Orbital Antares - Manual (Page 54)

Antares
®
OSP-3
User’s Guide
Section 6.0
– Mission Integration
Release 1.1 July 2013 43
6.1.2.3. Antares Mission Engineering
The Mission Engineer provides technical support to the Mission Manager and is the technical focal point
to the customer and payload teams to ensure that the Antares vehicle satisfies all payload requirements.
Reporting to the Antares Systems Engineering Manager, the Mission Engineer is responsible for the de-
velopment of the mission interface requirements and related documentation and for the verification of
these requirements. The Mission Engineer is also responsible for any launch vehicle/payload integrated
procedures used during assembly, integration, or launch operations.
The Antares engineering support organization provides engineering and integration activities for all An-
tares missions. Primary support tasks include mission analyses; software development; mission-unique
hardware design and testing; vehicle integration, procedure development and implementation; and flight
operations support.
6.1.2.4. Antares Launch Site Manager
Antares vehicle processing and integration operations occur at WFF. Orbital’s Antares Launch Site Man-
ager provides day-to-day scheduling and direction for integration efforts at WFF. The Launch Site Man-
ager provides consistency of integration standards and overall onsite management authority. Scheduling
of payload integration with the launch vehicle and all related activities are coordinated with the Launch
Site Manager and the Mission Manager.
The Antares Launch Site Manager directs and approves all work that is scheduled to be performed by
Orbital at the launch site. This includes preparation and execution of work procedures, launch vehicle
processing, and control of hazardous operations. Range Safety, the Launch Site Safety Manager, and
the Antares Safety Manager also approve all hazardous procedures prior to execution. In addition, An-
tares Safety and Quality Assurance engineers are always present to monitor critical and hazardous oper-
ations.
6.2. Mission Planning and Development
Orbital will assist the customer with mission planning and development associated with Antares launch
vehicle systems. These services all aspects of the mission including interface design, launch vehicle
analyses, facilities planning, range services, and integrated schedules and special operations.
The procurement, analysis, integration and test activities required to place a payload into orbit are con-
ducted over a standard sequence of events called the Mission Cycle. This cycle normally begins 24
months before launch, and extends to eight weeks after launch. Orbital has the flexibility to negotiate ei-
ther accelerated cycles, which may take advantage of the Antares multi-customer production sets, or ex-
tended cycles required by unusual payload requirements, such as extensive analysis, complex payload-
launch vehicle integrated designs, tests or funding limitations.