Author Topic: Air Force reveals plan for up to 48 launches per year from Cape Canaveral  (Read 37701 times)

Offline Jim

  • Night Gator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 37440
  • Cape Canaveral Spaceport
  • Liked: 21450
  • Likes Given: 428

The 45th LCSS’s mission closely coincides with the 5th SLS – as both provide mission assurance for launches from the Eastern Range. The 5th SLS is responsible for boosters and the LCSS’s responsibility lies with the spacecraft itself.

.....

Bringing both squadrons under one commander reduces some of the duplication of effort by both parties and provides a more cohesive squadron feel to operations. With a mission so important, Airmen so innovative and such strong leadership – the current course the 45th Space Wing can only drives the wing closer to launch enterprise.


This just the current wind direction.
Together - early 60's
Apart - late 60's
Together - early 70's
Apart - late 70's
Together - early 90's
Apart - early 00's
Together - Late 10's

Offline Kansan52

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1488
  • Hutchinson, KS
  • Liked: 570
  • Likes Given: 539
This just the current wind direction.
Together - early 60's
Apart - late 60's
Together - early 70's
Apart - late 70's
Together - early 90's
Apart - early 00's
Together - Late 10's

Sorry to be dense, but do you mean by this that all the changes that are occurring are cosmetic? It seems like a lot of improvements are occurring due to a lot of hard work.

Offline gongora

  • Global Moderator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 10205
  • US
  • Liked: 13885
  • Likes Given: 5933
This just the current wind direction.
Together - early 60's
Apart - late 60's
Together - early 70's
Apart - late 70's
Together - early 90's
Apart - early 00's
Together - Late 10's

Sorry to be dense, but do you mean by this that all the changes that are occurring are cosmetic? It seems like a lot of improvements are occurring due to a lot of hard work.

I believe Jim is talking about specific organizations at the Cape (the two groups mentioned in the article posted by Targeteer), not the overall changes to support more launches.

Offline Jim

  • Night Gator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 37440
  • Cape Canaveral Spaceport
  • Liked: 21450
  • Likes Given: 428
This just the current wind direction.
Together - early 60's
Apart - late 60's
Together - early 70's
Apart - late 70's
Together - early 90's
Apart - early 00's
Together - Late 10's

Sorry to be dense, but do you mean by this that all the changes that are occurring are cosmetic? It seems like a lot of improvements are occurring due to a lot of hard work.

This has nothing to do with the range launch rate.  It only has to do with management of Air Force missions.

Offline deruch

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2422
  • California
  • Liked: 2006
  • Likes Given: 5634

The 45th LCSS’s mission closely coincides with the 5th SLS – as both provide mission assurance for launches from the Eastern Range. The 5th SLS is responsible for boosters and the LCSS’s responsibility lies with the spacecraft itself.

.....

Bringing both squadrons under one commander reduces some of the duplication of effort by both parties and provides a more cohesive squadron feel to operations. With a mission so important, Airmen so innovative and such strong leadership – the current course the 45th Space Wing can only drives the wing closer to launch enterprise.


This just the current wind direction.
Together - early 60's
Apart - late 60's
Together - early 70's
Apart - late 70's
Together - early 90's
Apart - early 00's
Together - Late 10's
Quote
The change of command ceremony is one of many steps the 45th Space Wing is taking to revitalize the squadron. In time, the 45th LCSS will inactivate and merge with the 5th SLS, under Mitchell, their dual-hatted commander.
Do you think this planned consolidation is either enabled or made more attractive because the majority (and eventually all?) of future range users are going to be using AFTS?  If so, then this consolidation may end up being more than just the current wind blowing. 
Shouldn't reality posts be in "Advanced concepts"?  --Nomadd

Offline mulp

  • Member
  • Posts: 72
  • merrimack, nh
  • Liked: 37
  • Likes Given: 9
This just the current wind direction.
Together - early 60's
Apart - late 60's
Together - early 70's
Apart - late 70's
Together - early 90's
Apart - early 00's
Together - Late 10's

Sorry to be dense, but do you mean by this that all the changes that are occurring are cosmetic? It seems like a lot of improvements are occurring due to a lot of hard work.

This has nothing to do with the range launch rate.  It only has to do with management of Air Force missions.

If you go back and look at the justifications, splitting up was mostly likely supposed to increase the number of launches while combining was to reduce costs and efficiency, perhaps to afford more launches.

Triggering factors would have been new kinds of rockets and customers, manned vs unmanned, government vs commercial payloads, private vs government funding, military vs civilian.

Today the triggering factor is more private companies competing with government entities trying to launch using the same air space, and same shadow. Control of the ground is taking second place.

Offline Jim

  • Night Gator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 37440
  • Cape Canaveral Spaceport
  • Liked: 21450
  • Likes Given: 428

Do you think this planned consolidation is either enabled or made more attractive because the majority (and eventually all?) of future range users are going to be using AFTS?  If so, then this consolidation may end up being more than just the current wind blowing. 

It has nothing to do with range resources or range safety.  The range management is a separate group and is unrelated to this topic.   The range supports all launches regardless.  This topics is about management of Air Force missions (Air Force payloads on Air Force procured launches).

Offline Jim

  • Night Gator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 37440
  • Cape Canaveral Spaceport
  • Liked: 21450
  • Likes Given: 428
Triggering factors would have been new kinds of rockets and customers, manned vs unmanned, government vs commercial payloads, private vs government funding, military vs civilian.

