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Beyond the Sky an Integrated Solution for the World’S First Satellite Launch Unit at Sea Jane-Helen Pedersen, Jacqueline Rolffs

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Beyond the Sky an Integrated Solution for the World’S First Satellite Launch Unit at Sea Jane-Helen Pedersen, Jacqueline Rolffs Ingenuity at large Beyond the sky An integrated solution for the world’s first satellite launch unit at sea Jane-Helen Pedersen, Jacqueline Rolffs In recent years, launching satellites has become a viable commercial business and a number of companies compete for a share in this highly specialized market. One company that stands out from the crowd is Sea Launch, an inter- national consortium that operates from a floating platform in the Pacific Ocean. ABB provides Sea Launch with mission-critical services. With its reliability and know-how, ABB is helping to ensure the continued success of the Sea Launch enterprise. 6 ABB Review 3/2006 Beyond the sky Ingenuity at large he Sea Launch Company is a mar- Unique location with advantages power generation and distribution Tket leader in the competitive field Located on the Equator at 154º West in systems to both the self-propelled of commercial satellite launch servic- international waters of the Pacific Odyssey Launch Platform and the Sea es. This international consortium pro- Ocean, the launch site benefits from the Launch Commander 1 . All of these vides cost-effective, heavy-lift launch uniquely calm weather of the doldrums. systems are classified as mission-criti- services and is the only company in The light wind conditions in this region cal and directly affect the rocket seg- the world that launches commercial result from the convergence of the ment. They include, for example, the satellites from a floating launch plat- Northern and Southern Hemisphere trim/heel control system (to keep the form. The company has established trade winds and allow Sea Launch to platform level) and the Russian oxy- its reliability through extensive heavy- provide a reliable launch schedule. gen-monitoring system, which is im- lift launch experience and has a solid portant during fueling of the rocket group of satisfied customers. ABB The systems delivered by (around 900 I/O signals are integrated was instrumental in Sea Launch’s early into the ABB system). success and continues to provide ABB are classified as mission-critical services to the compa- mission-critical and directly During the development stages of Sea ny. Launch, ABB engineers were needed affect the rocket segment. to deal with teething problems in Unique capabilities software applications and some With its unique capability to launch The Sea Launch Company also bene- equipment. These, however, were satellites at zero-degree inclination on fits from the diversity of skills and quickly dealt with and ABB’s main the Equator, Sea Launch is able to experience brought by its various responsibilities are now to train offer maximum lift capacity and the partners. It has been able to optimize operators, provide assistance during most direct route into orbit. This its resources by integrating diverse launch operations and to adapt the allows for an increase in payload systems and technologies Factbox . ABB systems to the modifications that mass and maximizes the lifetime of are made after each launch. An satellites in orbit. In seven years of ABB’s mission-critical systems engineer from ABB Marine in the commercial operations Sea Launch has All launch operations are remotely Netherlands has participated in each established a firm customer base of controlled by the English- and Rus- Sea Launch mission to date 3 . leading global telecommunications sian-speaking units on the Sea Launch companies who rely on Sea Launch Commander. These operations in- Ingenuity at large and its world-class services to develop clude the erection of the rocket on ABB Marine in Rotterdam was their own businesses. the launch pad, automatic mating of responsible for the installation and fueling and electrical umbilicals, commissioning of the automation sys- Unique international partnership countdown, liftoff and flight. tem on board the Sea Launch Com- After completing their initial research mander, and for implementing, modi- in 1995, the Seattle-based Boeing ABB’s role is to deliver integrated au- fying and commissioning the human Commercial Space Company initiated tomation, safety and complete electric machine interface (HMI) for the KBTM Sea Launch by joining forces with Aker ASA (formerly Kvaerner) in 1 The Sea Launch Commander; a floating mission control center and Norway, Rocket and Space rocket assembly factory Corporation (RSC)-Energia in Russia and SDO Yuzhnoye/PO Yuzhmash in Ukraine. Their aim was to construct, build and manage a satellite launch unit, complete with payload and rockets. An offshore launch site on the equator was chosen for direct insertion into equatorial orbit – as well as to reduce environmental risks and to minimize costs. Within five years, the platform and the Assembly and Command Ship 1 had been built and the first demonstration payload-launch was successfully car- ried out on March 27 th, 1999. Since