Taiwan Space Program l Updates, News & Discussion

[Galactic Penguin SST]

With the first ever space flight approaching, time for Galactic Penguin to create a separate dedicated thread to the Republic of China's space program, previously posted in the China Outer Space Science, Technology and Explorations: News & Updates section and where the sparse posts were difficult to follow.

2019-2028 Roadmap

The Republic Of China (Chinese Taipei) Lunar Exploration Program
Space Development Phase 3 Latest update: 2019/02/13 14:56 The Phase 3 plan for space exploration will last for 10 years. From 2019 to 2028, the investment will be NT$25.1 billion. The space exploration project for Space Development Phase 3 will also develop at least one lunar orbiter. Lin Junliang said that the First Phase must carry out the design and research of the Lunar Orbiter, and the Second Phase is the Lunar Lander. Since the orbiting the moon is different from the earth low-orbiting satellite, their is needs to have the sound ground communication technology, radiation resistance and orbital manoeuvering foundations. https://archive.ph/39K5p/e6f557271ecf9426156e748c73dd5e2fc17586fd.jpg ; https://archive.ph/39K5p/6ba35b4e5ec90e38c59feaea852cfe7f56919765/scr.png ; http://web.archive.org/web/20190214151019/https://pgw.udn.com.tw/gw/photo.php?u=https://uc.udn.com.tw/photo/2019/02/14/1/5920617.jpg&x=0&y=0&sw=0&sh=0&exp=3600 ▲ 1. Roadmap of the 2019-2028 National Space Organization.
http://web.archive.org/web/20190213101806/https://www.cna.com.tw/news/ait/201902130125.aspx https://archive.ph/5u9as

Solid propellant space launcher program

The Republic Of China (Chinese Taipei) Solid Propellant Satellite Launch Vehicle Program
2019年01月08日 21:46:00 The Ministry of National Defense has developed a space launch vehicle capable of placing a 50 to 200 kilograms microsatellites into a 500-kilometer SSO orbit, under the code name "Kirin Project" (麒麟專案). It is reported that this year three sets of rocket propulsion vehicles were built. The entire project plans to manufacture six sets of rocket propulsion vehicles. After ground testing, the first flight-test will be carried out smoothly in 2021. It is reported that starting from this year, after the Kirin project first produced three sets of rocket propulsion vehicles, each for static ground testing works, the entire project plans to manufacture six sets of rocket propulsion vehicles. After completing the various ground testing, system integration and system testing are carried out. Because the launch vehicle is a four-stage solid-fuel rocket, each stage separation requires a telemetry and control system. The flight attitude control cannot pilot the rocket after take off. This requires guidance. Technology that is the focus of the "Star Show Project" (星展專案). In addition, due to the weight of the rocket carrier, whether the launch platform of the existing Jiupeng base (九鵬基地) can bear the weight, the Chinese Academy of Sciences will carry out geological exploration to ensure the safety of the launch pad. Spoiler: Links https://pgw.udn.com.tw/gw/photo.php...altime/5628894.jpg&x=0&y=0&sw=0&sh=0&exp=3600 https://udn.com/news/story/10930/3522726 ▲ 2. Jiupeng base (九鵬基地): Asia's next satellite launch center. Spoiler: Links https://www.upmedia.mg/upload/article/20190226113049627910.jpg https://www.upmedia.mg/news_info.php?SerialNo=58287 ▲ 3. Kirin SLV, similar to the 4 stages solid propellant Indian SLV-3 carrier rocket.
http://web.archive.org/web/20190205023749/https://www.upmedia.mg/news_info.php?SerialNo=55527 https://archive.ph/MvsK3