Today the triggering factor is more private companies competing with government entities trying to launch using the same air space, and same shadow. Control of the ground is taking second place.

Nope, it is none of those.  This issue has nothing to with commercial launches (no Air Force payloads)

There is only one customer of concern, the DOD.  It does't matter if the vehicle is new kinds of rockets,manned vs unmanned, government vs commercial payloads, private vs government funding,


In the past, they were split when there were multiple launch vehicles. And even SLS was split into separate squadrons for each launch vehicle, but there was only one spacecraft squadron, who supported all DOD spacecraft no matter what launch vehicle.

Offline gongora

  • Global Moderator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 10205
  • US
  • Liked: 13885
  • Likes Given: 5933
From the ULA testimony at today's House hearing on Commercial Space Transportation Regulatory Reform: Stakeholder Perspective

https://transportation.house.gov/calendar/eventsingle.aspx?EventID=402613

Quote
The following example illustrates one issue launch providers currently face as a
result of agency differences at the launch site:
During a commercial launch campaign, the FAA treats major operations at
nearby facilities (e.g. a static test firing at a different launch provider’s
facility) differently than the USAF does for one of its missions. One difference
relates to the Flight Hazard Area /Flight Caution Area. Specifically, the 45th
Space Wing is more accommodating when it comes to allowing ULA Mission
Essential Personnel to remain at Space Launch Complex 41 (SLC-41) during
major operations at SLC-40 for non-FAA licensed missions. This enables
ULA to keep personnel working and not delay operations for the next Atlas V
launch. However, the FAA is less accommodating in allowing ULA personnel
to remain at SLC-41 during FAA licensed operations at SLC-40, which can
cause monumental delays and schedule perturbations. There can be several
FAA licensed missions per year at each launch site, and the resulting
deleterious effect on the other party’s launch operations are significant.
Launch providers and the USAF Range spend much time and significant
resources de-conflicting SLC-40 and SLC-41 operations due to the FAAunique
requirements that other agencies do not impose

Offline Targeteer

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 6153
  • near hangar 18
  • Liked: 3363
  • Likes Given: 1138
https://www.patrick.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/1589087/wing-retools-structure-toward-greater-agility/

 PATRICK AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- On July 31, 2018, the 45th Space Wing inactivated the 45th Launch Group, combining their launch mission and personnel with the 45th Operations Group. The personnel from both groups will be led by Col. Steven Lang, commander of the 45th OG.

Moments before the 45th Launch Group inactivation and merger, the 45th Launch Support Squadron also inactivated and merged with the 5th Space Launch Squadron, now under the command of Lt. Col. Waylon Mitchell.

Next, the 45th Operations Support Squadron and 1st Range Operations Squadron inactivated and merged, now a single squadron under the command of Lt. Col. Gregory Vice, and called the 45th Range Squadron.

The 45th Launch Group, combining their launch mission and personnel with the 45th Operations Group was the last inactivation and merger of the day.

This 45th OG merger postures the 45th SW to capitalize on launch innovations and lays the foundation for a more agile spaceport with a rapidly growing operations tempo and number of launch providers, said Brig. Gen. Wayne Monteith, commander of the 45th SW.

The inactivation and merging of groups closes the seams to resolve issues for launch process engineering risk, range scheduling and range instrumentation issues as a single interface to the customer under one operations group commander.

“We are known in our enterprise as being the best in the business,” said Lang. “We have the best people and processes and we will continue to have the best people and processes moving forward.”

The Operations Group is now responsible for both mission assurance and range operations, and the vital mission assurance responsibility transitioned from the Launch Group will remain an absolute priority.

“I am humbled by the opportunity to lead the consolidated group to close organizational seams and ensure both range support and mission assurance operations are coordinated to successfully deploy the critical satellite payloads that support our national interests,” said Lang. “It is my distinct honor to serve as the commander for the group that continues to provide 100% mission success.”

“The 45th Launch Group has been a cornerstone to one of the safest and most successful periods of time in space history and is worthy of remembrance,” said Monteith. “But we can’t stay stagnant—we have to continue making progress and this merger is that next step.”
Best quote heard during an inspection, "I was unaware that I was the only one who was aware."

Offline gongora

  • Global Moderator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 10205
  • US
  • Liked: 13885
  • Likes Given: 5933
[Florida Today] Brig. Gen. Doug Schiess returns to Brevard, assumes command of Air Force's 45th Space Wing
Quote
PATRICK AIR FORCE BASE — Six years ago, then-Col. Doug Schiess reported to Cape Canaveral Air Force Station to oversee Eastern Range missile launch operations.

Thursday, he returned to Brevard County as a brigadier general — to lead the entire 45th Space Wing.

Schiess assumed command from retiring Brig. Gen. Wayne Monteith during a ceremony at the Patrick Air Force Base auditorium.
...
Schiess — whose last name rhymes with chess — formerly commanded the 45th Operations Group from 2012-14. In that capacity, he oversaw the Eastern Range's military, commercial, NASA, and ballistic missile launch operations.

Tags:
 

Advertisement NovaTech
Advertisement Northrop Grumman
Advertisement
Advertisement Margaritaville Beach Resort South Padre Island
Advertisement Brady Kenniston
Advertisement NextSpaceflight
Advertisement Nathan Barker Photography
0