As building begins to assemble the Cell Launcher-2 (ML-2) for Artemis IV, Cell Launcher-1 (ML-1) secured its place as soon as once more again on prime of Launch Complicated 39B for pad validation and testing. This comes after ML-1 spent the higher a part of this yr present process repairs and upgrades outdoors of the VAB on the West Park Website following Artemis I.
Nathan Barker chatted with David Sumner, Senior Challenge Supervisor for NASA’s Exploration Floor Methods (EGS) for ML-1 on Artemis II, in an interview with NASASpaceflight.
Ignition Overpressure Safety and Sound Suppression (IOP/SS)
One of many extra not so noticeable adjustments to the Cell Launcher (ML) deck included upgrading the rainbirds, and the Ignition Overpressure Safety and Sound Suppression (IOP/SS) programs. “We now have 5 rainbird heads across the ML, and we’ve got modified all 5 of these for a few causes,” mentioned Sumner.
“One is for water circulate enchancment and protection on the deck, and the opposite one to attempt to enhance our imagery in addition to in comparison with Artemis I.” He continues, “One of many heads we modified to what we name the ‘pringle.’ It was a brand-new head, totally redesigned, rebuilt, and that was extra for the water and the water circulate dispersion.
“The opposite 4 rainbird heads we put principally deflectors onto the Artemis I heads. These are directed primarily to throw the water down and off of the cameras which can be on the [zero] deck.”
📷 Extra photographs of yesterday’s modified rainbird re-installation. The rainbird system helped scale back harm to the cell launcher and ensured a profitable liftoff for @NASAArtemis I.
Subsequent Steps: Groups will proceed making upgrades to cell launcher 1 on the park website at… pic.twitter.com/PE6dLFGcN3
— NASA’s Exploration Floor Methods (@NASAGroundSys) June 30, 2023
Whereas we have been accustomed to the purple water baggage that lined the Stable Rocket Booster (SRB) flame holes in the course of the Shuttle program, there aren’t any plans to implement such adjustments.
“We took a glance again at shuttle with the water baggage and all of that form of factor afterward within the STS flights, however we’re not planning to try this this time. So, we’re actually trying on the safety of the [zero] deck, to guard the cell launcher and enhance our imagery,” mentioned Sumner.
The blast plates on the ML deck can even get replaced and the helps round them will likely be strengthened. “They’re principally on the perimeter of the flame gap, and that’s the place we see essentially the most blast pressures. And so they’re principally partly there to guard the [zero] deck construction and take nearly all of that blast.”
“We did take some harm, they did warp some, so we needed to go [with] new [plates],” Sumner continued. “There’s additionally what we name water dams, and it’s principally plates that when the ignition overpressure flows, that it redirects a few of the circulate, once more for imagery and to maintain the water from going immediately into the car. We’re reinstalling new plates, the water dams under, and we’re additionally including higher water dams. And once more, that’s for imagery enchancment.”
“Finest case we will use these by way of Artemis II and Artemis III,” Sumner defined. “Worst case, they’re sacrificial and the blast plates should get replaced once more after Artemis II, so we’ll should see how that goes. However I do know they’re making an attempt to make some enhancements primarily based on what we noticed throughout Artemis I.”
“These adjustments might embody change in thickness, energy, and another structural reinforcements that they’re including.”
The harm to the blast plates didn’t come as a shock, and in accordance with Sumner, “I might say there was some danger identified there that these [blast plates] could also be sacrificial or that the warping might occur.”
“So we did know, we have been ready to refabricate these if wanted, and it was wanted. So we’ve went proper into that and people are being changed proper now and we’re changing these out on the pad. Schedule sensible we’re in good condition with the substitute of these,” he added. “The groups are making ready for the primary IOP circulate take a look at out on the pad right here within the subsequent few weeks. ”
Repairs on the ML
It was beforehand famous in an earlier interview that modifications to enhance the liquid hydrogen programs on the ML in response to points confronted in the course of the numerous Moist Costume Rehearsals and launch counts might be required. “We now have not achieved any main modification on liquid hydrogen,” mentioned Sumner.
“We’ve repaired something that was broken throughout launch and introduced them again to what we had earlier than. I do know there have been some classes discovered out of the Artemis I moist gown. I might say on the operation facet of the home, they’re working to right these classes discovered.”
Nevertheless, extra work is going on to harden the Gaseous Nitrogen, GN2, system on the ML to keep away from the challenges skilled throughout Artemis I. “We undoubtedly appeared into that one as a result of that affected our fireplace suppression exercise, if we wanted activation or wash down,” famous Sumner.
ML-2 rising out of the bottom – through Julia Bergeron for NSF
All broken GN2 strains have been changed on the ML throughout its time on the West Park Website with some being hardened with extra shielding. Sumner added, “We noticed some vibrations [at the base area] that have been a bit of sudden. Every little thing was onerous piped, and so we’re methods if we are able to put some flex connections in there to offer it a bit of bit extra flexibility to maneuver round.”
