Draggendrop Veteran Posted October 10, 2015 Veteran Share Posted October 10, 2015 (edited) Yeah, and that's what worries me. We'll end up like the old Warsaw Pact Nations, with nothing but decaying ruins that were once monuments of progress and technological advancement. It broke my very spirit when I saw those images of the old Buran Facilities, because those birds should have had their chance to do amazing things. Can you imagine the photo-op of Buran and Columbia docked at the (now-complete) ISS at the same time in 2002, because the Russian Shuttles were able to assist with the construction? THIS is what I mean when I say that this pattern of death, destruction and waste needs to end. I probably haven't said it here on Neowin but I've said it elsewhere -- we are our own worst enemy. That image of Colombia and Buran being at the ISS would have been the iconic space photo, period. All nations are guilty of the silliness...and will continue until we rid ourselves of war mongering politicians/corporations. It will take a concerted effort, but hopefully, mankind will wake up and make up for lost time...newspace ventures could help kick this into gear in the far future..... edit...have to find a way to photoshop this "image"...way too cool...... Unobscured Vision 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Draggendrop Veteran Posted October 14, 2015 Veteran Share Posted October 14, 2015 Orbital ATK Delivers Cygnus Service Module to KSC for December Launch to Space Station From Orbital ATK: ” … We shipped the service module for our Cygnus spacecraft to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center for our next ISS cargo resupply mission, scheduled to launch in early December. Today’s OA-4 milestone marks a key step forward as we continue cargo delivery service to the ISS under the Commercial Resupply Services contract.” Photo Credit: Orbital ATK Nearly one year following a spectacular launch failure at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility that lit up Virginia’s evening skies (and the evening news), Orbital ATK is gearing up for the planned Dec. 3 launch of an enhanced unmanned Cygnus cargo spacecraft, which will be mated to an Atlas V launch vehicle at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station’s (CCAFS) Launch Complex 41. Orbital ATK announced Tuesday, Oct. 12, that it delivered the cargo ship’s service module to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Florida, soon to be integrated with the ship’s pressurized cargo module (PCM). The company stated that the service module contains Cygnus’ avionics, electrical, propulsion, and communications systems, while the PCM contains the spacecraft’s cargo volume. The OA-4 mission will mark the first of two planned launches utilizing United Launch Alliance’s Atlas V launch vehicle mated with a Cygnus spacecraft, and the first mission of the enhanced cargo ship, which will be able to carry 7,700 pounds of supplies, experiments, and equipment to the International Space Station (ISS). Cygnus’ Pressurized Cargo Module (PCM) arrives at KSC ahead if the OA-4 mission. Photo Credit: Orbital ATK Orbital ATK added in their announcement that the final assembly, cargo loading, and fueling of Cygnus will also take place at KSC. Besides being the first “enhanced” variant of Cygnus, the spacecraft will also boast UltraFlex solar arrays, described as “the latest in lightweight space-qualified power system technology”; these arrays were developed by the company’s Space Components Division. “Over the last few months, 90 [to] 100 MARS employees and contractors worked round the clock to restore Launch Pad 0A to a flight-ready condition. Work began with remediation around the impact site, where the 20-foot-wide, 10-foot-deep crater was filled and contaminants were removed from the topsoil. Damaged structures were repaired and replaced, including liquid propellant feed lines which supply liquid oxygen and kerosene to the rocket and portions of the sound suppression water deluge system, which flood the pad with water to protect it from the energy released at liftoff. New lightning protection towers were installed, two of which were demolished in the explosion. An upgraded hydraulic system was installed, which will be capable of erecting the new Antares in its heavier 230 configuration. Electrical systems, heating and cooling systems, and the pad’s fire alarm were also repaired.” The article underscored that the most critical structures of the pad were fortunately (and incredibly) spared in the rocket’s fall back, and ensuing fire. more at the link......http://www.americaspace.com/?p=87383#more-87383 Unobscured Vision 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unobscured Vision Posted October 14, 2015 Share Posted October 14, 2015 Really aren't all that large, those Cygnus cans. Just heavy is all. Draggendrop 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted October 14, 2015 Author Share Posted October 14, 2015 Not so heavy: lithium aluminum. Volume depends on the version as Cygnus is built up by stacking 2, 3 or 4 (for now ; 5+ maybe?) standard rings, then adding the CBM (hatch) bulkhead and service module bulkhead. One version is large enough to serve as a mission habitat for Dragon 2, Starliner or Orion. All cargo Cygnus from now on will be the Enhanced or larger. And NASA is explpring their use as logistics stations Unobscured Vision 