First hybrid propellant space launcher HAPITH-I

Taiwanese Company Aims At Launch Costs 10% Of Competitors’
Aerospace Daily & Defense Report Oct 24, 2019 Bradley Perrett Hot fire test of Tispace 1-metric-ton-thrust engine: Tispace A Taiwanese company plans to enter the market for light space launches with what it says will be 10% of the costs of current major operators, thanks to an efficient production setup and use of hybrid solid-liquid propulsion. Launch of a two-stage demonstrator rocket is scheduled for November, to be followed by monthly launches of larger production rockets in 2021, said Yen-Sen Chen, founder and CEO of the company, Taiwan Innovation Space (Tispace). At first, each launch by the expendable, three-stage Hapith V production rocket will be priced at $6-7 million, Chen said. This will deliver up to 390 kg (860 lb.) to a low-inclination orbit of 600- 700 km (370-430 mi.). “We have lots of room for a lower price,” Chen added, since costs would be so low. The initial production facility near Taipei, with a capacity of 12 rockets a year, will be able to achieve the targeted cost of 10% of competitors’, Chen said. But the company is looking for a larger site farther south for a plant that could build 100 rockets a year. Engines of the Hapith V and the Hapith 1 demonstrator are almost devoid of machinery. Being hybrid, they do not require the elaborate production and handling facilities of potentially explosive solid-propellant motors. The fuel is a special hard rubber, made in Taiwan. The oxidizer is nitrous oxide fed to the engine by tank pressure, which begins at 6 MPa (870 psi.) at launch, falling to 1 MPa at the time of engine cutoff; there are no turbo pumps. Tispace has tested engines of various thrust levels. Specific impulse, a measure of propulsion efficiency, will be 270 sec. for the first stage and 301 sec. for the second and third, the company estimates. This is regarded as adequate rather than exceptional, since the most important engine characteristic is simplicity and adaptability to low-cost production. A contractor will supply the fuel in the single cylindrical block needed for each engine, Chen said. No trimming or other adjustment of shape will be required. Insulation will be placed manually on the fuel blocks, then uncured carbon fiber composite will be laid around them automatically to create the case. The engine will then go into an oven for unpressurized curing of the composite at 90C (190F). The oxidizer tanks will similarly be made automatically with the same, T800-grade carbon fiber composite. The company chose carbon fiber in preference to the usual aluminum to reduce weight. The company also believes carbon fiber suits low-cost fabrication. About 90% of the Hapith V structure is made of the material. The engines use commercially available valves and stainless steel piping. Injectors, of proprietary design, will be made with 3D printing. Attitude control is effected in the first stage by venting nitrous oxide and in the second and third stages by gimballing the engines (that is, the encased rubber blocks). Chen set up the company in 2016, having previously worked for Taiwan’s National Space Organization. It has 105 employees, he said, speaking on the sidelines of the International Astronautical Congress, held in Washington Oct. 21-25. The demonstrator is complete and ready for its Nov. 28 launch. It has a weight of 3.04 metric tons and launch thrust of 7.92 metric tons. The company has begun making the first Hapith V. That 20-m (66-ft.) design has a weight of 35 metric tons and launch thrust of 65 metric tons from five engines. The second stage has four engines and 8 metric tons of thrust; the third has one engine generating 1 metric tons of thrust. Payload to Sun-synchronous orbit is 350 kg. The company’s launch site is at the southern end of Taiwan, facing the empty Pacific Ocean. With inhabited islands to the north and south, Taiwan is unsuitable for launches to Sun- synchronous orbit, so Tispace is looking at options in Scandinavia. Australia is also a possibility. Rockets are to be moved to the Taiwanese launch site by truck and to the chosen foreign one by air.
http://web.archive.org/web/20191206224150/https://www.taiwanembassy.org/uslax/post/21945.html http://archive.is/pR2SN
HAPITH V is a cost-effective space launch system using cutting-edge, non-explosive hybrid rocket technologies. Our hybrid rocket engines are delivering class-I rocket engine performance that enables fast turnaround space launch services. PAYLOAD MICRO AND SMALL SATELLITES TO LOW EARTH ORBIT (LEO) AND SUN-SYNCHRONOUS ORBIT (SSO) HAPITH V OVERVIEW MAX. LEO PAYLOAD MASS 390 KG MAX. SSO PAYLOAD MASS 350 KG ALTITUDE 600 – 700 KM HEIGHT 20 M DIAMETER 2.2 M STAGES 3 UPPER STAGE single hybrid rocket engine with gimbaled thrust vector control (TVC) and a cold-gas reaction control system (RCS) THRUST 10KN SECOND STAGE cluster of four hybrid rocket engines with gimbaled thrust vector control (TVC) THRUST 80KN FIRST STAGE cluster of five hybrid rocket engines with liquid-injection vector control (LITVC) THRUST 650KN PAYLOAD The payload fairing of Hapith V is constructed by using lightweight composite honeycomb sandwich structure with ample thermal and environmental protections. MATERIALS Hapith V is designed to be constructed using mainly lightweight high strength carbon composite flight structure. AVIONICS TiSPACE avionics and GNC flight control subsystem are developed simultaneously such that their performance can be checked and verified through real time simulations with the enhancement of a high precision rate table testing platform. LELIEN LELIEN engine is designed based on a high-efficiency N2O/SBR hybrid rocket technology with specially formulated high density and high energy SBR solid grain and N2O injection scheme that gives our propulsion system close to ideal overall thrust performance. http://archive.ph/WDK6h/bf56dbcadeae9363b52ab7ca505eabe0cbd62fea.png ; https://archive.ph/WDK6h/655ea4fad5777b2b809e6c58b5db183baee72698/scr.png ; http://www.tispace.com/launch.html ; http://archive.ph/OJFSI ▲ 4. HAPITH V SLV
http://www.tispace.com/launch.html http://archive.ph/OJFSI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y26ZIdxVI3E ; http://www.tispace.com/video/video-4.html ; http://archive.ph/w8Uuy ▲ 5. TiSPACE Video 2,079 views •Sep 12, 2019 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SItKkOJ5RMQ ; http://www.tispace.com/video/video-4.html ; http://archive.ph/w8Uuy ▲ 6. Accomplishment of Vehicle Structural Dynamics Testing 778 views •Sep 17, 2019 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=exXVuppC0Qc ; http://www.tispace.com/video/video-4.html ; http://archive.ph/w8Uuy ▲ 7. High Efficiency Hybrid Rocket Engine 761 views •Oct 17, 2019 We are ready for the first sub orbital launch in late 2019 and the first orbital launch in early 2020. Our hybrid rocket engines have achieved Class-I propulsion efficiency, including 10,000 N, 20,000 N and 130,000 N thrust levels which can provide dedicated services for small satellites. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YhM7UmQir5o ; http://www.tispace.com/video/video-4.html ; http://archive.ph/w8Uuy ▲ 8. Successful S2 Stage level Qualification Hot fire Test with Thrust Vectoring 588 views •Nov 20, 2019 Before the first launch, we have another beautiful performance.

