Excerpt: RLV Operations Technology Plan

Automated Launch Site - Process Technologies

Tasks Objective and Description

• Implement Operations Process Improvement Technologies by:
• Optimized and automated launch site operations process and control to achieve lowest possible life cycle cost
• Implementing Reliability, Maintainability and Supportability (RM&S) process fro RLV program, including Flight/Ground Systems.
• Optimize Automatic RLV turnaround process and maintenance planning
• Integrate operations engineering process with vehicle design through seamless electronic design, production, operations engineering and process documentation system/work control.
• Automated planning and schedule system
• Launch operability index tools and operations model
• Ground health management/monitoring system (automated)
• Advanced software development/validation
• Environmental management

Benefits

• The combined impact of these approaches/technologies will:
• Enable concurrent engineering/product development
• Streamline RLV operations
• Enable in-process improvement evaluations
• Tailor/implement industry proven tools and processes for space launch applications
• Reduce unplanned flight/ground system maintenance by focusing visibility on non-dependable hardware.
• Optimize support to launch processing functions
• Help bring about design for support approach needed to acheive major infrastructure reduction (facilities, equipment and people)

Development and Demonstration Approach

1. Develop Automated Launch Site Total Operations Process Architecture and Technology requirements, and Prototype/Test Bed approach.

2. Implement RM&S Process including database development and tailor existing RM&S tools for RLV

• Develop "Lessons Learned" Database from Shuttle Program
• RLV turnaround and maintenance planning process
• Seamless Electronic Design...Documentation, Work Control, Configuration Management
• Automated Planning and Scheduling
• Launch Operations Index Tool and Ops Model
• Ground Health management System
• Advanced Software Development
• Environmental Management Technologies

3. Test and Demonstrate Process Technologies

Cost and Schedule

In Work.

Return to KSC Next Gen Site

Edgar Zapata, NASA Kennedy Space Center

Shuttle Process Engineering Directorate, Fluid Systems Division