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unobscured Vision Posted October 14, 2015 Share Posted October 14, 2015 Almost looks like they can be manufactured as long as is needed for the mission. Add a Cupola to the top of that Hub and some more substantial Solar Panels, and the needed internals, and they'd serve quite nicely as Space Station Modules. Only thing they'd really need is an Environmental Cooling/Heating System to deal with the temperature variations of Space. Ahh, what could have been. Bigelow's Modules leave all of this in the realm of conjecture. Draggendrop 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted October 14, 2015 Author Share Posted October 14, 2015 Not really. Another part of the NextSTEP program involves developing habitats for different purposes, and both OrbitalATK (Cygnus) and Bigelow are getting large contracts over the next 3 years to get them flying. Unobscured Vision 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Draggendrop Veteran Posted October 14, 2015 Veteran Share Posted October 14, 2015 If one needed a remote outpost, these units and the Bigelow units, would make great lodgings, with the ability to house all commercial crew vessels. This is where standards pay off...multiple applications and docking abilities.....all brought up by common lifters. Edit...with a resting frame...pop these on the moon with the Bigelow's as well..... Unobscured Vision 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unobscured Vision Posted October 15, 2015 Share Posted October 15, 2015 Not really. Another part of the NextSTEP program involves developing habitats for different purposes, and both OrbitalATK (Cygnus) and Bigelow are getting large contracts over the next 3 years to get them flying. Oh good. I'm pleased that they're actually moving forward with NextSTEP -- especially with Bigelow's Modules. Orbital has one approach, Bigelow has another. Everyone wins. Draggendrop 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted October 31, 2015 Author Share Posted October 31, 2015 (edited) The IRT has issued their Antares failure report. Rather damning. Link to the summary PDF is on the NASA page. Outtake below. http://www.nasa.gov/feature/nasa-team-provides-summary-of-its-review-of-orbital-atk-accident The IRT concluded that the cause of the explosion on launch was loss of rotor radial positioning resulting in contact and frictional rubbing between rotating and stationary components within the Engine LO2 turbopump Hydraulic Balance Assembly (HBA) seal package. This frictional rubbing led to ignition and fire involving LO2 within the turbopump HBA. This conclusion is consistent with the proximate cause determination made by the Orbital ATK AIB investigation findings. Figure 3 highlights the general location of the HBA within the turbopump, but further detail about the turbopump and HBA design is not provided due to proprietary restrictions. Technical Root Causes The IRT was not able to isolate a single technical root cause for the E15 fire and explosion. The IRT identified three credible technical root causes (TRCs), any one or a combination of which could have resulted in the E15 failure: TRC-1: Inadequate design robustness of the AJ26 LO2 HBA and turbine-end bearing for Antares. After performing extensive technical design evaluation and a number of sensitivity analyses of the LO2 turbopump, it became apparent to the IRT that the HBA and thrust bearing designs have several intricacies and sensitivities that make it difficult to reliably manage bearing loads. As a result, this area of the turbopump is vulnerable to oxygen fire and failures. The AJ26 engines were not subjected to a thorough delta-qualification program to demonstrate their operational capability and margin for use on Antares. Performing a thorough delta-qualification program for Antares would likely have revealed these issues. Furthermore, the Acceptance Test Program (ATP) established for the AJ26 engines was not sufficient to test and screen the engines for these design sensitivities and potential workmanship issues that could exacerbate those sensitivities. TRC-2: Foreign Object Debris (FOD) introduction to the E15 LO2 turbopump. Forensic investigation identified the presence of both titanium and silica FOD within E15 prior to its impact on the beach. However, no firm conclusions can be drawn with respect to the quantity of FOD introduced to or already present within the engine prior to or at the time of the explosion. The lack of significant particle impact damage to the recovered impeller and other components indicates that there were not gross-levels of FOD present within the system. In addition, there is no clear forensic evidence that FOD directly or indirectly led to the E15 failure. TRC-3: Manufacturing or other workmanship defect in the E15 LO2 turbopump. Forensic investigation performed by Orbital ATK and NASA discovered the presence of a defect on the turbine housing bearing bore that was not consistent with baseline design requirements 3 . The investigation determined that the defect was introduced during machining of the bearing bore housing and was therefore present prior to the engine ATP and Antares launch for Orb-3. Forensic investigation of Engine E17, which failed during ATP in May 2014, discovered the presence of a similar non-conforming defect in the housing bearing bore. A limited number of other engine