Maiden launch scheduled for 27th December 2019
2019-12-26 08:58:31 The promotion of the space technology companies in Taitung ’s space exploration rocket has attracted attention from all walks of life. However, due to local concerns, the launch operation will be suspended and a briefing will be held today. The relevant person said today that the promotion company hopes to obtain local public opinion supports and strives to launch as scheduled tomorrow (27th). If the planned launch operation can be carried out according to the original plan, the projectiles of the space exploration rocket will fall into the waters 30 kilometers east of Green Island and Lanyu. Relevant sources also said that if it is difficult to successfully launch on the 27th of this month, the next launch date will be on January 22 next year. The Maritime Safety Administration, the Agriculture Commission, the Civil Aviation Bureau of the Ministry of Communications, the Port Bureau and the military have issued sea and air area control notifications in accordance with previous plans, calling on vessels and aircraft in various areas to avoid the controlled sea and air areas launched by rockets. The promotion company had previously stated that once the space exploration rocket was launched, the entire rocket had a range of about 10 minutes and fell after reaching 200 kilometers. However, according to the application file of the promotion company, the maximum ballistic altitude of the space exploration rocket was 300 kilometers. A space exploration rocket can reach a higher altitude. If the rocket launches smoothly, the small satellites carried next time will be able to be sent directly into space orbit. In order to perform the launch mission of the National Space Center's multi-purpose sounding rocket scientific experiment, the promoted space technology company once invited the relevant units to coordinate the sea and airspace control operation. According to the launching notice (sea and airspace) issued by the Coastal Inspection Agency and the Agricultural Committee Control sheet), from 6 am to 7 am on the 27th, it will be launched at the Taidong Nantian launch base (台東南田發射基地). The rocket's projectiles are expected to fall in the waters 30 kilometers away from the middle of Green Island and Lanyu. http://archive.ph/ofNzw/2c6815b14f1f39498399ea75f312477d185741ba.jpg ; https://archive.ph/ofNzw/0895203df3a51cfc8c14452adec77eda5ad6b0c8/scr.png ; http://web.archive.org/web/20191226...m.tw/Upload/news/600/2019/12/26/phpG2ArHK.jpg ; http://web.archive.org/web/20191226034926/https://news.ltn.com.tw/news/Taipei/breakingnews/3020650 ; http://archive.ph/TQmYG ▲ 9. NOTAM issued for 27 December 2019 or 22 January 2020, 0600-0700 AM http://archive.is/0S0sD/d68463237f88b6182ae460840ad9e20e1c556154.jpg ; https://archive.is/0S0sD/b76bb6e780cb06c6c83ccbc557dcb13d41a699a2/scr.png ; http://web.archive.org/web/20191023163949/https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EHk16MrX0AMmOhK.jpg:large ; https://twitter.com/RKDurden/status/1187039260274282497/photo/1 ; http://web.archive.org/web/20191207.../стартап-tispace-представил-новые-ракеты-нос/ ; http://archive.ph/n8hMf ▲ 10. Hapith-I and Hapith-V SLV http://archive.ph/qcDNh/e076594a43fa5e86b11f169977543a37e2b47936.jpg ; https://archive.ph/qcDNh/015371028c8e9738f29154846a472fa2656906d0/scr.png ; http://web.archive.org/web/20191226.../uc.udn.com.tw/photo/2019/12/26/1/7246288.jpg ; http://web.archive.org/web/20191226034126/https://udn.com/news/story/11322/4249404 ; http://archive.ph/v9SM5 ▲ 11. Hapith-I (「飛鼠一號」: Flying Squirrel) moved to the launchpad: notice the four gimballed hybrid main engines. http://archive.is/fNM9r/47ad48124737d3d62b6443fce4165f71561aa6a3.jpg ; https://archive.is/fNM9r/fd51bf7cbcac24ddbbda0b25ef98a05a78ca9796/scr.png ; http://web.archive.org/web/20191224115320/https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EMjJxBfUEAEOXkk.jpg ; https://twitter.com/LaunchService/status/1209438354128850944 ▲ 12. Hapith I (「飛鼠一號」: Flying Squirrel) launch vehicle is standing on the launch pad and getting ready for its maiden flight. 24 December 2019 http://archive.ph/Xs5OW/029069688fc6937f6f79a1eaf79f8720de4d721d.jpg ; https://archive.ph/Xs5OW/ce648a2da2cd58b0cc6bf3248b9928b47ece15b3/scr.png ; http://web.archive.org/web/20191224115320/https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EMjJxCQVAAIi-Ia.jpg ; https://twitter.com/LaunchService/status/1209438354128850944 ▲ 13. Hapith I (「飛鼠一號」: Flying Squirrel) launch vehicle is standing on the launch pad and getting ready for its maiden flight. 24 December 2019 http://archive.ph/ZypQk/e0bac8f9374e47e60bc9a354874ce795a95c0f86.jpg ; https://archive.ph/ZypQk/aa96a52f1ca325064d22bb4f2d20e40f924576e8/scr.png ; http://web.archive.org/web/20191224115320/https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EMjJxC-UcAIF1CP.jpg ; https://twitter.com/LaunchService/status/1209438354128850944 ▲ 14. Hapith I (「飛鼠一號」: Flying Squirrel) launch vehicle is standing on the launch pad and getting ready for its maiden flight. 24 December 2019
http://web.archive.org/web/20191226034926/https://news.ltn.com.tw/news/Taipei/breakingnews/3020650 http://archive.ph/TQmYG

