Author Topic: tiSpace-Taiwanese commercial launch company  (Read 89776 times)

Offline Kryten

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tiSpace-Taiwanese commercial launch company
« on: 12/01/2019 11:57 am »
http://www.tispace.com/
 Taiwanese company developing a hybrid orbital launch vehicle, Hapith V. They had 150 employees as of an AIAA talk in August, where they also presented a paper on their development process which is unfortunately paywalled. Launch of a two-stage demonstrator (Hapith I) is to take place before the end of the year. Uses composite-case HTPB/NOx motors.

 A video from a couple weeks ago say's they'll be 'ready for orbital launch in early 2020'; they also claim the three-stage orbital vehicle will put 390kg in orbit for $5-6 million, and that weekly launches are a 'short term goal'. They certainly don't lack ambition, you can say that much.

This overview video including a bunch of test footage and launch site location (which I've been unable to get a specific address for)


Offline Sam Ho

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Re: tiSpace-Taiwanese commercial launch company
« Reply #1 on: 12/04/2019 12:33 pm »
Here's an Aerospace Daily article, as reprinted by the Taiwan Embassy.  Their launch site is in southern Taitung County, on the southeast coast, but you can't actually get to SSO from Taiwan because of overflight issues, so they are looking for a second launch site in Scandinavia or Australia.

https://www.taiwanembassy.org/uslax/post/21945.html

Offline FutureSpaceTourist

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Re: tiSpace-Taiwanese commercial launch company
« Reply #2 on: 12/24/2019 05:57 pm »
https://twitter.com/13ericralph31/status/1209546613045088256

Quote
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.

Offline FutureSpaceTourist

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Re: tiSpace-Taiwanese commercial launch company
« Reply #3 on: 12/24/2019 05:58 pm »
From a month ago:

https://twitter.com/launchservice/status/1197104430103044096

Quote
Before the first launch, we have another beautiful performance-Successful S2 Stage-level Qualification Hot-fire Test with Thrust Vectoring!!

Offline Steven Pietrobon

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Re: tiSpace-Taiwanese commercial launch company
« Reply #4 on: 12/24/2019 09:33 pm »
They are using hybrid motors with N2O oxidiser and "high energy SBR solid grain" fuel. Searching for what SBR means, one possibility is Styrene Butadiene Rubber. It has a density of 0.98 kg/L. N2O has about 4% less Isp and 15% less density compared to 98% HTP (which some company that shall not be named has dumped in favour of LOX).

https://omnexus.specialchem.com/selection-guide/styrene-butadiene-rubber-sbr-guide
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211379716303266
« Last Edit: 12/24/2019 09:53 pm by Steven Pietrobon »
Akin's Laws of Spacecraft Design #1:  Engineering is done with numbers.  Analysis without numbers is only an opinion.

Offline Steven Pietrobon

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Re: tiSpace-Taiwanese commercial launch company
« Reply #5 on: 12/24/2019 09:43 pm »
Some interesting videos.





« Last Edit: 12/24/2019 09:44 pm by Steven Pietrobon »
Akin's Laws of Spacecraft Design #1:  Engineering is done with numbers.  Analysis without numbers is only an opinion.

Offline TorenAltair

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Re: tiSpace-Taiwanese commercial launch company
« Reply #6 on: 12/25/2019 01:42 am »
Is this Hapith I a full orbital class rocket or a precursor as they talk only about a Hapith V on their website? [can‘t watch videos, currently being in Internet diaspora]

Online Galactic Penguin SST

Re: tiSpace-Taiwanese commercial launch company
« Reply #7 on: 12/25/2019 02:30 am »
I made a cursory check on Taiwan media reporting on this company. It seems that the company's site is in a land usage argument with local residents and even the government for changing land usage purposes without permission. It doesn't look like they have done any EPA either.

They mentioned that they are trying to launch a satellite by March or April next year. Given that they haven't even launched something like a sub-scale model yet.....color me as very skeptical.

I'll check on this company later when I have time.
Astronomy & spaceflight geek penguin. In a relationship w/ Space Shuttle Discovery.

Offline Steven Pietrobon

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Re: tiSpace-Taiwanese commercial launch company
« Reply #8 on: 12/26/2019 04:23 am »
Is this Hapith I a full orbital class rocket or a precursor as they talk only about a Hapith V on their website? [can‘t watch videos, currently being in Internet diaspora]

I believe Hapith I is suborbital. It looks to have only the first two stages of the orbital Hapith V vehicle.
Akin's Laws of Spacecraft Design #1:  Engineering is done with numbers.  Analysis without numbers is only an opinion.

Offline spacevogel

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Re: tiSpace-Taiwanese commercial launch company
« Reply #9 on: 12/26/2019 04:36 pm »
Feel like this article should be linked here, a good summary about TiSpace and their plans: https://spacewatch.global/2019/12/taiwans-tispace-enters-crowded-small-satellite-launch-market-with-large-ambitions/


Also the Dec 27 suborbital launch has been postponed. Apparently local residents were not happy about it, at least that's what the articles say.

