launch of the Ariane 62 rocket. 

Arianespace also has two launches scheduled for its smallest rocket, Vega, and two for the larger next-generation Vega C, Stéphane Israël, Arianespace’s chief executive, said in a Jan. 7 interview.
…
Of the 22 missions, 14 are planned from Europe’s spaceport, the Guiana Space Center, on the coast of South America, Israël said. The remaining eight are Soyuz missions the company expects will be split about even between Russia’s spaceports, the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, and the Vostochny Cosmodrome in Russia’s Far East, near China, he said. 

Arianespace’s record is 12 launches in one year, set in 2015.

** Sierra Nevada gives an update on development of Dream Chaser cargo and crew variants:Dream Chaser on Track for 2021 Cargo Mission, Crew Within 5 Years – SpacePolicyOnline.com

Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) is on track for the first cargo flight of its Dream Chaser spacecraft next year.  Looking like a small space shuttle, Dream Chaser lost out on a contract for NASA’s commercial crew program, but was selected in the second round of commercial cargo contracts.  SNC still plans to use Dream Chaser for crewed missions for other customers and expects the first within 5 years.  SNC also is bidding on contracts for NASA’s Artemis program, including as part of a Dynetics team for the Human Landing System.

Steve Lindsey, a former NASA astronaut who is now SNC’s Senior Vice President of Strategy for Space Systems, and other SNC officials gave updates on Dream Chaser and other space activities during a media telecon today.

SNC has “never stopped working” on the crewed version of Dream Chaser, Lindsey said. While the company’s focus right now is getting the cargo version ready for its first flight on a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Vulcan-Centaur rocket next year, the first crewed flight “absolutely” will take place within 5 years.

** ABL Space Systems to use Air Force facilities to test components for the RS1 launch vehicle for smallsat orbital deliveries: Small launch startup ABL Space Systems to test rocket hardware at Edwards Air Force Base – SpaceNews.com

Based in El Segundo, California, ABL was founded by former SpaceX engineers in 2017 to develop low-cost launch vehicles for the small satellite industry. The company’s RS1 vehicle was designed to lift 1,200 kilograms into low Earth orbit at a price of $12 million per launch.

ABL announced on July 22 — just days after signing the cooperative agreement with AFRL — that Lockheed Martin Ventures would become an investor in the company.

Nils Sedano, technical adviser on rocket propulsion systems at AFRL, told SpaceNews Jan. 9 that ABL has “come in and established their presence at area 1-56 of the AFRL rocket propulsion division.”

AFRL is the primary rocket propulsion scientific research and development center for the U.S. Air Force.

** China’s Galactic Energy reaches $43M in total funding for rocket development: Chinese launch firm Galactic Energy raises $21.5 million – SpaceNews.com. The latest funding round

was led by Puhua Capital and Huaqiang Capital with six further investors. The funding was secured in October and announced by Galactic Energy late December (Chinese). The funds will be used for the first launch of the Ceres-1 solid rocket in the first half of 2020.

Ceres-1 will consist of three solid stages using Hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene fuel and a liquid propellant upper stage. The launcher will be capable of carrying a 350-kilogram payload to low Earth orbit. 

The company’s full English name is Beijing Xinghe Dongli Space Technology Co. Ltd.

** An update from the Planetary Society on LightSail-2, which launched last summer on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy:

• Here’s What We’ve Learned So Far from LightSail 2 | The Planetary Society

High above Earth, The Planetary Society’s LightSail 2 spacecraft is still sailing on sunbeams. During the 5 months since LightSail 2 deployed its solar sail on 23 July 2019, the spacecraft has continued to demonstrate the first controlled solar-sailing flight in Earth orbit. 

The LightSail 2 team is releasing a paper today that describes new results from the mission. Purdue University’s Justin Mansell is also presenting the results at the 30th Space Flight Mechanics Meeting in Orlando, Florida. The paper recaps mission events through late November, discusses the performance of the solar sail and attitude control system, and describes how the spacecraft’s orbit has changed. 

