June 21, 2021 - No. 48 In This Issue : Airspeeder completes the first test flight for its electric flying race car : Japan Airlines conducts first flight with blend of two different types of SAF : Velocys technology powers first commercial flight to use sustainable aviation fuel derived from gasified wood-chips : New NASA study finds sustainable aviation fuels help eliminate contrails : Behind Airbus-Boeing truce lies a common rival: China : Hamad Airport and HBKU join forces to improve passenger services : Delta Energy to offer biofuel bunker services in ARA region : Russia has flown prototypes of its six-seat hybrid VTOL Cyclocar : Army helicopters grounded due to safety issues, ADF insiders reveal : Crystal Cabin Awards 2021 shortlist: Double-decker economy class seat design offers passengers more space : SpaceX drone ship Of Course I Still Love You arrives at Panama Canal Airspeeder completes the first test flight for its electric flying race car Electric air racing just took a significant step forward. The Verge reports that Airspeeder recently completed the first test flight for its electric flying race car, the Alauda Aeronautics Mk3. A remote pilot flew an uncrewed version of the eVTOL aircraft over southern Australia with the country's Civil Aviation Safety Authority watching over the test. The machine can reach altitudes up to 1,640 feet and hit 62MPH in 2.8 seconds. Remote pilots fly in a cockpit-like environment through virtual courses, with LiDAR and radar helping to prevent collisions. Crucially, the design is meant to minimize downtime. While the Airspeeder racer can only fly for up to 15 minutes on a charge, teams can swap batteries in as little as 20 seconds. The test flight clears the path for a three-event EXA uncrewed racing series, starting later in 2021, that will feature up to four teams with two pilots each. Data from those competitions, including dummy "tele-robotic" avatars in the cockpits, will ideally lead to directly human-piloted races in 2022. Airspeeder will still deal with many of the challenges of electric flight, including the short-lived batteries. All the same, this test and the subsequent races suggest EV air races are quickly becoming practical. It may be more a question of refining the technology than getting it into the skies in the first place. https://youtu.be/aq6JDIL12Xg https://www.engadget.com/airspeeder-electric-flying-race-car-test-flight-175132594.html Japan Airlines conducts first flight with blend of two different types of SAF Japan Airlines (JAL) has conducted the first flight with a mixture of two different types of SAF (Sustainable Aviation Fuel) produced domestically in Japan. As a first step forward the commercialization of domestically-produced SAF around 2030, SAF produced at the demonstration plants has now passed the quality inspection and became available for use in actual flights. As part of the “Development of Production Technologies for Biojet Fuels” of New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization, a Japanese national research and development agency, JAL has conducted a flight—JL515 (From Tokyo (Haneda) to Sapporo (Shin-Chitose))—with 3,132 liters (9.1% mixing ratio) of SAF produced domestically in Japan added into existing jet fuel. One SAF was manufactured by Mitsubishi Power, Ltd./Toyo Engineering Corporation/JERA Co., Inc.; the other by IHI Corporation. The former is created from wood chips and the latter from algae. The flight marked the first attempt to load 2 different types of SAF on the same flight. In the Standard Specification for Aviation Turbine Fuel (ASTM D7566), 7 types of SAF—corresponding to purification method of each synthetic fuel—are established as separates Annexes (earlier post). JAL has now loaded 5 of 7 of those types of SAF (Alphanumeric tag corresponds to SAF Annex): January 2009: Asia’s first test flight using SAF made from camelina, a type of non-edible raw material (A2, Hydroprocessed Esters and Fatty Acids Synthetic Paraffinic Kerosene (HEFA-SPK) November 2017: Powered SAF in JAL flight from Chicago O’Hare International Airport to Narita Airport (A5, Alcohol to Jet Synthetic Paraffinic Kerosene (ATJ-SPK) ) January 2019: Powered SAF in JAL flight from San Francisco International Airport to Haneda Airport (A2) June 2019 onwards: Upon receipt of Airbus A350 aircrafts, SAF was powered in all 5 delivery flights from Airbus’ plant in Toulouse, France to Haneda Airport (A3, Hydroprocessed Fermented Sugars to Synthetic Isoparaffins (HFS-SIP) March 2020: Succeeded in manufacturing of SAF using cotton from