Wait a minute... is this a NASA facility or an Orbital facility? I thought Orbital was footing the bill for this (using NASA funds from COTS of course), an integration building just for the Taurus II at wallops.But this makes it sound like NASA built it, and is renting out space to Orbital. But what other pad/rocket could it service?EDIT: I guess that explains the Wallops HIF photo released a while back -&nincorrectp; (http://www.orbital.com/TaurusII/images/1210/HIF.jpg - no Orbital logo in sight.
There's more than on co. using horizontal integration. Are those pads capable of handling F9, or more interesting a side-by-side like F9H?
Quote from: Lars_J on 01/14/2011 08:46 pmWait a minute... is this a NASA facility or an Orbital facility? I thought Orbital was footing the bill for this (using NASA funds from COTS of course), an integration building just for the Taurus II at wallops.But this makes it sound like NASA built it, and is renting out space to Orbital. But what other pad/rocket could it service?EDIT: I guess that explains the Wallops HIF photo released a while back -&nincorrectp; (http://www.orbital.com/TaurusII/images/1210/HIF.jpg - no Orbital logo in sight.From the location, it looks like Pad 0A, 0B and 1.
Quote from: Downix on 01/15/2011 01:06 amQuote from: Lars_J on 01/14/2011 08:46 pmWait a minute... is this a NASA facility or an Orbital facility? I thought Orbital was footing the bill for this (using NASA funds from COTS of course), an integration building just for the Taurus II at wallops.But this makes it sound like NASA built it, and is renting out space to Orbital. But what other pad/rocket could it service?EDIT: I guess that explains the Wallops HIF photo released a while back -&nincorrectp; (http://www.orbital.com/TaurusII/images/1210/HIF.jpg - no Orbital logo in sight.From the location, it looks like Pad 0A, 0B and 1.I think you missed my main objection, although it was not stated explicitly: Why in the world is NASA building a HIF to service a single contractor, when KSC is in need of funding for renovations. (and just to keep the place open after the last Shuttle flight)Was this part of the sweetened deal NASA made to get Orbital to take over a COTS bid? Not only will we pay you a lot more per flight, we'll also build a HIF for you?Or are there other potential users of a HIF at Wallops? None seem near on the horizon... Especially with KSC and CCAFS in even better locations.
I think you missed my main objection, although it was not stated explicitly: Why in the world is NASA building a HIF to service a single contractor, when KSC is in need of funding for renovations. (and just to keep the place open after the last Shuttle flight)
But, above all, VA had assured bond money from the General Assembly ($26 in MARS's bank account, so far). Florida Space had "a financial plan" based on commercial Bank loans at a time commercial Banks weren't loaning a penny to Bill Gates himself...
Or are there other potential users of a HIF at Wallops? None seem near on the horizon... Especially with KSC and CCAFS in even better locations.
I have heard that a launch facility at ~40 degrees latitude might provide an approximate 24 hour period when an orbiting vehicle launched from there would return overhead. I haven't looked at it to see if that's true or not but if so then it makes for some interesting commercial opportunities. Wallops is at 37 degrees 51 minutes.
There was a blog post I think by Jorge a while back that indicated several interesting features of that orbit. I think the killer part was that it provided daily launch windows for KSC, Wallops, Edwards, White Sands, and Vandenberg.
Quote from: kevin-rf on 01/21/2011 05:21 pmThere was a blog post I think by Jorge a while back that indicated several interesting features of that orbit. I think the killer part was that it provided daily launch windows for KSC, Wallops, Edwards, White Sands, and Vandenberg. Vandenberg?? Do you mean for a retrograde version of that orbit? Because otherwise I don't see how that would work. Or is this for some future RLV that would be allowed to fly over land?
DCist.com carried a news article about the HIF dedication ceremony. It can be read at http://dcist.com/2011/03/look_up_mid-atlantic_regional_space.php#photo-1.Included with the article was a gallery of 75 photographs that can be viewed at http://www.flickr.com/photos/heathermg/sets/72157626235123963/.