Welcoem to posts!!
in the future - u will be able to do some more stuff here,,,!! like pat catgirl- i mean um yeah... for now u can only see others's posts :c
Hey DFH community!
We just released the final Dongfang Hour video of 2024, covering the story of China's two commercial cargo spacecraft. As you may know, in May 2023, China's human spaceflight agency released a document calling for proposals for a low-cost commercial cargo spacecraft. This approach was unprecedented in the history of the Chinese space program, with the tender being open to all companies, from the usual suspects among state-owned enterprises, all the way to commercial startups.
In this video, I cover the story of the 2023 RFP, the different candidates, the companies that were ultimately selected (AVIC and Shanghai Microsat), the specifications of the selected spacecraft, and why commercial companies did not make it to end this time (IMO).
Enjoy the show, happy holidays, and see you in 2025! ๐
Jean
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Hey everyone,
There have been many interesting updates over the past few weeks,
one of them being Deep Blue Aerospace's announcement on October 23 regarding the development of a capsule-like spacecraft for suborbital space tourism. In my latest YouTube video, I go into detail about this project, the specifications, domestic competitors, and market potential. Hope you enjoy ๐
And as a teaser for future videos, I will be covering China's Qingzhou/Haolong cargo spacecraft, and the recent boom in Chinese launch site construction. There will also be member-only video covering space updates from the Zhuhai Airshow. Exciting times in space ๐๐๐
Jean
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Hey Everyone!
It's been over a year since my last Chinese reusable rockets video, and an update was long overdue. One of the highlights of Chinese space in 2024 has been the many suborbital VTVL tests, coming from a diversity of players: Deep Blue Aerospace, Landspace, SAST, iSpace. These tests have featured more powerful engines, higher altitudes (over 10 km), and have included testing of grid fins, RCS, TVC, inflight engine re-ignitions, and deployable landing legs. And the year isnโt over yetโadditional tests are scheduled for November and December, though, as is often the case in the space industry, these may slip into 2025.
This video dives deep into these VTVL tests, and more generally discusses the similarities, differences, and future perspectives of the 8 most promising Chinese rocket companies.
Also, a special shout-out to YouTube and Patreon members ๐ Thanks to your support, we worked with a motion graphics designer to include a detective board illustrating the story of the VTVL tests, and a tree diagram showcasing all Chinese rockets and their engines.
As always, enjoy the video!
Jean
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Hey everyone,
I recently posted a video on the deployment schedule of China's 2 megaconstellations: Qianfan and Xingwang ๐ฐ๏ธ Thanks to information that was published following the launch of the first batch of Qianfan satellites (August 2024), we are now able to have a good understanding of the requirements (and potential challenges) China is facing to achieve its deployment objectives. In this video, I have regrouped them in 4 categories:
1) Funding (this one should not be a major issue considering the amount of government support behind megaconstellations)
2) Launch capacity (China will need to at least 3x its launch cadence within the next 5 years)
3) Launch facilities
4) Satellite manufacturing (15,000 and 13,000 satellites for Xingwang and Qianfan respectively, by the early 2030s)
Check out the video for a detailed review!
Also, be on the look out for a video dedicated to China's rocket recovery efforts in the coming 2 weeks.
Cheers,
Jean
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Few industries are as complex as space, and few countries are as complex as China.
Sitting at the intersection of these two megatrends, Dongfang Hour is a channel that aims at bringing a balanced, holistic content, with a touch of entertainment and humour.
Who is behind the Dongfang Hour?
Dongfang Hour is a part-time project by Blaine Curcio and Jean Deville, a consultant/entrepreneur and an aerospace engineer. We're both space enthusiasts and familiar with Chinese culture and the Chinese business ecosystem (with a combined 20 years spent in the country!). Jean mostly handles the YouTube channel, aimed at an audience of space enthusiasts, while Blaine caters for industry executives with the newsletter.
Contact us
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