clothing for the first time in Japan (A5) February 2021: Successfully operated the first flight in Japan loading SAF produced domestically in Japan (A5) June 2021: Loaded 2 different types of SAF produced domestically in Japan at the same time (A1, Fischer-Tropsch Synthetic Paraffinic Kerosene (FT-SPK); and A7, Synthesized Paraffinic Kerosene From Hydrocarbon-Hydroprocessed Esters and Fatty Acids (HC-HEFA-SPK)). HC-HEFA-SPK was developed by IHI. The JAL Group is aiming to switch 10% of the whole fuel amount to SAF. Specifically, it plans to load SAF on flights departing from North America in cooperation with Fulcrum BioEnergy, Inc., a US company in which it has invested. In addition, since most of the fuel used by the JAL Group is refueled in Japan, the establishment of a domestic production system is also an important issue; the company is conducting a feasibility study with domestic companies on manufacturing and selling SAF in Japan from waste plastic. https://www.greencarcongress.com/2021/06/20210621-saf.html Velocys technology powers first commercial flight to use sustainable aviation fuel derived from gasified wood-chips The fuel was produced in a Velocys Fischer-Tropsch (FT) reactor from the hydrogen and carbon gases generated by the gasification of the wood-chips Velocys Plc (LON:VLS) said its technology has powered the world’s first commercial flight to use sustainable aviation fuel derived from gasified wood-chips. The UK-based sustainable fuels technology company said its proprietary technology using woody biomass residue feedstock generated the fuel used on Japan Airlines flight (JAL #515) from Tokyo to Sapporo on 17 June 2021. The fuel was produced in a Velocys Fischer-Tropsch (FT) reactor from the hydrogen and carbon gases generated by the gasification of the wood-chips at the demonstration plant in Nagoya, Japan in 2020. SAF that meets the required international standard can be blended into conventional jet fuel at any ratio from a small fraction up to 50%. "Velocys is pleased to announce the validation of SAF derived from woody biomass as evidenced by the use of 25% SAF blend in this first in the world commercial flight using wood-chips derived jet fuel,” said Velocys chief executive Henrik Wareborn. "SAF synthesised with the Velocys FT technology from gasified forestry residue has a 70% lower Carbon Intensity than conventional fossil jet fuel. In addition, FT-SAF offers significant additional air quality improvements thanks to 90% lower particulate emissions, 99% lower sulphur emissions and lower nitrogen oxide emissions than conventional fossil fuels," he added. Velocys has a collaboration agreement with Toyo Engineering Corp, allowing Toyo's commercial projects to produce SAF and other renewable fuels in Japan using Velocys micro-channel FT technology. https://www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk/companies/news/952793/velocys-technology-powers-first-commercial-flight-to-use-sustainable-aviation-fuel-derived-from-gasified-wood-chips-952793.html New NASA study finds sustainable aviation fuels help eliminate contrails We’ve all looked up the sky and seen commercial aircraft flying overhead, leaving what looks like clouds in the sky, a phenomenon called contrails. NASA has published a new study in cooperation with DLA ATRA aircraft investigating alternative fuels. Cleaner burning jet fuels are made from stable resources and, according to the study, produce between 50 and 70 percent fewer ice crystal contrails at cruising altitude, helping to reduce the impact of aviation on the environment. Ice crystal formations can linger in the upper atmosphere for hours and impact how the earth heats and cools itself. NASA says that contrails produce localized increases in temperature leading to climate change over time. NASA scientist Richard Moore says that researchers know contrail formation from jet exhaust has a more significant impact on climate than carbon dioxide emissions. The new research shows an opportunity to use alternative fuels to make immediate changes that could help the planet. Contrails are formed from jet engine exhaust that includes water vapor and soot particles. When the vapor cools, it condenses, forming ice crystals when supercooled water interacts with the exhaust soot or particles that are present in the air naturally. Alternative jet fuels release less soot resulting in fewer ice crystal formations. NASA notes that the crystals that form using alternative fuels are larger, but that doesn’t create the same problem because they fall more quickly and melt in the warmer