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

** China’s Long March 5 heavy lifter set to launch on Friday. The vehicle design has undergone major upgrades following the failed second launch in 2017.

• Long March-5 rocket readies for third launch – CGTN
• China Prepping for Comeback Launch of Heavy-Lift Long March 5 Rocket Friday – Space.com
• China’s Long March-5: Crucial Flight in Coming Days – Leonard David
• China prepares to launch Long March-5 rocket – Xinhua

A video report from CGTN about the Wenchang spaceport where the LM-5 will lift off:

Located in south China’s Hainan Province, Wenchang Space Launch Center is the fourth launch site in China, being specially selected for its low latitude. CGTN takes you on a tour the space site and China’s aerospace history.

The space center will witness the launch of China’s Long March 5 carrier rocket. In the next few days, the final checks and preparations for the launch will be carried out by the engineers. This year’s launch is the third after two unsuccessful launches in 2016 and 2017.

ℹ：https://t.co/wjgD3gZdi1 pic.twitter.com/1DNLzD2d3Q

— LaunchStuff (@LaunchStuff) December 26, 2019

** A couple of Chinese commercial space items:

• Commercial suborbital carrier rocket launched in China – Xinhua – The company Space Trek launches a Tansuo-1 suborbital rocket.
• China’s reusable liquid rocket engine completes 500-second test – Xinhua – The company i-Space tests a 15-tonne reusable liquid oxygen-methane engine for 500 seconds. The engine is intended to power the company’s Hyperbola-2 orbital rocket, which they hope to launch for the first time in 2021. The rocket’s first stage will land vertically and be reused.

**  Taiwan’s TiSPACE plans to launch orbital Hapith-V rocket in 2020 powered by hybrid motors:

Our Hapith I launch vehicle is standing on the launch pad and getting ready for its maiden flight. The flight test will usher in a very cost-effective cutting-edge hybrid rocket technology for fast access to space. pic.twitter.com/JeeVxsQMfu

— TiSPACE (@LaunchService) December 24, 2019

One of the company’s videos describes the company and its launch technology:

This article provides some background on the company: Firm sets sights on heavens as space industry develops – Taipai Times (pdf)

Based in Miaoli County, TiSPACE was established in 2016 by Chen Yen-sen (陳彥升), who served at the NSPO [National Space Organization] for 11 years after leaving his job as a researcher at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, where he had worked for 21 years.

After returning to Taiwan in 2005, Chen was responsible for directing sounding rocket projects at the NSPO.

Chen said that he left the NSPO to start the company because he hopes to pursue the commercial applications of hybrid rockets and he has become familiar with official procedures to receive approval to launch rockets.

The firm has 104 employees, averaging 34.5 years old, including many engineers who previously worked at information and communications technology firms, the Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology, or Australian rocket firms, he said.  The firm earlier this year improved the efficiency of hybrid rockets to achieve Class-I rocket propulsion as defined by NASA, while keeping the cost much lower than similar products, he added.

Find updates on TiSpace at tiSpace-Taiwanese commercial launch company – NASASpaceflight Forum.

** Boeing Starliner landed successfully last Sunday at White Sands after abbreviated test flight

Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner spacecraft completed the first touchdown on land of a human-rated space capsule in U.S. history Sunday, Dec. 22, 2019, at White Sands Space Harbor in New Mexico, wrapping up the uncrewed Orbital Flight Test as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. Starliner settled gently onto its air bags at 7:58 a.m. EST in a pre-dawn landing that helps set the stage for future crewed landings at the same site. The landing followed a deorbit burn at 7:23 a.m., separation of the spacecraft’s service module, and successful deployment of its three main parachutes and six airbags.

Post-landing briefing:

One hour after landing, NASA and Boeing held a news conference at NASA Johnson Space Center with NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine, Jim Chilton, senior vice president of Boeing’s Space and Launch Division, and Steve Stich, deputy manager of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program.

The vehicle gets a name: Boeing’s first commercial crew capsule christened ‘Calypso’ – Spaceflight Now

Scott Manley’s discusses the return of the Starliner:

** Russian Proton rocket launched a new weathersat:

• Proton-M Rocket Launches Russian Meteorological Satellite – Video – Sputnik International
• Russian Proton-M lofts new geostationary weather satellite – NASASpaceFlight.com

** Interview with Black Arrow Space Technologies executive director: Black Arrow is developing a seaborne small-sat launcher – Aerospace Engineering Blog

Paul Williams is the Executive Director of the British startup Black Arrow Space Technologies. Black Arrow is developing a sea-borne launch capability based on their current expertise in developing composite propellant tanks for satellites. The launching of rockets from ships has a previous history in America, and as an island nation, the concept is clearly suited for a UK launch provider. Paul and I talk about the heritage of the Black Arrow name, the advantages of a sea-borne launch approach, and the importance of audacious technical challenges in galvanising and inspiring the next generation of engineering talent.