Abnormal guidance system's signal: 2nd Hapith-I launch attempt scheduled for 18th February 2020
2020/02/13 08:23 TiSpace Corporation, Taiwan ’s first private company’s self-made sounding rocket 'Flying Squirel One' was originally expected to test fire at 6 am in Nantian, Daren Township, Taitung County. The launch procedure was already started when at the last minute, an abnormal system signal was detected. Finally, the launch procedure was aborted, and the NO2 fuel was released into the air, disappointing hundreds of people who came to watch the rocket maiden test launch. The company also stated that it would try to launch the rocket again after finding the cause. TiSpace company built a base to launch a test rocket around the Nantian tribe. The news was disclosed last December. The tribe residents expressed their dissatisfaction, strongly questioning the legitimacy, and worried about the danger posed to the tribe's security and environmental ecology. Later, the central government came forward to solve the decree, and Tispace has also been intensively communicating with localities for more than a month. There was a heavy rain on the scene this morning, but it did not quench the enthusiasm of hundreds of people. Everyone made a special trip to get ready to enjoy the wonderful picture of the first domestic private company's test rocket launch, but they were disappointed. Taking pictures of the rocket outside, Tispace company said that it is expected to conduct another test launch in the early morning of February 18th.
http://archive.ph/ze43w http://web.archive.org/web/20200213193134/https://video.udn.com/news/1169207 https://video.udn.com/news/1169207
The weather was of the worse, with storm all the previous night. Then high altitude wind would even burst weather balloons released at dawn by the meteorologists. Finally the decision was taken to go ahead with the maiden launch of Hapith-I sounding rocket. After ignition, an abnormal signal was detected, and decision to cutoff the engines at ~20 seconds, aborting the takeoff. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cF82ZZlYcvE ; •Feb 13, 2020 New27Brigade 新‧二七部隊 ▲ 15. 飛鼠一號(Hapith I)火箭 南田發射場試點火 Ignition HapithI rocket in Nantian space port. Feb 13, 2020 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqeakw2lrCY ; Feb 12, 2020 中華電視公司 ▲ 16. 天公不作美! 「飛鼠一號」發射取消 | 華視新聞 20200213

