Comments on: China’s Long March 5 rocket successfully launches https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/chinas-long-march-5-rocket-successfully-launches/ Fri, 27 Dec 2019 19:04:24 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 By: Dick Eagleson https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/chinas-long-march-5-rocket-successfully-launches/#comment-1074380 Fri, 27 Dec 2019 19:04:24 +0000 https://behindtheblack.com/?p=62762#comment-1074380 The time-of-day display in the data bar displayed above the control room footage seemed to correspond to this mission but I was amused to note the “2017-07-02” date. Xinhua seems not to have updated that date since the previous, failed, launch of LM5. That would be consistent with staffers repeatedly walking in front of the cameras which was also much in evidence. Overall, Xinhua seems to be notably more amateurish in its production values than all but the worst community access cable programming in the U.S.

The Chinese space agency, though, deserves props for those too-brief parts of this webcast under their control – especially the rocket cam footage of strap-on booster separation and the tracking cam footage of the resulting “Korolev Star.” I would award a few demerits for the uninteresting mounting angle of the rocket cam in the 2nd stage engine bay. The Gordian Knot of engine tubing and wiring was far less interesting than a more inclined angle – ala SpaceX practice – that showed more of the engine bells would have been.

Still, a better effort at ascent coverage by quite a bit than the recent Starliner mission. The Chinese space agency at least seems to grasp the fact that there is a mass public out here that really likes to see POV shots of rocket ascents and other key mission events. ULA gets this, but it seems to be a fact of which Boeing remains completely unaware.

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