(Item via the Rocketeers blog.)

A video animation of the Black Arrow plan:

Black Arrow Space Technologies is developing its own spaceship – a seaborne spaceport which will be used to launch satellites of up to, initially, 500 kg in to Low Earth Orbit. The “spaceship” will be based in a South Wales port, along with its support vessels, and will enable rockets to be launched North or South without overflying populated areas. We are creating a flexible British launch capability to support the thriving British satellite industry which will allow launches to take place from the best place to achieve the required orbit.

** SpaceX:

**** SpaceX completes successful series of parachute tests for Crew Dragon: SpaceX leaps closer to launching NASA astronauts after parachute testing milestone – Teslarati

Most recently, SpaceX announced on December 4th that it had completed the 7th consecutively successful multi-chute drop test, leaving three additional tests to go before reaching its goal of at least 10 consecutive successes.

Now, a bit less than three weeks after that 7th test, SpaceX says it has completed the 10th multi-chute drop test of Crew Dragon’s upgraded Mk3 parachutes, achieving the tentative goals set by CEO Elon Musk and NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine just two months ago. By the numbers, since Bridenstine first announced his expectation of “as many as 10 drop tests between now and the end of the year”, SpaceX alone has completed at least 20 successful tests in a row in the last eight weeks, averaging more than one test every three days.

Yesterday the team completed the 10th successful multi-chute test in a row of Crew Dragon’s upgraded Mark 3 parachute design – one step closer to safely launching and landing @NASA astronauts pic.twitter.com/nfFjnKygB4

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) December 23, 2019

If the in-flight abort test set for January 11th is successful, the Crew Dragon will be ready to carry astronauts to the ISS.

**** Latest  landed booster returned and sent to hangar in record time: SpaceX wraps up a decade of reusable rocketry with fastest booster recovery yet- Teslarati

SpaceX has completed its 13th and final launch and landing of the year and decade, marked by a Falcon 9 booster’s successful return to Port Canaveral and subsequent processing to prepare it for another orbital-class mission.

Over the course of that recovery, SpaceX broke the record for the fastest Falcon 9 processing by several hours, a small but significant step towards the company’s ultimate goal of launching and landing the same Falcon 9 booster in less than 24 hours. Additionally, SpaceX appears to have finished processing booster B1056 on December 21st, the 4th anniversary of Falcon 9’s first successful landing after an orbital-class launch.

Video of the processing of B1056:

Booster 56 has retracted and loaded with landing legs on, three times in a row. SpaceX redesigned the struts on each leg to collapse under equal pressure beginning with B1056. This puts SpaceX much closer to the 24hr turnaround. Amazing engineering! Thanks for Subscribing! 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.

**** SpaceX – CRS 19 – Remote narrow & wide cameras w/ high fidelity audio – NASASpaceflight.com

Filmed by Chris Gebhardt using Jay DeShetler’s specialist remove camera and audio set up, Falcon powered the CRS-19 Dragon into the Florida sky. Launch article: https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2019/…

**** Next Falcon 9 launch of Starlink satellites set for Jan. 3. Two more Starlink launches planned for January: SpaceX poised to accelerate launch cadence with series of Starlink missions – Spaceflight Now

SpaceX teams across the United States are readying for what the company’s chief operating officer predicts will be a record number of launches in 2020.

Before the end of January, SpaceX aims to perform four Falcon 9 launches from Florida’s Space Coast — three for the company’s Starlink broadband network, and a crucial in-flight abort test for the Crew Dragon spacecraft no earlier than Jan. 11.

SpaceX has performed its final launch of 2019, finishing the year with 13 missions — 11 using the “single-stick” Falcon 9 and two employing the Falcon Heavy with three booster core connected together. All 13 of the missions were successful.

The company accomplished 21 launches in 2018, and 18 in 2017.

**** Starship

****** Recent scenes at Boca Chica:

As numerous deliveries continue into SpaceX Boca Chica, the expansion of the new production facility is still taking place. This will give birth to Starship Mk3, before being assembled and welded into the tall windbreak building. Footage and photos from Mary (@bocachicagal) for NSF.

Starship’s bulkhead was flying again, but this time on the end of a crane at SpaceX’s Boca Chica facility as more Steel rings are being produced. Footage and photos from Mary (@bocachicagal) for NSF.

Another beautiful sunrise over SpaceX Boca Chica, TX. The work continues this morning. 🎄🚀🤩🎄@NASASpaceflight pic.twitter.com/R2rYnpahPB

— Mary (@BocaChicaGal) December 25, 2019

****** Structural components for the Mk.3 vehicle arrived via ship from Florida: SpaceX ships Starship hardware from Florida to Texas to speed up production – Teslarati

After appearing unexpectedly at SpaceX’s Port Canaveral docks last month, several large pieces of Starship flight and manufacturing hardware were successfully shipped from Florida to Texas, arriving at the company’s Boca Chica build and launch site two weeks ago.

