Orbital Antares User Manual
Page 31
Antares
®
OSP-3
User’s Guide
Section 3.0
– Performance
Release 1.1
July 2013
20
3.6.2. Collision/Contamination Avoidance Maneuver (CCAM)
Following orbit insertion and payload separation, the Antares Upper Stage will perform a CCAM. The
CCAM minimizes both payload contamination and the potential for recontact between Antares hardware
and the separated payload. Orbital will perform a recontact analysis for post-separation events.
A typical CCAM begins soon after payload separation. The launch vehicle performs a 90° yaw maneuver
designed to direct any remaining Stage 2 motor impulse in a direction which will increase the separation
distance between the two bodies. After a delay to allow the distance between the spacecraft and Stage 2
to increase to a safe level, the launch vehicle begins a ―crab-walk‖ maneuver to impart a small amount of
delta velocity, increasing the separation between the payload and the final Antares stage.
Following the completion of the CCAM maneuver as described above and any remaining maneuvers,
such as downlinking of delayed telemetry data, the ACS valves are opened and the remaining ACS nitro-
gen propellant is expelled.