“So, there’s a couple of totally different mitigations that we’re doing there with the GN2 system, but it surely’s coming alongside very properly. We now have a pair totally different contracts engaged on it proper now and we may have the GN2 again up on-line right here shortly, and we’ve got [it] partially on-line now, however we’re going to totally get by way of the system hopefully right here by the top of August, and that’ll put us again into fireplace suppression testing and another GN2 testing that we’ve got to do with that.”
One other noticeable space of harm was that of the elevators on the ML which required substantial refurbishment. “That design continues to be in work proper now with our engineering groups, and it’s principally a holistic design on hardening the elevator programs and the blast doorways that get closed for launch,” mentioned Sumner.
Contained in the shaft, “the rails inside [that] the elevators journey on … we must be getting a design right here within the subsequent few weeks hopefully to begin implementing and hardening that system in order that we don’t see the identical harm and losses that we noticed throughout Artemis I.”
Emergency Crew Escape System
As a way to help crew missions, ML-1 has been modified with the Emergency Crew Escape System. Within the occasion of an on pad emergency, Wiseman, Glover, Koch, and Hansen can be required to evacuate the ML and pad through slide wire baskets instantly.
Sumner defined that “simply earlier than going to the pad, we made fairly a little bit of progress as all of the platforms have been put in. We had the 4 pipeline hoists for the hampers and the cable themselves. These are put in on degree 325.”
“As soon as we get to the pad, we do have gear being shipped right here. The basket fabrication is coming alongside very properly. We’ve gone by way of most likely about a bit of greater than half or 75 p.c of our manufacturing unit acceptance testing. That’ll prep us to be able to ship these baskets out right here to KSC within the subsequent few weeks, after which we’ll begin getting the entire system arrange.”
“So we’re making actually good progress on some massive gear that’s lastly beginning to present up” Sumner added. “On the similar time, we’re making ready all of our take a look at plans, and we’ll start integrating the entire system and pulling it collectively. There’s a lot to go and a brief time period although as properly. Proper now we’re making an attempt to get all the pieces examined within the subsequent 90 days or so.”
🏗 Cell Launcher 1 Upgrades for Artemis
This weekend, groups on the west park website at @NASAKennedy labored to elevate a platform that will likely be used for cell launcher 1’s emergency egress system.
This platform will likely be the place the emergency egress system baskets interface with the… pic.twitter.com/9H9RUBcnM0
— NASA’s Exploration Floor Methods (@NASAGroundSys) July 18, 2023
As soon as the ultimate set up is full, built-in testing of the hampers will happen. “Totally different eventualities are required – pretty in depth so far as the various weight circumstances, wind circumstances, wind route, and wind pace. We now have to check all of these in addition to failure modes within the baskets themselves and on the braking system. We’re not planning on placing any individuals on the hampers in the course of the testing, so we’ll use some form of ballast,” mentioned Sumner.
He added, “We’ll run all 4 baskets by way of each take a look at that we are able to to have the ability to purchase off on all the necessities that we’ve got and totally be prepared to show that system over for operation once we’re achieved.”
Sumner famous that “we’re making an attempt to offer our Launch Director and her workplace as a lot availability as potential all year long to have the ability to launch and never be depending on constraints with emergency escape system.”
The addition of the crew escape system provides 250,000 kilos in new gear and platforms to the ML. Sumner famous this “doesn’t have an effect on something with the roll out and the constraints on the CT or the crawler approach or something like that. We’re nonetheless inside these bounds.”
Crew Entry Arm
Not since STS-116 when House Shuttle Discovery launched in December of 2006 has a flight crew walked throughout a crew entry arm at 39B. “We now have to certify the Crew Entry Arm for Artemis II”, mentioned Sumner. “The CAA requires over 100 swings that we’ve got to do for certification, so we’re going to be able right here within the subsequent couple weeks to begin these swings, and we’re prepared because the {hardware} is principally full.”
“We’ve acquired a bit of little bit of software program work to do earlier than then to get everyone prepared to begin doing these swing exams. These are going to begin on a every day cycle hopefully right here within the subsequent two or three weeks.” Groups plan to place the entry arm by way of its collection of swing exams and full certification earlier than the ML is required again within the VAB for stacking.
🏗️ Cell Launcher 1 Upgrades for Artemis
This time-lapse from in the present day exhibits the cell launcher’s crew entry arm in movement as groups from Exploration Floor Methods conduct a practical take a look at at @NASAKennedy‘s west park website.
This take a look at of the 92k-pound arm and hinges, as well as… pic.twitter.com/5pK9xdAdWk
— NASA’s Exploration Floor Methods (@NASAGroundSys) July 6, 2023
Whereas nearly all of testing is scheduled to be accomplished in November, crews at 39B will likely be stored busy finishing extra work that may take them into the December-January timeframe. As soon as this remaining work is full, CT-2 will roll again underneath ML-1, selecting it up for the journey again to the VAB for Artemis II stacking. Artemis II is at present focused for late November 2024.
(Lead Picture displaying ML-1 and the beginning of ML-2 at KSC through NSF Flyover – Max Evans).