Previously discussed on Teslarati, the hardware transfer signals a significant shift in the development strategy for SpaceX’s next-generation Starship-Super Heavy launch vehicle. Most notably, SpaceX has chosen to prioritize Texas in the near term while the company’s Florida facilities instead aim for longer-tail milestones like the first Super Heavy-capable launch site and a new production facility located much closer to that launch site.

While the hardware SpaceX has sent over is relatively minor in the scope of producing a brand new Starship prototype, it will at least somewhat expedite the process thanks to the inclusion of what appears to be a completed propellant tank dome. Additionally, it’s possible that this December 8th hardware delivery will not be the last – a large amount of hardware remains at SpaceX’s Cocoa, Florida Starship production facility, including several ring sections and a nearly finished nose section, among a number of other parts.

****** Activity at the Florida Starship assembly facility has scaled down substantially:

Not much happening. The MK2 remains virtually untouched. The grey header tank (removed from MK2 a while ago) has been moved outside into the elements. Site has almost been cleared of all extra parts, moving pipes and fixtures now.

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

** Boeing Starliner crew spacecraft sent into wrong orbit due to a timing clock glitch shortly after deployment from Atlas V upper stage: NASA Statement on Boeing Orbital Flight Test | NASA

The test flight with no astronauts on board was intended to prove the vehicle’s performance and safety before the first crewed flight. Though many of the rocket and spacecraft systems will be tested, including the return for a parachute landing onto hard ground, the key rendezvous and docking capabilities will not be proven.

It’s likely, however, that NASA will not require Boeing do another uncrewed flight test since a crew would not have been endangered during today’s flight and might have even corrected the problem in time to achieve the orbit needed to rendezvous with the ISS. Nevertheless, the Starliner crew flight will be delayed not just to fix this particular problem but to determine what shortcomings in vehicle development, flight preparation, and management allowed it to happen.

Here is the post-launch briefing:

Another briefing teleconference will be held today at 2pm: NASA, Boeing to Provide Update on Starliner Orbital Flight Test Status – Commercial Crew Program/NASA

[ Update: No major news regarding the anomaly. They are continuing to study what caused the mis-timing. Other items:

• The Starliner spacecraft is performing well.
• Speakers emphasize the many systems that will have been tested on the flight despite no ISS rendezvous and docking.
• Great deal of data being obtained.
• Starliner will de-orbit tomorrow morning (Dec.22) and land at White Sands, New Mexico
• NASA coverage of the return  will start at 6:45 a.m. EST.
• The deorbit burn is scheduled for 7:23 a.m. EST, landing for 7:57 a.m. EST.

A recording of the briefing (embedding for it is deactivated): LIVE: Update on Boeing Starliner from Jim Bridenstine (audio-only teleconference) – YouTube

Extensive notes:

• Jeff Foust (@jeff_foust) / Twitter
• William Harwood (@cbs_spacenews) / Twitter
• Marcia Smith (@SpcPlcyOnline) / Twitter

]

More about the flight test:

• Starliner’s timer was off—capsule thought engines were firing when they weren’t | Ars Technica
• Starliner suffers mission-shortening failure after successful launch – NASASpaceFlight.com

Video of the launch:

Scott Manley gives his analysis of the

** The Brazilian-Chinese remote sensing satellite CBERS-04A and Ethiopia’s first satellite, ETRSS-1, were launched on Thursday aboard a Long March 4B rocket:

• Xi, Bolsonaro exchange congratulations on satellite launch – CGTN
• Long March 4B lofts CBERS-04A and Ethiopia’s first satellite – NASASpaceFlight.com

** A Long March 5 rolled to the launch pad on Saturday (China time)  in preparation for critical return to flight mission :

LM-5 leave VAB moving to LC-101 pic.twitter.com/KmpgkC3cbn

— liuyi (@LiuyiYiliu) December 21, 2019

See also China prepares to launch Long March-5 rocket – Xinhua.

** A Soyuz rocket launched the CHEOPS exoplanet observatory and four other satellites from French Guiana on Wednesday: Soyuz orbits a multi-passenger payload on Arianespace’s ninth and final launch of 2019 – Arianespace

Departing at the exact planned liftoff moment of 5:54:20 a.m. local time, the Soyuz ST-A launcher version flew a four-hour-plus profile to release its multi-satellite payload into Sun-synchronous orbit – beginning with primary passenger COSMO-SkyMed Second Generation, then CHEOPS (Characterising Exoplanet Satellite) and three auxiliary payloads: EyeSat, OPS-SAT and ANGELS.

