Author Topic: Why do ranges go down completely for weeks? (Read 2622 times)

LouScheffer · « **on:** 07/01/2017 02:45 pm »

Quote from: cscott on 07/01/2017 01:15 pm

It's a three week maintenance lull at the range.

Why do ranges go down for weeks at a time? The Coast Guard and Air Traffic Control do many of the same functions, and these continue to operate during maintenance. Ensuring the safety of the public should not rely on specific pieces of equipment so much, now that there are autonomous flight termination systems (or perhaps using these would enable companies to launch while radars, etc. are being maintained).

So why don't they stagger the maintenance? In July, you only get 2 tracking radars. In September, our boat-clearing from keepout areas will be slower, since our helicopter is in the shop. In October, our facility for testing command receivers will be down, and so on. Maybe the customers might decide not to launch during certain maintenance, but presumably not all customers need all range assets to be working.

Jim · « **Reply #1 on:** 07/01/2017 03:50 pm »

No, the coast guard and air traffic control do not do the same functions. There is more than just radars.

And yes, ensuring public safety does rely on unique and one of a kind equipment.

It is the range that determines what equipment is needed

billh · « **Reply #2 on:** 07/01/2017 05:55 pm »

I wouldn't be surprised if it has something to do with budget. I suspect with more budget they could have more redundancy and less down time.

butters · « **Reply #3 on:** 07/01/2017 06:14 pm »

Rail systems offer case studies in why periodically shutting down service for intensive maintenance cycles can be a more effective strategy than slipping in a little maintenance here and there while attempting to minimize service disruptions.

Cape Canaveral also has highly seasonal weather patterns with implications for launch operations. It might be best for all stakeholders to take the range down and get all the maintenance done during the seasonal peak in convective storm activity when launch operations are most likely to be disrupted anyway.

cppetrie · « **Reply #4 on:** 07/01/2017 06:19 pm »

Quote from: billh on 07/01/2017 05:55 pm

I wouldn't be surprised if it has something to do with budget. I suspect with more budget they could have more redundancy and less down time.

I don't think it's budget related. The historical range usage has never required continuous availability so there has never been a reason for them to build that capacity. Only now is there a potential for a provider to be using the range nearly continuously. Even then, it doesn't really justify the duplication of capability required to operate continuously. This downtime has likely been on the calendar for many months and SpaceX was aware of it long before now. Any impact it would have on their cadence has long since been known and planned for. It was probably originally planned to correspond with their bringing up LC40 and a short lull in launches as they prep and test the new pad for it's first launch. Delays in launches and pad refurb have made the timing get off.

Also, what butters posted while I was typing this reply makes a ton of sense and is likely the reason this downtime is scheduled during the part of the year that it is.

Norm38 · « **Reply #5 on:** 07/01/2017 06:30 pm »

It's still not clear why these large shutdowns are needed. Jim said the equipment is largely electronic. I've worked on large public safety radio systems. It might take weeks to build a brand new tower and equipment hut. But it doesn't take weeks to swap out modules. And those only swap when failed.
What else are they swapping? Steerable radar arrays and their motors?