air below. Moore says computer models show that contrail ice crystal numbers should vary proportionately with the aircraft engine exhaust particle emissions. Moore also notes that it’s been difficult to observationally make the link discovered in the study. For the experiment, the collaboration used a DLR Advanced Technology Research Aircraft A320 airliner that was burning alternative biofuels. A NASA DC8 flying laboratory trailed the A320 at a safe distance, analyzing and sampling gases and particles in the aircraft’s wake The research found that a blend of half biofuel and half regular fuel reduced emissions by as much as 50 to 70 percent. Researchers weren’t able to study contrails because the atmospheric conditions prevented contrail formation. https://www.slashgear.com/new-nasa-study-finds-sustainable-aviation-fuels-help-eliminate-contrails-20679024/ Behind Airbus-Boeing truce lies a common rival: China While the United States and Europe waged a 17-year trade battle over subsidies to Boeing and Airbus, China poured money into its own commercial aircraft to take on the Western aviation duopoly. It took a common threat for the US and Europe to finally put an end to their dispute this past week, as the two sides signed a five-year truce suspending tit-for-tat tariffs. US President Joe Biden made it clear during his visit to Brussels on Tuesday: Washington and Brussels must "work together to challenge and counter China's non-market practices in this sector that give China's companies an unfair advantage". For the past four years, state-run manufacturer Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC) has run test flights for its 168-seat, narrow-bodied C919 airplane, a potential rival to Airbus's A320 and Boeing's B737. COMAC expects to obtain airworthiness certification from Chinese air traffic regulators this year, coinciding with the 100th anniversary of the Chinese Communist Party. The aircraft received between $49-$72 billion in state subsidies, much more than the aid that Airbus and Boeing were given by their governments, according to Scott Kennedy, senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. "The very real problem is that China is manipulating the market in playing Airbus and Boeing against each other and demanding technology transfers as a condition for orders," said Richard Aboulafia, aviation expert at Teal Group, a market analysis firm based in Virginia. China's air traffic has recovered much faster than elsewhere in the world as the country brought the coronavirus outbreak under relative control well before others last year. Boeing believes that the Chinese market will need 9,360 aircraft in the next 20 years, one-fifth of the world total. It could be a major windfall for the A320 and the 737 MAX, though China has yet to authorise the return of the Boeing aircraft, which was grounded for 20 months in the US following two fatal crashes. 'Diplomatic and commercial tool' While China remains dependent on Airbus and Boeing aircraft for now, the country's ambitions to have its own fleet are clear. "The aeronautics industry is both an instrument of growth and a diplomatic and commercial tool that allows them to have a very comprehensive foreign policy in foreign markets," said Michel Merluzeau, analyst at AIR, an industry consultancy. "The Chinese have the technological and industrial skills to make an airplane, there's no doubt about that," he told AFP. "The Chinese are ambitious. They're very reasonable. They know it will take time," he said. "They don't want to take on Airbus and Boeing in 2025." The C919 was built with US and European help. Only 14 of the aircraft's 82 suppliers are Chinese, according to Kennedy. The wings and fuselage are Chinese but manufacturers in the country have yet to master the skills of building engines or airplane electronic equipment. "They prepare their industry to meet domestic needs, it would be inferior products but at least it would be national," Aboulafia said. The airplane is heavier than the US and European aircraft, making it less fuel efficient and thus more expensive to operate. From duopoly to 'triopoly' But COMAC is racking up customers. The company says it has 815 orders from 28 clients, most from Chinese airlines—though few are confirmed orders. China Eastern Airlines was the first company to make a firm order in March for five aircraft. Huang Jun, professor at the school of aeronautic science and engineering of Beihang University, said the C919 will not be a game changer. But it may be cheaper than its rivals and create an "ABC pattern" in