Author Topic: Pad 39A - Transition to SpaceX Falcon Heavy debut - Thread 2  (Read 248156 times)

Offline Chris Bergin

Second thread for Pad 39A work by SpaceX ahead of Falcon Heavy's debut flight in 2016 (pad will also be used by F9).

Thread 1:
http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=36100.0

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39A News Articles:
http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/?s=39A
http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/tag/39A/

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L2 39A - From shovel in the ground to the latest in updates and about 300 photos from KSC folk getting close to it - and rendering envisioning, etc.
http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=34978.0

This is updates and discussion, but let's make sure posts are useful. This one is about the pad, remember. :)
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Offline Chris Bergin

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Offline dror

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Does Spacex plan to use the old shuttle tower for crew access?

thanks
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Offline Beittil

The FSS will be for crew access to Dragon, the RSS will be removed in due time.

Offline chrisking0997

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do I understand that article correctly that on holddown release the strongback will drop to the horizontal position?  If so, that should make for a (n already) visually interesting launch
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Offline LastStarFighter

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do I understand that article correctly that on holddown release the strongback will drop to the horizontal position?  If so, that should make for a (n already) visually interesting launch

That was my take from the article... Once the rocket commits to launching (hold downs are released) the strong back goes horizontal. I'm assuming this will help better mitigate strong back damage at liftoff.

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Offline StuffOfInterest

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If the strongback is going to go horizontal, is there a separate umbilical tower?  It seems like that would add additional complexity to the launch system that hasn't been present on the other pads.

Offline LastStarFighter

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If the strongback is going to go horizontal, is there a separate umbilical tower?  It seems like that would add additional complexity to the launch system that hasn't been present on the other pads.

Umbilicals disconnect at liftoff anyway. Shouldn't be anything adding complexity with it going horizontal once the hold downs release and the rocket is in motion. (I think they are indicating it stays at an angle until liftoff and then goes horizontal once umbilicals release).

Offline Chris Bergin

Yeah, remember it's a step process. It initially retracts a few degrees (umbilicals attached) like it does with the current F9.
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Offline DatUser14

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will falcon 9/Falcon heavy enter ( be assembled for launch)and exit to the pad from the same doors in the HIF?
« Last Edit: 11/10/2015 06:15 pm by DatUser14 »
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will falcon 9/Falcon heavy enter ( be assembled for launch)and exit to the pad from the same doors in the HIF?

See attached images. Rocket goes in one door, and out the other! :D

Offline ZachS09

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do I understand that article correctly that on holddown release the strongback will drop to the horizontal position?  If so, that should make for a (n already) visually interesting launch

They did that for the Antares rocket launches.
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Offline Jcc

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do I understand that article correctly that on holddown release the strongback will drop to the horizontal position?  If so, that should make for a (n already) visually interesting launch

They did that for the Antares rocket launches.

Should reduce scorching of the strong back and umbilicals.

Offline LastStarFighter

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do I understand that article correctly that on holddown release the strongback will drop to the horizontal position?  If so, that should make for a (n already) visually interesting launch

They did that for the Antares rocket launches.

Do you have a link to a picture of that? From what I remember Antares would just tilt it back a little further at liftoff. Maybe 45 degrees. Not horizontal...

Offline MattMason

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will falcon 9/Falcon heavy enter ( be assembled for launch)and exit to the pad from the same doors in the HIF?

See attached images. Rocket goes in one door, and out the other! :D

Question:

If you look at the photos of the strongback test and compare it to the render (not sure if that's SpaceX's official render or one of Nathan's)--isn't the strongback on the wrong side now in the render? It's shown there where it drops towards the HIF, but the photos appear to show the strongback dropping away from the HIF.

It might be a photographic illusion, so I could be wrong.

EDIT: I'm probably wrong. It's like looking at lunar craters in photos where the orientation makes them appear to be domes and not holes. I look at it again and see the strongback falling towards the HIF as in the render...
« Last Edit: 11/11/2015 01:11 pm by MattMason »
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Offline Craftyatom

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will falcon 9/Falcon heavy enter ( be assembled for launch)and exit to the pad from the same doors in the HIF?

See attached images. Rocket goes in one door, and out the other! :D

Question:

If you look at the photos of the strongback test and compare it to the render (not sure if that's SpaceX's official render or one of Nathan's)--isn't the strongback on the wrong side now in the render? It's shown there where it drops towards the HIF, but the photos appear to show the strongback dropping away from the HIF.

It might be a photographic illusion, so I could be wrong.

EDIT: I'm probably wrong. It's like looking at lunar craters in photos where the orientation makes them appear to be domes and not holes. I look at it again and see the strongback falling towards the HIF as in the render...

The photo does not show the strongback or TEL.  Those are cranes, and they are working on the pad.

The render shows the TEL as it will be used, on the HIF-facing side of the rocket.
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Offline OnWithTheShow

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Thats a pretty significant change in strongback mode of operation. Would require different hydraulic systems to drop the strongback quickly enough to make a difference. Hopefully someone gets some video when they test the drop back system operation.  Are there any rockets that drop the tower all the way back? Soyuz drops the first umbilical at ~t-40s and the second around ~t-10s but only to about -35 degree from vertical. Antares drops away right at lift off but again only to about -40 degree.  Both of those are also just umbilical towers and appear substantially lighter than the Falcon transporter/erector.

Offline douglas100

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I notice that the render shows the 8 hold downs for FH, but only 2 seem attached to the F9. There was discussion about the base plate having interchangeable configs to allow 4 hold downs on the F9. I wonder if the render is slightly wrong here.
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I notice that the render shows the 8 hold downs for FH, but only 2 seem attached to the F9. There was discussion about the base plate having interchangeable configs to allow 4 hold downs on the F9. I wonder if the render is slightly wrong here.

I was wondering the same thing. Also, if the T/E is intended to go "full" horizontal at T=0 wont it need that center assembly shown in the red outline in the image below? That assembly, given its position in the exhaust deflection stream, is going to get a hell of a taste of the launch temps and pressures. If it is at that location at T0, what is securing it? What are the wheels made of (they look pneumatic/puffy)? 

Is it likely they won't have that assembly there during launch? If so, then the strong back will not go full horizontal after T0?

Offline Joaosg

I notice that the render shows the 8 hold downs for FH, but only 2 seem attached to the F9. There was discussion about the base plate having interchangeable configs to allow 4 hold downs on the F9. I wonder if the render is slightly wrong here.

I was wondering the same thing. Also, if the T/E is intended to go "full" horizontal at T=0 wont it need that center assembly shown in the red outline in the image below? That assembly, given its position in the exhaust deflection stream, is going to get a hell of a taste of the launch temps and pressures. If it is at that location at T0, what is securing it? What are the wheels made of (they look pneumatic/puffy)? 

Is it likely they won't have that assembly there during launch? If so, then the strong back will not go full horizontal after T0?

I've read somewhere that SpaceX closed that part of the flame trench and during the launch exhaust flames/vapor would go only in one direction (away from the pad).

I think I read it in Chris article.
« Last Edit: 11/11/2015 05:38 pm by Joaosg »

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