Offline Comga

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Re: tiSpace-Taiwanese commercial launch company
« Reply #10 on: 12/26/2019 08:22 pm »
Is this Hapith I a full orbital class rocket or a precursor as they talk only about a Hapith V on their website? [can‘t watch videos, currently being in Internet diaspora]

I believe Hapith I is suborbital. It looks to have only the first two stages of the orbital Hapith V vehicle.

Yes
Quote
In late December 2019 TiSPACE plans to conduct a test launch its Hapith I (Saisiyat for “flying squirrel”) sounding rocket, and launch Hapith V in late 2020. Hapith means “flying squirrel in Saisiyat, the language of the indigenous peoples of Taiwan.
What kind of wastrels would dump a perfectly good booster in the ocean after just one use?

Offline josespeck

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Offline starbase

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Re: tiSpace-Taiwanese commercial launch company
« Reply #12 on: 02/10/2020 09:54 am »
Quote
Maiden flight on Feb. 13 at 06:00. 晉陞太空火箭於2月13日早上六點首次發射!!
https://twitter.com/LaunchService/status/1226763816513335296
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Offline starbase

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Re: tiSpace-Taiwanese commercial launch company
« Reply #13 on: 02/10/2020 10:29 am »
« Last Edit: 02/10/2020 10:38 am by starbase »
bit.ly/SpaceLaunchCalendar ☆ bit.ly/SpaceEventCalendar

Offline jebbo

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Re: tiSpace-Taiwanese commercial launch company
« Reply #14 on: 02/10/2020 10:32 am »
Is this orbital or sub-orbital?  There is a comment saying it is suborbital on Wikipedia:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2020_in_spaceflight#February

--- Tony

Offline starbase

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Re: tiSpace-Taiwanese commercial launch company
« Reply #15 on: 02/10/2020 02:08 pm »
Is this orbital or sub-orbital?  There is a comment saying it is suborbital on Wikipedia:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2020_in_spaceflight#February

--- Tony

Yes, it's a suborbital test flight. According to the source below it will reach an apogee of 250km.
Launch safety zones attached.

Source: https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/3874170
« Last Edit: 02/10/2020 02:09 pm by starbase »
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Offline Comga

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Re: tiSpace-Taiwanese commercial launch company
« Reply #16 on: 02/10/2020 06:08 pm »
With help of the image in the user guide I was able to identify their launch pad on Gmaps: https://www.google.com/maps/place/7QJ27V6R%2BR2/@22.2620625,120.8893191,495m/data=!3m2!1e3!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0x0!8m2!3d22.2620625!4d120.8900625

That has been fairly obvious, but...
It's not a "launch pad" as much as a proposed launch site.
And we heard that there are government objections to even proposing such a repurposing of that land.
This was for orbital.  IIRC the launch site for the suborbital test is elsewhere.  Was it on the north or northwest coast?
What kind of wastrels would dump a perfectly good booster in the ocean after just one use?

Offline Steven Pietrobon

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Re: tiSpace-Taiwanese commercial launch company
« Reply #17 on: 02/11/2020 03:25 am »
Some screen grabs from the twitter video.
Akin's Laws of Spacecraft Design #1:  Engineering is done with numbers.  Analysis without numbers is only an opinion.

Offline starbase

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Re: tiSpace-Taiwanese commercial launch company
« Reply #18 on: 02/11/2020 03:54 pm »
With help of the image in the user guide I was able to identify their launch pad on Gmaps: https://www.google.com/maps/place/7QJ27V6R%2BR2/@22.2620625,120.8893191,495m/data=!3m2!1e3!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0x0!8m2!3d22.2620625!4d120.8900625

That has been fairly obvious, but...
It's not a "launch pad" as much as a proposed launch site.
And we heard that there are government objections to even proposing such a repurposing of that land.
This was for orbital.  IIRC the launch site for the suborbital test is elsewhere.  Was it on the north or northwest coast?


This article (also linked above) mentions launch of Hapith I will happen "outside the coastal village of Nantian in Taitung County", Taitung County lies on the South-East coast: https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/3874170

Also: "The chairman of TiSPACE, Chen Yen-sen, (陳彥升) revealed his plan to build a permanent launch base in Nantian focused on the launch of commercial communications satellites." So I assume the orbital launch site for Hapith V is the same as for this suborbital flight of Hapith I.
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Offline starbase

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Re: tiSpace-Taiwanese commercial launch company
« Reply #19 on: 02/11/2020 04:02 pm »
Quote
The rocket is to be launched at 6am in the county’s Nantian Village (南田), home to a community of Aboriginal Paiwan people, TiSPACE said, adding that the ceremony would include a traditional Paiwan blessing.

Source: http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2020/02/11/2003730762
bit.ly/SpaceLaunchCalendar ☆ bit.ly/SpaceEventCalendar

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