More about the mission:

• Arianespace launches ESA’s CHEOPS satellite to study exoplanets – SpaceNews.com
• Arianespace launches historic CHEOPS exoplanet satellite mission – NASASpaceFlight.com

** Rocket Lab will build a second launch pad in New Zealand. This will be the third pad overall counting the new one at Wallops Island, Virginia:

• Rocket Lab expanding its Mahia complex for more frequent launches – NZ Herald
• Rocket Lab to build second launch pad in New Zealand – SpaceNews.com

In an interview, Rocket Lab Chief Executive Peter Beck said the decision to build the second pad was driven by an anticipated increase in its launch rate. The company carried out six launches of its Electron rocket in 2019 but expects to launch once a month in 2020 and eventually increase to weekly launches.

“The additional pad really gives us the capacity to get down to one launch every week, which is what we’ve always been driving to,” he said. The company current spends about four weeks to recycle the pad between launches, which he said can be shortened to two.

At a recent ceremony marking the completion of the Wallops Island facility, Tim Dodd, the Everyday Astronaut, interviewed Peter Beck:

I got to have an awesome conversation with Rocket Lab’s Peter Beck talking all about their reusability plans for Electron and all the exciting things they’ll be doing next year! I already have a video that dives into their recovery plans and the history of air launches here – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZIaDW… Last year I had the pleasure of interviewing Peter at Rocket Lab’s beautiful new factory in Auckland, New Zealand! – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nj9Bn…

Rocket Lab posts highlights from 10 Electron launches:

** Highlights for Virgin Orbit in 2019

2019 has been one hell of a year for the Virgin Orbit team. We entered this year with a brilliant team and a lot of cool technology — but there were some really big milestones we still had yet to cross. We hadn’t yet fired our main stage. We had mountains of simulations for how to fly, but hadn’t run though a full mission sequence in software, much less done so with a fully integrated rocket on the test stand. And we hadn’t actually taken off with a fully loaded rocket strapped to its wing. As of today, we’ve done all of that and so, so much more.

** SpaceX:

**** In-flight abort test flight no earlier than January 14th: SpaceX In-Flight Abort Test Launch Date Update – Commercial Crew Program/NASA

NASA and SpaceX are targeting no earlier than Jan. 11, 2020, for a critical In-Flight Abort Test of the Crew Dragon spacecraft from Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center, Florida, pending U.S. Air Force Eastern Range approval.

As part of the test, SpaceX will configure Crew Dragon to trigger a launch escape shortly after liftoff and demonstrate Crew Dragon’s capability to safely separate from the Falcon 9 rocket in the unlikely event of an in-flight emergency. The demonstration also will provide valuable data toward NASA certifying SpaceX’s crew transportation system for carrying astronauts to and from the International Space Station.

The demonstration of Crew Dragon’s launch escape system is part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program and is one of the final major tests for the company before NASA astronauts will fly aboard the spacecraft.

**** Three Starlink missions could lift off in January: SpaceX set to deploy another large batch of internet satellites as Starlink constellation expands – Teslarati

The next Falcon 9 launch of 60 SpaceX Starlink broadband Internet satellites is set for January 3rd from Cape Canaveral.  The subsequent two flights are set for mid and late January. It appears that SpaceX is hoping to average two Starlink launches per month in 2020. This will be in addition to their usual manifest of customer payloads.

SpaceX allowed by FAA to change the distribution of Starlink satellites in orbit: SpaceX gets OK to re-space Starlink orbits – SpaceNews.com

**** Starship

**** The Mk.1 section that SpaceX scraps first Starship prototype to make way for new and improved rockets – Teslarati

****** Initial stacking of stainless steel rings for the Mk.3 Starship – NASASpaceflight.com

The first rings of Starship Mk3 have undergone a stacking test involving the ring with the “portals/portholes”. It looks like they had some fun with the names too.

Meanwhile, the new production facility is taking shape.

Footage and photos from Mary (@bocachicagal) for NSF.

****** SpaceX Boca Chica Ring Stack Progress Time Lapse – LabPadre

12.19.2019 Time lapse as SpaceX moves a ring into staking position for the first attempted ring stack of MK-3. Workers pin together both rings as they prepare for the welding process. 24/7 stream is powered by LabPadre, in cooperation with Sapphire Condominiums and @BocaChicaMaria1 (Twitter) @SpaceXBocaChica (Facebook). All video images explicitly owned by LabPadre Media.

****** SpaceX Boca Chica New Elevated View Of Starship Rocket Shipyard – LabPadre

12.19.2019 Video shot by Maria Pointer with Esquire Magazine MK3 rings in fast production. Onion tent frame being erected. Fencing/walls being raised. Warning: Loud wind. Video Credit: @BocaChicaMaria1

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