News Space Launch System News

[DaveS]

First Work Platform for NASA's Space Launch System Installed in Vehicle Assembly Building: https://www.nasa.gov/feature/first-...system-installed-in-vehicle-assembly-building

 

[IronRain]

NASA defends decision to restart RS-25 production, rejects alternatives

 

[DaveS]

Crawler Transporter-2 (C/T-2) left the the Vehicle Assembly Building's High Bay 2 on Tuesday on a test run of it's latest modifications which include new bearing rollers for Corners A, B and D (Corner C got its new bearing rollers last year) and new more powerful hydraulic Jacking, Equalization and Leveling (JEL) system cylinders.

It was a bit slow going getting everything calibrated but it reached the first stop of 39B earlier today.

Initial rollout photos can be found here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/nasakennedy

 

[Urwumpe]

Some "new" presentation about the capabilities of the SLS:

http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/20160004375.pdf (6.3 MB PDF)

 

[DaveS]

Tail Service Mast Umbilicals Prepared to Support NASA’s Journey to Mars

Several connections, called launch umbilicals, will connect from the mobile launcher tower and provide power, communications, coolant and fuel to NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft for their first integrated mission. Among them are two umbilicals, called tail service mast umbilicals (TSMUs). They are being cleaned and assembled at Precision Fabrication Cleaning in Cocoa, Florida, before they are transported to the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida for testing.

Technicians are cleaning the two segments of each umbilical to remove any dirt or debris that may hinder their functionality, checking them for any defects, and then assembling the parts to form two complete umbilicals. They will be transported to Kennedy’s Launch Equipment Test Facility where they will undergo testing to ensure their readiness to support prelaunch operations leading up to launch.

https://blogs.nasa.gov/kennedy/2016...ls-prepared-to-support-nasas-journey-to-mars/

More photos can be found at KSC's Flickr account: https://www.flickr.com/photos/nasakennedy

 

[N_Molson]

Some "new" presentation about the capabilities of the SLS:

Hey, 14 tons of probe-stuff in Europa's orbit wouldn't be that bad... But I guess it's more 14 tons to a close flyby, what do you think ?

 

[Urwumpe]

Hey, 14 tons of probe-stuff in Europa's orbit wouldn't be that bad... But I guess it's more 14 tons to a close flyby, what do you think ?

Not sure, but according to the performance plots it is 12 tons to a Jupiter flyby (C3 = 80)

 

[N_Molson]

Correct, I was looking under the planet, not at the dotted line, its between 11t and 12t. Well I guess there's a smart way to use Jupiter itself and the other moons to dive into that huge gravity well, provided there's no hurry.

 

[Urwumpe]

All ready for the final test firing of the SRB?

http://www.nasa.gov/press-release/n...t-booster-test-for-space-launch-system-rocket

http://www.heise.de/newsticker/meld...des-Boosters-fuer-die-Marsrakete-3250115.html

 

[GLS]

There's a delay in the test... people are still working nearby.

---------- Post added at 03:11 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:00 PM ----------

Ground computers seem to have been the cause... maybe they were updating to windows 10? :lol:
Anyway, it's a 60-minute delay so the new ignition time is 15:05 UTC.

---------- Post added at 04:02 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:11 PM ----------

3 minutes to go!

---------- Post added at 04:05 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:02 PM ----------

Ignition!

---------- Post added at 04:08 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:05 PM ----------

Burnout, CO2 quench activated.

 

[Andy44]

 

[N_Molson]

Wow, I suddenly felt the Earth spinning a bit faster ! :lol:

 

[orb]

Ignition in slow motion:

 

[GLS]

Wow, I suddenly felt the Earth spinning a bit faster ! :lol:

It couldn't have been because of that, as it was firing the other way.

---------- Post added at 04:43 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:32 PM ----------

Ignition in slow motion:
QM-2 Static Ground Test of SLS Five-Segment Solid Rocket Motor - YouTube

Just right of the center of the image is the mirror they use to see the ignition from head on (instead of putting a camera "in the line of fire", a mirror is used and the camera shoots the mirror from a safe place).

 

[C3PO]

Just right of the center of the image is the mirror they use to see the ignition from head on (instead of putting a camera "in the line of fire", a mirror is used and the camera shoots the mirror from a safe place).

Is it still only 7 years bad luck if you incinerate the mirror? :lol:

 

[MaverickSawyer]

That... is a good question . :hmm:

 

[Thunder Chicken]

Just right of the center of the image is the mirror they use to see the ignition from head on (instead of putting a camera "in the line of fire", a mirror is used and the camera shoots the mirror from a safe place).

Where's that video? Looking right down the throat of an SRB as it lights off, that would be something. :huh:

 

[GLS]

Where's that video? Looking right down the throat of an SRB as it lights off, that would be something. :huh:

Look here at 2 seconds.

I'd say this is either from a test without a throat plug, or with a transparent one or some subscale firing, but it should be something similar.

 

[dman]

Surprised dont have some sort of sound suppression system to absorb the
vibrations from the motor

Found on first shuttle mission the noise and vibration caused damage to the heat
shield tiles from the over pressure

Had to increase the amount of water in the sound suppression trench.......

 

[GLS]

Surprised dont have some sort of sound suppression system to absorb the
vibrations from the motor

Found on first shuttle mission the noise and vibration caused damage to the heat
shield tiles from the over pressure

Had to increase the amount of water in the sound suppression trench.......

No fragile Orbiter nearby, so no need to have that.