China, with Airbus, Boeing and COMAC operating in the country. "We just hope we can join this market and occupy a certain market share," Huang said. For Airbus chief executive Guillaume Faury, COMAC "will progressively become a decent player". "So we will grow probably from a duopoly to a 'triopoly'" by the end of the decade for single-aisle aircraft, he said. https://techxplore.com/news/2021-06-airbus-boeing-truce-lies-common-rival.html Hamad Airport and HBKU join forces to improve passenger services Hamad International Airport (HIA) in Qatar has formed a joint research partnership with Hamad Bin Khalifa University’s (HBKU) College of Science and Engineering (CSE) for optimising passenger services at the airport. This is said to be the first such research partnership in the country, where Visual Analytics and Dynamic Graph research techniques will be used to improve the passenger airport experience. During the 36-month programme, the airport will receive research technique advice, software programming from the university. The CSE will also synthesise data and share its study findings. Furthermore, the airport, along with its Information Technology department, will offer problem statements, relevant data, software programming, review research reports as well as test software output from the study. The airport was chosen for the grant by Qatar Foundation for its capabilities to enhance the university’s research on the advancement and usage of the Visual Analytics and Dynamic Graph techniques. This technique is used to identify relationships within massive amounts of data that are visualised to help researchers and airport professionals detect patterns like changing travel routes. The gathered insights can help HIA provide customised travel experiences to its passengers. https://www.airport-technology.com/news/hamad-airport-hbku-join-forces/ Delta Energy to offer biofuel bunker services in ARA region Delta Energy has announced it will begin supplying biofuel bunkers in the Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp (ARA) region next month. The company said it had been granted International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC). “Delta Energy Fuel Supply & Trading BV is now a proud member of ISCC and is dedicated to help reduce their own greenhouse gas savings and looks towards a sustainable future within the full supply chain,” the company said in a social media post. The company said the biofuel offering in the ARA region is expected to complement its UK physical supply operations. Rotterdam-headquartered Delta Energy launched in February this year. The company also has offices in London, Hamburg, St Petersburg, Geneva, Seoul and Singapore. In March, the company began physical supply operations in the Port of Antwerp. The company has a new physical supply operation in the UK which is managed from offices in Hull. Besides sourcing and suppling for Delta Corp Shipping chartered fleet on a competitive basis, Delta Energy will also be brokering, trading and supplying fuel for other shipowners, charterers and bunker traders. https://biofuels-news.com/news/delta-energy-to-offer-biofuel-bunker-services-in-ara-region/ Russia has flown prototypes of its six-seat hybrid VTOL Cyclocar Russia's Foundation for Advanced Research has already flown a 60-kg (132-lb) prototype of its Cyclocar VTOL aircraft, which uses a super-responsive cyclical propeller propulsion system. A full-size, long-range, six-seat Cyclocar is expected to fly in 2022. We've seen this cyclic propulsion system before, from Austria's Cyclotech, which was previously known as D-Dalus. It places a number of variable-pitch blades in fast-rotating barrels. Each blade changes pitch constantly as the barrel spins, meaning each corner of the aircraft can vector its thrust through 360 degrees nearly instantly, without changing the RPM of the motors. While this would make cyclic propulsion a terrific solution for a gasoline-powered VTOL, the Russians are planning to use it with a hybrid propulsion system, with full electric drive and a range-extending combustion generator. The six-seat aircraft is expected to fly at up to 250 km/h (155 mph) – this is a fair bit slower than many lift and cruise or vectored thrust multicopter designs, presumably because it has no wings and needs to keep its thrust vectored partially downward at all times. Range, on the other hand, is huge at up to 500 km (310 miles) thanks to the excellent energy density of gasoline. The final generator engine hasn't been decided on at this stage, but it'll be Russian-built, and