Air Force Eastern Range innovates, expedites access to spaceBy 1st Lt. Amanda Herman, 45th Space Wing Public Affairs / Published February 24, 2017PATRICK AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --The U.S. Air Force has been breaking barriers since 1947, and this year is no exception with the implementation of the Autonomous Flight Safety System. The Eastern Range has supported more than 3,500 launches to date. With more stakeholders demanding access to space, both the Eastern and the Western Ranges were faced with developing innovative solutions to launch rockets without compromising public safety while accounting for aging infrastructure and recognizing that the wing has fewer resources and personnel accomplishing comparable and greater launch rates than before. AFSS provides the capability to not only reduce reliance on aging range infrastructure, but enhances the ability to support more launches by expediting range turnaround times with more stringent safety standards and fewer people on console while reducing overall launch costs. A self-contained, independent system mounted to the launch vehicle, AFSS determines if the launch vehicle poses an unacceptable hazard to people or property by using pre-established, programmed mission rules developed by Range Safety Flight Analysts. These configurable software-based rules are reliant on redundant flight processors using data from Global Positioning System and inertial measurement unit navigation sensors. If necessary, AFSS has the ability to destroy the rocket to ensure public safety. This system is crucial to increase overall range throughput to keep pace with the growing demands for providing assured access to space. “Air Force Space Command partners with industry to advance our space capabilities. AFSS allows us to increase the pace of launch, reduce costly infrastructure and more rapidly build a resilient space enterprise. These benefits will be felt globally,” said General Jay Raymond, Air Force Space Command commander. “It assures access to space while maintaining public safety.” AFSS provides greater positive control in flight further downrange with a faster response time. It also increases over-the-horizon capability, which means there’s no longer limitations by ground equipment line-of-sight. AFSS also supports multiple objects in simultaneous flight, which is crucial as companies build rockets with the intention to land multiple boosters simultaneously. This changes the expectation for legacy and new entrant companies of the space launch industry to implement AFSS at the earliest possible date. “Our role to ensure public safety during launches using this system is unchanged,” said 45th Space Wing Chief Engineer Howard Schindzielorz. “Our Flight Termination System requirements still apply for design, test, operational performance and reliability. We still develop the mission rules to provide public safety, but the system works with mission rule data files loaded into the on-board AFSS units. This essentially shifts the workload to the front-end of the launch process.” AFSS also increases launch availability due to fewer instrumentation requirements. “Implementing AFSS on future launch operations allows us to increase our flexibility, adaptability and efficiency while providing more launch opportunities and greater public safety without having to add additional people," said Brig. Gen. Wayne R. Monteith, 45th Space Wing commander. "These changes will not only simplify ground support requirements thereby increasing launch on-time probability, but substantially reduce launch costs.” By changing the legacy range operations paradigm, the use of AFSS reduces range space lift costs through reductions in range equipment maintenance and upgrades. It negates the need for operation, maintenance, and sustainment of extensive real-time software and redundant hardware ground systems as well as multiple training programs. AFSS also eliminates the costs of requirements needed for non-AFSS launches to include Uninterruptible Power Supplies, ground-system software, Independent Validation & Verification and testing equipment. “Complete cost savings for the ranges and users can be realized when all range users implement AFSS,” said Maj. Allan Fonseca, Chief of Range, Policy and Procedure at Air Force Space Command. The first operational use of AFSS was the successful SpaceX Falcon 9 CRS-10 launch from Space Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center Feb. 19, 2017. Adding to the complexity of that mission was the return of a first-stage booster landing at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station minutes following the launch. “AFSS implementation was another historic and innovative first for the 45th Space Wing and the Eastern Range,” said Monteith. “It proved our team’s ability to meet evolving range demands and clearly demonstrates our commitment to meeting our mission partner’s needs.” With more stakeholders demanding access to space, both the Eastern and Western Ranges will begin to launch at unprecedented rates, with the 45th Space Wing driving toward delivering a schedule that launches 48 missions a year by 2020.
The Autonomous Flight Safety System first flew from the Eastern Range on SpaceX's Falcon 9 CRS-10 Feb. 19, 2017. The use of AFSS reduces range space lift costs through reductions in range equipment maintenance and upgrades. (Courtesy photo by SpaceX)
Well, it appears Falcon Heavy was (and is) not quite ready yet, for internal reasons. But what if it had been -- last year. The implication of the statement is that Morell and the range could not have handled range control for three or four different objects at once. Maybe the lack of AFSS has been a block for some time. And probably not just for SpaceX, either. As the wing seems to acknowledge, there is only so much you can do with creaky radar and other antiquated equipment.At least, AFSS is here now.
Given that afss was in shadow mode for a while is it reasonable to assume that the next launch(echo) will have the hardware ready for it to be used as primary?
Quote from: rsdavis9 on 02/27/2017 12:18 pmGiven that afss was in shadow mode for a while is it reasonable to assume that the next launch(echo) will have the hardware ready for it to be used as primary?This has been discussed in the Echostar mission thread. It's not expected to have AFSS active because it was scheduled to fly before CRS-10 and not set up the same way.
I underestimated the strategic advantage that Spacex has secured over its competitors by being the first to support AFSS. It seems that Spacex can steal launch slots from other providers when there are range problems. I can understand why ULA does not like to be on the bleeding edge of technology, but it seems like they have made another strategic blunder by allowing Spacex to be this far ahead with this technology.
ULA is also incorporating AFSS.
United Launch Alliance, the Range’s other most frequent user, will continue to fly traditional termination systems on Atlas and Delta rockets, while designing an automated system into its new Vulcan rocket, which could fly by 2019.
Quote from: jcliving on 03/12/2017 11:35 pmI underestimated the strategic advantage that Spacex has secured over its competitors by being the first to support AFSS. It seems that Spacex can steal launch slots from other providers when there are range problems. I can understand why ULA does not like to be on the bleeding edge of technology, but it seems like they have made another strategic blunder by allowing Spacex to be this far ahead with this technology.Wrong. Most problems, if any happen during the countdown. The case of the fire in the radar facility is an isolated incident.ULA is also incorporating AFSS.
If I understand the generals statement correctly, then the 3 week delay for Spacex would be avoided. I do remember reading similar articles in the past. I wonder does anyone know the cumulative downtime for the range over the last ten years.
Monteith said it is a “business case decision” for each launch company whether to invest in an automated system. SpaceX’s recent flight helps explain how it might pay off.The company did not need to buy the services of four Eastern Range systems normally used to track a rocket’s flight and enable its destruction, including radars and telemetry.As a result, nearly 150 fewer Range personnel than usual staffed the launch and flyback of the Falcon booster — a 60 percent drop. SpaceX will cut its Range-related expenses in half, Monteith said. (Those costs are considered proprietary.)Reduced reliance on aging Range infrastructure also opens up more launch opportunities.A problem with Range tracking equipment won’t scrub a SpaceX countdown; it’s no longer needed.
Good news for Florida’s Space Coast. Just spoke w/ Air Force Gen. Monteith - he confirmed the Cape is ready to handle two launches in a day.