HAPITH-I SLV Second Launch Attempt

HAPITH-I SLV Second Launch
14 February 2021 台灣太空任務更新資訊，目前兩枚立方衛星已經完成入軌，據國家太空中心資訊顯示，委外廠商發射的混合式探空火箭「飛鼠一號」(Hapith I)，將到海外太空發射站執行發射任務，更多台灣太空任務資訊將會持續更新 To avoid conflict with the indigenous aborigine, and risk of accident, the Hapith-I SLV will be launched from overseas. https://archive.ph/8sxnX/40648aed42f76b8cd32abe7881323e2fb1fbcdb4.jpg ; https://archive.ph/8sxnX/54a2450e235e45d28280057b40f861bd13705c45/scr.png ; https://archive.ph/og3mW/c43e2d4e7dcef3c05939dfc9033442953388c81c.jpg ; https://archive.ph/og3mW/54a2450e235e45d28280057b40f861bd13705c45/scr.png ; http://web.archive.org/web/20210416071657/https://i.imgur.com/KEPMwQk.jpg ; http://web.archive.org/web/20210416064422/https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EuLiff1UcAApobP?format=jpg&name=large ; https://twitter.com/new27brigade/status/1360899161701318662 ▲ 17. Hapith-I 「飛鼠一號」 will be launched from overseas.
https://twitter.com/new27brigade/status/1360899161701318662

HAPITH-I SLV Ready For Second Launch
15 April 2021 https://archive.ph/sIjs7/a4342187966f4e0661a9d8ef6c49704752d41d8d.jpg ; https://archive.ph/sIjs7/483d16fd72893bb1f02a79be2a7e094cb2f04dac/scr.png ; https://archive.ph/NO5m0/e42f2d6a3510620d68f94b86ca11d0c900e07e15/scr.png ; http://web.archive.org/web/20210416072115/https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EzA7SVMVkAU65QJ?format=jpg&name=medium ; http://web.archive.org/web/20210416064726/https://twitter.com/new27brigade/status/1382670273825042433 ; https://archive.ph/NO5m0 ▲ 18. Hapith-I SLV ready for launch. 15 April 2021.
http://web.archive.org/web/20210416064726/https://twitter.com/new27brigade/status/1382670273825042433 https://archive.ph/NO5m0