Orbital Antares User Manual
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Antares
®
OSP-3
User’s Guide
Section 7.0
– Ground and Launch Operations
Release 1.1
July 2013
52
7.2. Antares Processing and Launch Facilities at WFF
As a baseline, Antares will be launched from the NASA WFF in Virginia. As an option, Antares can be
launched from KLC in Alaska.
At WFF, the vehicle is assembled and processed in
the HIF, Building X-79. The HIF is shown in Figure
7.2-1.
The HIF includes an extensive vehicle integration
and test area with two bridge cranes. The HIF also
has two laboratory areas, one configured as a bat-
tery processing and the other configured to support
small component testing.
The HIF provides compressed gasses, security,
power, water, phone, data, and fiber-
optic networks. In addition, the HIF’s heating, ventilation and air
conditioning system maintains temperature between 15.5°C to 25.5 °C (60 °F to 80 °F). The facility also
incorporates fiber optic lines for data communications between the HIF and the LCC and the launch pad.
7.2.1. Ground Support Equipment (GSE)
Orbital has developed and tested a wide variety of Mechanical Ground Support Equipment (MGSE) for
the transport, integration and lifting operations associated with processing Antares components at WFF.
This MGSE, which exists and is currently in use, includes transportation trailers, dollies, handling and
mate fixtures, adapters, handling rings, breakover assemblies, lifting adapters and beams, integration
stands, and maintenance platforms. All Antares MGSE are designed to meet the factors of safety and will
be periodically proof tested to the levels specified in AFSPCMAN 91-710.
Orbital also supplies the Electrical Ground Support Equipment (EGSE) required to perform field testing,
verification, and launch of the Antares vehicle. The Antares EGSE exists today and has been fully veri-
fied to support the requirements of the Antares processing and launch. All Antares EGSE is capable of
compliance with the Department of Defense Instruction 8510.01, DoD Information Assurance Certification
and Accreditation (DIACAP) given its similarity to the accredited Minotaur EGSE. The GSE that is par-
ticularly noteworthy to an Antares payload integration are discussed in the following paragraphs.
7.2.1.1. Transporter-Erector-Launcher (TEL)
The TEL, shown in Figure 7.2.1.1-1, is a multi-
use device that provides structural support to the
LV during integration and transport and the ca-
pability to rotate the integrated LV from the hori-
zontal to vertical position at the launch site. The
TEL includes a support structure for the inte-
grated launch vehicle and routing support for
umbilicals. The TEL system includes two re-
motely guided transporters and a hydraulic erec-
tor system, which is integral to the launch pad.
Once the Antares is in its fully integrated confi-
guration, the LV is transported from the HIF to
Figure 7.2-1. Antares HIF at WFF
Figure 7.2.1.1-1. Transporter-Erector-Launcher
(TEL)