Ground and Range Operations for a Heavy-Lift Vehicle: Preliminary Thoughts

[rdale]

This paper discusses the ground and range operations for a Shuttle   
derived Heavy-Lift Vehicle being launched from the Kennedy Space Center on the Eastern range. Comparisons will be made between the Shuttle and a heavy lift configuration (SLS-ETF MPCV April 2011) by contrasting their subsystems. The analysis will also describe a simulation configuration with the potential to be utilized for heavy lift vehicle processing/range simulation modeling and the development of decision-making systems utilized by the range. In addition, a simple simulation model is used to provide the required critical thinking foundations for this preliminary analysis.

http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/20110020273_2011017801.pdf