turbine housings (i.e., Engine E16 and the 1998 test engine) previously and successfully subjected to extended ground tests and ATP, as well as an untested spare turbine housing, were inspected. Neither E16 nor the spare housing showed any evidence of a similar manufacturing defect. However, the 1998 test engine that had been subjected to extensive ground testing exhibited a similar defect to that observed in Engines E15 and E17, but it was not possible to conclude whether the defect was introduced during manufacturing or was the result of wear from extended operation of the engine. Sufficient information is not available without further engine inspections and tests to conclude that the presence of this manufacturing defect would always result in failure of the engine during operation. Technical Findings and Recommendations The IRT developed six Technical Findings (TFs) associated with the technical root causes discussed above. Seven Technical Recommendations (TRs) were identified by the IRT that, if fully implemented, would likely resolve the technical root causes and prevent recurrence of a similar failure in the future. In addition, since Orbital ATK was in the process of procuring and testing new engines to replace the AJ26 for future Antares flights while the investigation was ongoing, the IRT provided several additional technical recommendations for Orbital ATK and the ISS Program that were used to support those testing activities and to reduce overall risk for Antares return to flight and follow-on mission efforts. Given the technical nature of those recommendations, they are not provided here due to potential proprietary and export control restrictions. 3Further information about the turbine bearing bore housing design and the location and configuration of the defect is not provided due to proprietary restrictions. >> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unobscured Vision Posted October 31, 2015 Share Posted October 31, 2015 Wow. WOW. That goes right back to the old "hammer it in backwards" thing that Russian hardware is sometimes known for. That report is scathing. A proper vetting process wasn't even performed on those engines prior to use ... wow. AND it's a problem they saw before -- which means that it becomes an issue of neglect. Completely preventable failure. Ouch! DocM 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted October 31, 2015 Author Share Posted October 31, 2015 So much for Aerojet being the 'Go To Guys', 'eh? As you said, scathing. Unobscured Vision 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Draggendrop Veteran Posted November 4, 2015 Veteran Share Posted November 4, 2015 Dramatic New Photos of Antares Launch Failure NASA has added a bunch of not-exactly-recent photos to its Flickr stream, including these dramatic photos of last October Antares launch failure. The Orbital ATK rocket exploded moments after lifting off on what would have been the Cygnus space tug’s third paid cargo run to the International Space Station. Cygnus is slated to launch Dec. 3 atop an Atlas 5 rocket Orbital ATK bought from United Launch Alliance. Antares, meanwhile, is slated to return to flight next spring using a different engine, the Russian-built RD-181. The photo dump follows NASA’s Oct. 29 release of the results of its independent failure investigation. The NASA Independent Review Team identified three possible technical root causes of the accident, a conclusion consistent with, but not identical to, Orbital’s own investigation. http://spacenews.com/dramatic-new-photos-of-antares-launch-failure/ Eye opening.....13 photo's at the link...not enough quota to load here.....http://spacenews.com/dramatic-new-photos-of-antares-launch-failure/ Unobscured Vision 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted November 4, 2015 Author Share Posted November 4, 2015 Further documenting Orbital and Aerojets monumental fail in using 40 year old engines, not stored under climate control, and some covered with bird poop. Unobscured Vision 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Draggendrop Veteran Posted November 4, 2015 Veteran Share Posted November 4, 2015 This must have been very distressing for some of their "good employees", knowing if they said something, job gone......sad state of affairs, but karma lives..... Unobscured Vision 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted November 4, 2015 Author Share Posted November 4, 2015 Especially after two of those engines had committed seppuku; one in Russia and one at NASA Stennis, before this happened. Unobscured Vision 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Draggendrop Veteran Posted November 4, 2015 Veteran Share Posted November 4, 2015 Especially after two of those engines had committed seppuku; one in Russia and one at NASA Stennis, before this happened. That, in itself, should have been cause for alarm, with a systematic grounding and check of all units...similar to aviation standards. Unobscured Vision 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted November 4, 2015 Author Share Posted November 4, 2015 Not only that but many of the engines had cracks, which Aerojet attempted to salvage by welding them & Orbital signed off on. IMO, this was a beginning to end cluster-(fill in the blank) Unobscured Vision 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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