…

LightSail 2 flies at a higher altitude than most satellites in low-Earth orbit. While the International Space Station orbits Earth at an altitude of about 400 kilometers, LightSail 2 orbits at about 720 kilometers. Since fewer spacecraft orbit at LightSail 2’s altitude, there wasn’t enough data on Earth’s atmospheric density to reliably predict how much atmospheric drag would slow down the spacecraft. We now know for certain that the atmosphere at 720 kilometers is dense enough to overcome the thrust imparted by solar sailing.

• Orbit and Attitude Performance of the LightSail 2 Solar Sail Spacecraft, J. R. Mansell et al (pdf) – Technical paper

** Rocket Lab prepares for next Electron launch:

Who’s ready for the first Electron launch of 2020? Stage tests are complete and Electron will be on the pad at LC-1 soon. More info next week. pic.twitter.com/E8nmrhiWKk

— Rocket Lab (@RocketLab) January 12, 2020

** Secretive Astra Space aims for three launches from Alaskan spaceport this year: FCC Filing Confirms Final Contestant in DARPA’s $12 Million Satellite Launch Challenge – IEEE Spectrum.

Astra Space (previously named Ventions) is developing a small payload orbital launch system and is competing in the DARPA Launch Challenge, which requires a demonstration of a quick response (30 days) to a request for the launch of a smallsat. While the company refuses to answer press queries, applications for launch and communications licenses provides some info on what they are doing:

• OET Special Temporary Authority Report [for Pacific Spaceport launches] – FCC
• OET Special Temporary Authority Report [for Wallops Island] – FCC
• Commercial space transport license – FAA (pdf)

The company carried out two suborbital launches from PSCA in 2019 but the rockets appeared to have problems shortly after liftoff. According to the FAA license, this year Astra will attempt three orbital flights from Pacific Spaceport Complex – Alaska (PSCA) on Kodiak Island. They may also do a flight from the commercial launch facility at Wallops Island but a separate FAA license will be required.

** A compilation of recetn rocket news from Eric Berger: Rocket Report: SpaceX goes vertical, smallsat launch dates slip | Ars Technica

** SpaceX:

**** Falcon 9 booster (B1049.4) for Starlink 2 launch returns to port:

B1049 looks great!! We are a US disabled veteran run, non-profit video production company whose mission is to bring other disabled US Veterans to witness a launch, experience US Space History and become part of our report. Our nonprofit 501(c)(3) is 100% tax deductible, just go to our webpage www.USLaunchReport.com which is merged with www.VeteransSpaceReport.com and find our Donate button. You can help change the life of a US Veteran. Thank You

At 3 PM the crews rapidly craned off the #Falcon9 off #OCISLY about 2 h after attaching the hoisting cap around 1 PM today Jan 10 to the 4x launched/landed #SpaceX 1st stage towed into @PortCanaveral yesterday. From @SpaceX #Starlink launch Jan 6 of 60 internet sats pic.twitter.com/Hh66MgFpAD

— Ken Kremer (@ken_kremer) January 10, 2020

2 Up/2 Off: #SpaceX crane crews retract 2 landing legs & detach 2 landing legs from opposite sides 4x launched/landed #Falcon9 #Starlink booster yesterday/today and lowered 1st stage horizontal 230pm afternoon onto transporter for shipment back to Cape.1st time mixed legs I think pic.twitter.com/LQHLe0mRmR

— Ken Kremer (@ken_kremer) January 12, 2020

[ Update: The group at www.USLaunchReport.com offers a video scenes of the processing for the booster from the Starlink 2 launch:

]

** SpaceX Cargo Dragon for CRS-19 mission to the ISS recovered after splashdown:

Dragon after returning to Earth from its four-week stay at the @space_station – SpaceX’s eighth mission with a flight-proven spacecraft pic.twitter.com/PZOTF1VX4R

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) January 8, 2020

**** Starship

****** Assembly of propellant tank for pressure testing to destruction. Last week, the primary focus at Boca Chica was completing the assembly of a propellant tank and then pressure testing to destruction. The goal was to determine if  techniques for tank construction have improved to the point that the stainless steel tanks are flight worthy.