this first mission, the company has carried out a further 19 successful launches. This is a testament to the company’s robust performance in a relatively flat market. ABB Review 3/2006 7 Beyond the sky Ingenuity at large Moscow (Russian) oxygen-measuring satellite itself are delivered to Sea Factbox The partners and their roles application that is implemented in Launch’s Home Port facility in Long ABB’s UNIX-based operating system. Beach, California. The satellite is Boeing, in the USA, is responsible for man- The Rotterdam group also participated encapsulated and mated with the aging the Home Port facilities in Long in the commissioning of the Odyssey rocket on board the Sea Launch Beach, California, and for the development Launch Platform. Commander. and operation of the payload unit. Boeing also manages launch operations, including the operation of the launch control center, ABB Marine in Norway designed and Two days prior to departure, the mission design and systems integration. delivered the electrical equipment and rocket is transferred to the rocket han- the automation systems for both the gar of the Odyssey Launch Platform. Aker ASA, based in Oslo, Norway, is re- Odyssey Launch Platform and the Sea The rocket is mounted onto the mo- sponsible for the marine segment of the Launch Commander. bile transporter, which is used to erect program. This included refurbishment of the it on the launch pad. launch platform (a modified, off-shore oil-rig) The ABB engineers involved in the at Kvaerner Rosenberg in Stavanger, Nor- early design of the electrical and The Odyssey Launch Platform departs way, and construction of the Sea Launch automation equipment had to three days before the Sea Launch Commander at Kvaerner Govan in Glasgow, accommodate the complexities of this Commander and the two vessels meet Scotland. multi-national project. Launching sat- near to the launch site to carry out ellites from the sea was a totally new final preparations. The Yuzhnoye Design Bureau and the application and certain technologies Yuzhmashzavod Production Association in had to be adapted. For example, to At the launch site, the floating Ukraine manufactures the two first stages prevent potential damage caused by platform is ballasted to the desired of the Sea Launch rocket, the Zenit-3SL. excessive vibration experienced dur- draught of 21 m and specially trained This is a modified version of a reliable, ing launch, all critical components of personnel begin preparations. Most quick- response system that was brought the electrical and automation systems staff (240) are on board the Sea into operation in the early 1980ies. are fitted with vibration dampers. Launch Commander, while the remainder (68) work on the launch S.P. Korolev RSC Energia in Russia is re- The complexity of the project was platform. Transportation between the sponsible for managing rocket operations. compounded by the requirements of two vessels takes place via a It also produces the upper stage of the individual pieces of equipment, which temporary bridge. Both vessels are rocket, the flight-proven Block DM-SL, were sourced from the USA, Russia, equipped with dynamic positioning which deploys satellites into geosynchro- Ukraine and Norway, and by the control. nous transfer orbit. international companies involved at every stage of the proceedings. The The day before launch, the operators success of Sea Launch is a testament move from the launch platform to the to the flexibility of all involved. command ship and control is trans- ferred to a duplicate ABB console in Lift-off preparations the ship 2 . This console communi- During the first stages of launch prep- cates via the extended ABB network aration, the rocket segments and the and a so-called line-of-sight (telecom- 2 ABB equipment used on board the commander vessel 8 ABB Review 3/2006 Beyond the sky Ingenuity at large munication) connection with the plat- 3 The ABB engineer, who accompanies all launch missions, form. is viewed as a member of the crew ABB Marine designed and delivered the electrical equipment and the auto- mation systems for both the Odyssey Launch Plat- form and the Sea Launch Commander. After the rocket has been rolled-out and erected on the launch pad, the remaining staff are airlifted to the command vessel, by helicopter. At this point, full command is transferred to the remote unit on board the ship. The rocket is then fueled with a liquid oxygen and kerosene mixture and the transport/erector equipment withdraws to the hangar. Minutes after the hangar doors are closed, the rocket lifts off. In 2005, Sea Launch celebrated the tenth anniversary of its inception, rec- ognizing a decade of innovation in the launch services business. Progress continues with the support of a team dedicated to exceeding its customers’ requirements and expectations. Sea Launch is committed to successful, on-schedule launches, building on its proven track record and strong repu- tation. It continues to win contracts from both new and returning custom- ers in an endeavor that epitomizes the Factbox ABB delivery of power and automation systems ingenuity with which ABB is so often associated.
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