5yleop1m t1_ivto816 wrote
Reply to comment by zerbey in Kennedy Space Center launch pad tower records 100 mph gust during Hurricane Nicole by yourlocalFSDO
I don't think they had a choice. They just got the thing back onto the pad, and it takes multiple days to prepare and move back. Further more moving it puts a lot of stress on the rocket too and they only have so many moves budgeted.
alcoe19 t1_ivu1o3e wrote
Its also more dangerous to roll the rocket back during high winds. Their safest bet at that point was to just leave it there.
a1danial t1_ivubeme wrote
I remember that additional roll outs would require further certification of certain components. I'd imagine the walker is rated for a number of roll outs.
If anything I have nothing but respect for the SLS team. We, the public, can never fully appreciate the consideration behind decision making, especially the case to roll back the SLS due to hurricane.
sonoma95436 t1_ivwekoz wrote
I feel sorry for them. They didn't assemble this mess and I mean Bechtel's Mobile launch platform that's causing a lot of these issues. They need to shut down this program.
chem-chef t1_ivwfi0u wrote
Why push it out then? The weather forecast should be accurate enough for hurrican.
5yleop1m t1_ivwjs38 wrote
NASA had just moved it back either friday or saturday, and back then the chances of Nicole becoming a hurricane were very low. NASA has other time limits too, the batteries, abort explosives, and the solid rocket boosters all have limited life spans.
NASA moved it back to the pad as early as possible so they could meet the next launch time. After that one the next launch window isn't till December I believe. If the launch slips to 2023 NASA will have to bring back the rocket to redo all the things that have fully expired.
chem-chef t1_ivwo5mn wrote
Thank you for the explanation!
destraight t1_ivuym06 wrote
why does it take multiple days? how far did they move the damn thing?
5yleop1m t1_ivv2dbd wrote
The whole launch stack and rocket are hooked up to various plumbing and electrical systems on the pad. Disconnecting those properly and safely takes many hours.
An example of some data from LC39 https://www.nasa.gov/pdf/168440main_LC39-06.pdf
Then the whole tower launch platform has to be readied for moving.
The launch tower doesn't move that fast either, about 1mph max but with something like SLS they will stay lower for the sake of safety. It takes about 24 hours to move it from the VAB to the Launch pad. That distance from LC39B to the VAB is about 4 miles.
Another thing to consider is that rockets are basically massive water towers in that their supporting structure is on the outside and then inside is basically empty space. They are built to withstand vertical forces from launch first, and everything else second because the chances of them facing those other forces are muuuch lower. When its already costing billions to build it as is, it'd be insane to build it to withstand things that are lower on the chances.
I was trying to find a document on the whole process, which should be available to the public but finding it is another story.
I found the stuff below, which is mostly for marketing purposes so its really dumbed down which is unfortunate because it simplifies a lot of things.
https://www.nasa.gov/pdf/168440main_LC39-06.pdf
The two handbooks below have a ton of juicy technical details. https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/nasa_systems_engineering_handbook_0.pdf
https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/19660024575/downloads/19660024575.pdf
destraight t1_ivw1sao wrote
1 mile an hour? well thats the problem right there. no wonder why it takes soo long to bring it back into the garage
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