either a rotary piston engine or a turboshaft. The propulsion barrels will have a large diameter of 1.5 m (5 ft), and it'll carry up to six people, or 600 kg (1,323 lb) of payload, in either piloted, autonomous or remote-controlled trim. A loading ramp at the rear will improve access for disabled passengers and make cargo loading more practical. The team has worked out the kinks and complexities in the propulsion system flying sub-scale prototypes shown in the video above, the largest of which weighs 60 kg. The video also demonstrates a rather hair-raising capability of the aircraft to hover in a vertical orientation like a tail-sitter, which we guess might be handy in tight parking spaces? Project team leader Yan Chibisov said in a Russian-language press release that while the cyclic propulsion system was very aerodynamically complex, it's quiet, compact, and shielded for protection against foreign objects, while enabling very fast thrust vectoring. Initial testing undertaken in conjunction with the Novosibirsk Institute of Thermophysics, said Chibisov, fully confirmed the team's thrust and power consumption calculations, and he's confident that the system will make its way onto an aircraft within three years. With a full-size, battery-electric prototype expected to begin test flights in 2022, it'll be interesting to see where the Cyclocar goes from here. Commercialization is no joke, and a highly expensive process. The team's video, shown below, appears to suggest that it might start out as a military project first and foremost. https://newatlas.com/aircraft/russia-cyclocar-evtol-protoype-flight/ Army helicopters grounded due to safety issues, ADF insiders reveal Defence insiders claim the Australian Army’s Taipan helicopters are “no longer safe to fly”, revealing “potentially catastrophic” maintenance issues behind their suspension. The MRH-90 Taipan fleet is used to transport troops and provide fire protection during special operations and counter-terrorism missions. But the entire fleet has been out of action and grounded since the beginning of June. Australia’s defence department confirmed an investigation has been launched into the reasons behind the maintenance faults, suspending 47 helicopters from flying as a “precaution”. “Defence has temporarily suspended flying operations of the MRH-90 helicopter fleet,” a defence spokesman said. “The fleet was suspended as a safety precaution. The issue relates to the application of the helicopter’s maintenance policy in the helicopter’s IT support system. “Defence and Airbus Australia Pacific are currently working collaboratively to remediate this issue.” Speaking to news.com.au on the grounds of anonymity, multiple MRH-90 trained aviators claimed the cause of data mismatches was far worse than a software glitch. “The aircraft transmission is required to undergo a complete overhaul on every second major servicing,” an insider said. “That is meant to occur by Airbus in France but there is a global transmissions shortage so they’ve been rotating spare parts and refitting them as zero hours. “That means there are aircraft flying as if they’re brand new which is a huge issue because there’s no accurate way of ensuring its safety. “Obviously Defence isn’t getting what they paid for, but a main transmission failure is potentially catastrophic.” MRH-90 Taipan helicopters no longer being used A Defence spokesman confirmed members of Townsville-based 5 Aviation Regiment were no longer expected to be flying the MRH-90 Taipan in Australia’s largest bilateral war games with the US, after also missing out on this week’s Exercise Sea Explorer. The spokesman said army and navy aviation would “continue to support their exercise and operational commitments with Tiger, Chinook, Black Hawk and Sea Hawk helicopters”. The latest incident comes as defence officials concede a fault found in one of the helicopters in 2019 amid serious concerns about the tail rotor blades – when it was on its way to pick up the Australian Defence Force chief, Angus Campbell – could have led to “catastrophic consequences” if left unfixed. A spokesperson for Airbus Helicopters said it is working closely with Australia to resolve the situation and end the suspension as soon as possible. They said the integrity and safety of the MRH-90 fleet and the members of the ADF operating them remain their priority. Taipan brought in to replace Black Hawk The Taipan was introduced into the army and navy in 2004 as a replacement for the Black Hawk helicopter which was expected to begin being phased out from August this