****** SpaceX Boca Chica – Test Tank (Bopper) and Buildings, Jan 8, 2020 – NASASpaceflight.com

All hands on deck at SpaceX Boca Chica as buildings continue to be completed while the test tank (we’re lovingly calling “Bopper”) undergoes final welding ahead of its transportation. Footage and photos from Mary (@bocachicagal) for NSF.

****** SpaceX Boca Chica – Starship Test Tank transported to Launch Site, Jan.9.2020 – NASASpaceflight.com

SpaceX’s Starship Test Tank “Bopper” was transported to the Boca Chica launch site for a positive pressure test. Footage and photos from Mary (@bocachicagal) for NSF. Mostly muted due to really strong wind noise and timelapsed to get all events in without it being a one hour video.

****** SpaceX Hoppy Poppy Jr Pressure Test To Failure, Jan.10.2020 – LabPadre

01.10.2020 At 5:45 AM the pressure testing to failure on Hoppy Jr at SpaceX Boca Chica, Texas. Video is not the best quality but it gets the picture across. Thanks for watching. All live images are explicitly owned by LabPadre Media. Filmed on location at Pointer Property.

****** SpaceX Boca Chica – Test Tank Before and After Test – Timelapse, Jan.10.2020 – NASASpaceflight.com

At SpaceX’s Boca Chica launch site, the test tank underwent a planned and successful/useful data overpressure test event. Timelapse video show the tank (nicknamed Bopper) before and after the test. Footage and photos from Mary (@bocachicagal) for NSF. Muted due to really strong wind noise and timelapsed to get all events in without it being a one hour video.

**** Comments from Elon Musk on the tank pressure test:

Dome to barrel weld made it to 7.1 bar, which is pretty good as ~6 bar is needed for orbital flight. With more precise parts & better welding conditions, we should reach ~8.5 bar, which is the 1.4 factor of safety needed for crewed flight.

— Buff Mage (@elonmusk) January 10, 2020

A given tank pressure is needed to feed the engine turbopumps & pressure-stabilize/relieve compression load on the cylinder walls

— Buff Mage (@elonmusk) January 10, 2020

Everything is compressible, but liquid compression at these pressures is not significant. However, the tanks do expand under pressure, creating a bit more volume. Keeping propellant super cold has a big effect on density of ~10% in case of CH4.

— Buff Mage (@elonmusk) January 10, 2020

Every tank under pressure is a balloon tank — it’s just question of degree. Starship tanks are not balloon tanks like Atlas in sense that they don’t collapse when depressurized on the ground.

— Buff Mage (@elonmusk) January 10, 2020

See also SpaceX just blew up a Starship tank on purpose and Elon Musk says the results are in – Teslarati.

**** Post pressure test activity

****** SpaceX Boca Chica – Preparing for Starship SN1 bulkheads – Facility Construction, Jan.12.2020 – NASASpaceflight.com

Following the successful “pressurization to failure” test on the “Bopper” test tank, SpaceX Boca Chica is busy working on the additional facilities and setting up to build new bulkheads that will be for Starship SN1. Footage and photos from Mary (@bocachicagal) for NSF.

****** SpaceX Boca Chica – Starship SN1 Bulkhead/Rig Transported To Big Tent, Jan.12.2020 – NASASpaceflight.com

The new Big Production Tent at SpaceX’s Boca Chica received the Starship SN1 Bulkhead and Rig after they were transported from the Windbreak building. This will allow for welding ops to be protected from the elements. Footage and photos from Mary (@bocachicagal) for NSF. A lot of timelapsing at 6x and 4x to condense several hours of footage.

**** Florida Starship facility status:

So what is happening out at @SpaceX Coastal Steel, well not much. The place is pretty clean, still a lot of workers during the week. They are doing some fab work maybe for a new VAB at #pad39A Sunday,12 January 2020 pic.twitter.com/aC8Cf5y927

— John Winkopp (@John_Winkopp) January 12, 2020

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