Author Topic: Air Force: Current ranges cannot support proposed higher launch rates.  (Read 15648 times)

Offline Coastal Ron

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Radars are not mandatory.   They are only required.

It seems like those are the same.  How are they different?
If we don't continuously lower the cost to access space, how are we ever going to afford to expand humanity out into space?

Offline Jim

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Radars are not mandatory.   They are only required.

It seems like those are the same.  How are they different?

required assets can be waived. 

Offline lbiderman

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Jim, in your experience, when do you think the range will be in position to support this escalation of launches? I believe timing is also important, since according to the initial paper, the range availability and assets will become saturated in the mid term.
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Offline Jim

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Jim, in your experience, when do you think the range will be in position to support this escalation of launches? I believe timing is also important, since according to the initial paper, the range availability and assets will become saturated in the mid term.

It will be personnel constrained. the 48 hrs between launches is due to manpower to operate some outdated comm systems.   Range and ground safety would have to increase their tempo in approving missions and operations. 

Offline baldusi

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Jim, in your experience, when do you think the range will be in position to support this escalation of launches? I believe timing is also important, since according to the initial paper, the range availability and assets will become saturated in the mid term.

It will be personnel constrained. the 48 hrs between launches is due to manpower to operate some outdated comm systems.   Range and ground safety would have to increase their tempo in approving missions and operations.
Wasn't there a plan to outsource some of those functions?
Do the launch service providers have to reimburse the range for those activities? Is enough to add resources? Increasing that manpower is significant percentage of a low cost provider (say, over 100k per launch)?

Offline Tea Party Space Czar

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It will be personnel constrained. the 48 hrs between launches is due to manpower to operate some outdated comm systems.   Range and ground safety would have to increase their tempo in approving missions and operations.

Emphasis Mine - thanks Jim.  This is the kind of info that needs to get out there.

Respectfully,
Andrew

Offline Targeteer

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Wolf Creek Federal Services, Inc., Anchorage, Alaska, has been awarded a $108,383,456 firm-fixed price, cost-plus-fixed-fee and cost reimbursable contract for range operations support. Contractor will be responsible and accountable for aspects of non-mission support communications for the Eastern Range (ER) and Western Range (WR), and Base Operating Support and Logistics for the ER. Work will be performed at Patrick Air Force Base, Florida; Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida and Ascension Auxiliary Airfield, and is expected to be complete by Sept. 30, 2020. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition with eight offers received. Fiscal year 2015 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $327,196 are being obligated at the time of award. The 45th Contracting Squadron, Patrick AFB, Florida, is the contracting activity (FA2521-15-C-0063)
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Offline Targeteer

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http://www.afspc.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123453252&source=GovD

45th SW says Farewell to Antigua Air Station

Posted 7/13/2015   Updated 7/13/2015

by 1st Lt. Alicia Wallace

7/13/2015 - ANTIGUA AIR STATION, Antigua -- After more than 50 years of operations, Antigua Air Station was deactivated July 7 in a ceremony held on the island.

Brig. Gen. Nina Armagno, 45th Space Wing commander and presiding officer of the ceremony, sheathed the detachment colors in a sleeve, symbolizing the organizations inactive status, while the Honorable Larry Palmer, ambassador to the U.S. Embassy Barbados, the Honorable Gaston Browne, the Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, and his Excellency Sir Rodney Williams, the Governor-General of Antigua and Barbuda, and his wife Lady Sandra observed the event.

Originally established as a revision of a land-lease agreement with Great Britain, the mission of Detachment 1, 45th Operations Group, was to support the space-lift mission of the Eastern Range by providing high data rate telemetry.

"Antigua Air Station has been an extremely valuable asset to the success of the 45th SW. It served as one of the primary Range and Control instrumentation sites for space and launch vehicle tracking support," said Armagno. "There was never a launch scrub due to a failure of Antigua based instrumentation. This is remarkable considering there was no redundancy for the Antigua radar or command system."

A thorough review of mission requirements in recent years determined that the mandatory tracking and command responsibilities that were carried out by AAS could be accomplished using the data rate telemetry received from other Air Force assets.

"Mission requirements for space and launch vehicle tracking support were reviewed, and we discovered that we are able to provide the necessary capabilities with mission design changes and use of the telemetry system on Ascension," said Lt. Col. Steven Melvin, commander of Det 1.

The decision to inactivate the air station was a difficult one to make, according to Armagno, but in the constrained fiscal environment, the wing was forced to make changes. Operating expenses for AAS were over $10 million USD per year.

In his comments, Palmer described the moment as "historic though bittersweet." The ambassador said the partnership between the U.S. and Antigua and Barbuda has and will continue to benefit both nations in the future.

The C-Band Radar used in AAS is being relocated to Harold E. Holt Naval Communications Station, Australia. Once established, the sensor will be integrated into the U.S. Space Surveillance Network.

"Many of our allies and partners rely on the U.S. SSN to provide foundational elements for protecting space assets," said Melvin. "The resulting increase in battlespace awareness due to the location in Australia will provide the warfighter with predictive and actionable situational awareness through early detection of launches at a lower inclination than previously available."

Armagno thanked the detachment and the CSR team for their support to the 45th SW.

"The 45th Space Wing will never forget the contributions that Antigua Air Station has provided over the past 50 years. We will never forget the support that this Air Station has provided and the wonderful people that have helped get our mission accomplished," said Armagno. "Today is a hard day, but you should be gratified. Be proud of everything that you've stood for and be satisfied for a job well done and know that you will always hold a special place in the storied history of space launch for the Air Force and the United States of America!"
Best quote heard during an inspection, "I was unaware that I was the only one who was aware."

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