year. The navy has already moved to offload its share of the aircraft to the army due to lack of spare parts availability and running costs. Defence sources say that was now unlikely given the Sydney-based 6 Aviation Regiment was already experiencing delays in incorporating the Taipan into its dedicated special forces support role. “Defence has already begun advertising to sell off Black Hawk which are due to be gone by the end of the year so that leaves no troop airlift capability for Special Operations Command,” the source said. “That has massive implications on our Special Forces to deliver a counter-terrorism capability domestically.” Previous figures provided by the Defence Department estimates the total cost of the MRH-90 Taipan program will be $15 billion by the time the helicopters are due to be withdrawn from service in 2037, including $3.7 billion for the purchase and $11.3 billion to sustain them. Defence has also begun flying two Leonardo AW139 helicopters in Townsville after a contract was signed to lease from Helicorp, known as Toll Helicopters, as an interim measure to ensure pilots remain up to date with flight hours. “The total cost of the contract, until June 30, 2023, is $37 million,” the department said in questions on notice from Senate estimates hearings earlier this year. https://www.news.com.au/technology/innovation/military/army-helicopters-grounded-due-to-safety-issues-adf-insiders-reveal/news-story/11fefdc0dd886815e4439e7b80fba910 Crystal Cabin Awards 2021 shortlist: Double-decker economy class seat design offers passengers more space Take a look at some of this year's shortlisted designs in the gallery above. A new design for economy class seating could mean more space for passengers and better social distancing on planes. Alejandro Nuñez Vicente, a design engineer at Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands, has come up with a "Chaise Lounge Economy seat" concept, where seat rows are alternately raised and lowered, creating more space for passengers. Vincente's design has been shortlisted for one of this year's Crystal Cabin Awards, which recognise excellence in aircraft interior innovation. This year's awards have a focus on renewing confidence in air travel, given the downturn in global aviation caused by the pandemic, with just two special categories (compared to the usual eight): "Judge's Choice" and "Clean and Safe Air Travel". Vincente's cabin concept has been selected in the "Judge's Choice" category, with the design receiving global attention since it was shortlisted. "The uniqueness of this concept is that the vertical space in the cabin is used to create more space for the passengers," Vincente's description of his concept says. "Through the use of the vertical space, the seat design provides passengers with bigger recline angles, more leg room and more overall space within the 32-inch (81 cm) seat pitch, while supporting a wide range of different body postures." Another entry, ADSE's "Economy Sky-Dream" cabin design, took another crack at the holy grail of cattle-class travel: beds in economy class. The design moves the overhead lockers to create space for bunk beds in the middle row of economy class. "During taxi, take-off and landing, the passengers are seated in club seating configuration (with seats facing each other)", ADSE's entry reads. "The middle bed is lowered during the sleep phase of the flight, thereby converting the centre seat row into three equally spaced beds. The result: a comfortable bed for each Economy Sky-Dream traveller to make long haul flights feel shorter and to arrive feeling refreshed." Another design on the awards shortlist aims to improve social distancing on planes without reducing the overall number of seats. British designer PriestmanGoode's "Pure Skies" concept uses partitions in both business and economy class to create better separation between passengers. Meanwhile, Toyota Boshoku reimagined the economy class cabin by mixing three classes together - economy window seats combined with premium economy and "premium plus" seats in the middle of the cabin. The design also featured a meal-serving robot, replacing cabin crew on meal and drinks services. Other concepts making the shortlist this year focused on hygiene, with multiple entries applying cleaning tools using UV light to kill viruses, while others looked at improving cabin air quality. One design proposed a "clip on" tray table, which is handed to passengers prior to their meal and fully removed and disinfected between flights. The Crystal Cabin Awards have long featured innovative, some might say outlandish, designs for aircraft cabins, few of which will ever get off ground. Notable ideas to make the shortlist in the past include the Lower Deck Pax Experience Modules from Airbus, which would convert the cargo bay of planes into sleeping or exercise areas. The concept received interest from Qantas, with the airline considering the design as an option for its ultra-long-haul Project Sunrise flights from Australia's east coast to New York and London non-stop (that project is currently on hiatus due to the pandemic). Qantas later dropped the idea. That's not to say some of the ideas won't eventually become a reality. Delta Air Lines' Delta One Suite for business class took out the award for best cabin concept in 2017. It was on board the airline's first Airbus A350s just a few months later. This year's shortlist features the Horizon Premier first class suite, designed by Collins Aerospace and PriestmanGoode for Russian airline Aeroflot. The suites have already started rolling out on board the airline's Airbus A350s. https://www.traveller.com.au/crystal-cabin-awards-2021-shortlist-doubledecker-economy-class-seat-design-offers-passengers-more-space-h1wmrs SpaceX drone ship Of Course I Still Love You arrives at Panama Canal Ten days and one unexpected detour after SpaceX drone ship Of Course I Still Love You (OCISLY) departed Port Canaveral, Florida for what could be the last time ever, the ship has arrived at the Panama Canal. The five thousand mile (~8000 km) journey began almost exactly on June 10th and saw drone ship OCISLY towed to the Bahamas – an unanticipated development. Unlike drone ship sibling Just Read The Instructions (JRTI), which made the same journey in reverse about a year and a half ago, OCISLY was loaded onto the deck of large semi-submersible transport ship known as Mighty Servant 1 (MS1). Normally used to transporting entire ships and oil and gas equipment weighing tens of thousands of tons, a SpaceX drone ship – while still huge – is a featherweight load in comparison. As a result, despite a several days spent waiting in the Bahamas, MS1 – carrying drone ship OCISLY – sped to the Panama Canal’s Atlantic harbor in just five days, nearly averaging its top speed with a load. Following a midday June 20th arrival just outside of the canal’s protected harbor, MS1 and OCISLY have simply been waiting their turn – one in a queue of around 70 other large ships. It remains to be seen how long the SpaceX drone ship will have to wait before transiting the canal and beginning the last major leg of its journey to Port of Long Beach, California. Due to the massive dimensions of MS1’s drone ship ‘cargo,’ special permission was needed from the Panama Canal Authority to (slightly) surpass its normal size limits. The exceptionally small margin of error for this particular transit – leaving just a few feet (~1m) between OCISLY and the canal walls – may require special attention and a longer journey than usual. In other words, SpaceX could have to wait days for a unique window or – as part of its one-time wide-load transit permit – its transit window may already have been scheduled within a day or two of arrival. The latter scenario is more likely and could see Mighty Servant 1 reach the Pacific Ocean as early as Wednesday or Thursday. Last-second transit slots are still available on Friday, June 25th as of Monday, indicating that the Panama Canal isn’t particularly congested at the moment. Once MS1 and OCISLY complete their transit and reach the Pacific, the pair will have approximately 3300 miles (~5300 km) to go to reach Port of Long Beach, the drone ship’s new home. Assuming Mighty Servant 1 can manage a similarly impressive average speed on the last leg of its journey, the trip from Panama City to Los Angeles could take less than ten days, culminating in an arrival within the first several days of July. That would leave SpaceX several weeks to check out the drone ship after its long journey and prepare it for its first West Coast booster recovery. For several months, SpaceX has been angling to return its quiet West Coast launch facilities to flight with a string of dedicated polar Starlink launches – the first of which could happen as early as July. While very little else is known about the status of that launch, OCISLY arriving in the first week of the month would all but guarantee that drone ship availability won’t be the cause of any hypothetical upcoming delays. https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-west-coast-drone-ship-panama-canal-arrival/ Curt Lewis