{"id":39262,"date":"2015-08-25T17:50:12","date_gmt":"2015-08-25T09:50:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp-productionenv-bjg9h2g2bgg5b8aa.southeastasia-01.azurewebsites.net\/news\/ula-utilizing-ovi-to-reduce-vehicle-integration-timeline\/"},"modified":"2015-08-25T17:50:12","modified_gmt":"2015-08-25T09:50:12","slug":"ula-utilizing-ovi-to-reduce-vehicle-integration-timeline","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/news\/ula-utilizing-ovi-to-reduce-vehicle-integration-timeline\/","title":{"rendered":"ULA utilizing OVI to reduce vehicle integration timeline"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>United Launch Alliance (ULA) has completed its first processing flow utilizing Off-site Vertical Integration (OVI) ahead of the upcoming Atlas V\/MUOS-4 mission. The process involves several structural elements \u2013 and the Centaur upper stage \u2013 being integrated at the indoor Delta Operations Center (DOC) \u2013 as opposed to at the pad \u2013 potentially shaving a week off flow timelines.<\/p>\n<p>ULA Processing Flow Improvement:<\/p>\n<p>United Launch Alliance are in the final days of the launch flow towards the lofting of the&nbsp;Mobile User Objective System-4 (MUOS-4) spacecraft from Cape Canaveral.<\/p>\n<p><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-41469\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/2015-08-25-174422-350x244.jpg\" alt=\"2015-08-25-174422\" width=\"350\" height=\"244\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/2015-08-25-174422-350x244.jpg 350w, https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/2015-08-25-174422-502x350.jpg 502w, https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/2015-08-25-174422.jpg 569w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 350px) 100vw, 350px\">The MUOS constellation will consist of five satellites in total \u2013 the last of which is scheduled for launch in July 2016.<\/p>\n<p>All five MUOS launches are making use of the United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket, flying in her 551 configuration.<\/p>\n<p>*Click here for MUOS News Articles*<\/p>\n<p>The largest and most powerful Atlas V to be developed, the 551 consists of a two stage core vehicle augmented at liftoff by five solid rocket motors, with a five meter payload fairing encapsulating the second stage and payload.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/2015-03-12-22_44_39-LIVE_-Atlas-V-421-MMS-March-12_13-2015-02_44-UTC_10_44-pm-Eastern-350x236.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"350\" height=\"236\">Integrating the various elements that make up the Atlas V involves a highly organized production and processing flow, ultimately resulting in the rocket standing tall at her Space Launch Complex -41 (SLC-41) pad at the Cape (or SLC-3E at Vandenberg).<\/p>\n<p>Most of the on site integration takes place inside the&nbsp;Vertical Integration Facility (VIF) at the pad complex, prior to the completed rocket and payload being rolled out of the VIF for the short trip to the launch pad.<\/p>\n<p>Space tourism guides<path d=\"M7.59009 18.59L9.00009 20L17.0001 12L9.00009 4L7.59009 5.41L14.1701 12\" style=\"animation: initial !important; background: initial !important; border: 0px !important; box-shadow: none !important; color: inherit !important; cursor: inherit !important; direction: inherit !important; display: inline !important; fill: currentcolor !important; filter: initial !important; float: none !important; margin: 0px !important; opacity: initial !important; outline: 0px !important; overflow: initial !important; padding: 0px !important; stroke: initial !important; transform: initial !important; vertical-align: initial !important; visibility: inherit !important;\"><\/path>Spaceflight history books<path d=\"M7.59009 18.59L9.00009 20L17.0001 12L9.00009 4L7.59009 5.41L14.1701 12\" style=\"animation: initial !important; background: initial !important; border: 0px !important; box-shadow: none !important; color: inherit !important; cursor: inherit !important; direction: inherit !important; display: inline !important; fill: currentcolor !important; filter: initial !important; float: none !important; margin: 0px !important; opacity: initial !important; outline: 0px !important; overflow: initial !important; padding: 0px !important; stroke: initial !important; transform: initial !important; vertical-align: initial !important; visibility: inherit !important;\"><\/path>Technology News<path d=\"M7.59009 18.59L9.00009 20L17.0001 12L9.00009 4L7.59009 5.41L14.1701 12\" style=\"animation: initial !important; background: initial !important; border: 0px !important; box-shadow: none !important; color: inherit !important; cursor: inherit !important; direction: inherit !important; display: inline !important; fill: currentcolor !important; filter: initial !important; float: none !important; margin: 0px !important; opacity: initial !important; outline: 0px !important; overflow: initial !important; padding: 0px !important; stroke: initial !important; transform: initial !important; vertical-align: initial !important; visibility: inherit !important;\"><\/path>\n<p>     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});<\/p>\n<p>The addition of the OVI process reduces the amount of work that needs to take place inside of the VIF ahead of rollout&nbsp;\u2013 namely the integration of several structural elements and the Centaur upper stage for the Atlas V.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-41471\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/2015-08-25-174950-350x230.jpg\" alt=\"2015-08-25-174950\" width=\"350\" height=\"230\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/2015-08-25-174950-350x230.jpg 350w, https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/2015-08-25-174950-533x350.jpg 533w, https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/2015-08-25-174950.jpg 629w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 350px) 100vw, 350px\">OVI also significantly reduces the number of lifting operations performed in the VIF, removing them from the critical path and allowing for reduced time between launches.<\/p>\n<p>This process was demonstrated for the first time with the Atlas V flow ahead of the MUOS-4 launch.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe are very pleased to have successfully completed the first Off-site Vertical Integration for the upcoming Mobile User Objective System (MUOS) launch. With OVI, the team developed an innovative process that provides safer and more efficient launch processing of the Atlas vehicle,\u201d noted Jim Sponnick, ULA vice president, Atlas and Delta Programs.<\/p>\n<h4 class=\"widget-title penci-border-arrow\">See Also<\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li>LIVE Atlas V\/MUOS-4 UPDATES<\/li>\n<li>ULA Forum Section<\/li>\n<li>65 Launch Vehicle Manuals (L2)<\/li>\n<li>Click here to Join L2<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Relocating these operations to the Delta Operations Center (DOC), an indoor facility, also mitigates the risk of weather-related processing delays, while also providing a safer working environment for employees.<\/p>\n<p>ULA note that in the last six years there were 25 days of weather delays to launch vehicle stacking operations at the VIF. The move to utilize OVI could save a week in the processing flow.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe associated one-week reduction in the launch-to-launch processing spans enables us to better meet the launch needs of our customers,\u201d added Mr. Sponnick.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-41475\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/2015-08-25-181059-350x245.jpg\" alt=\"2015-08-25-181059\" width=\"350\" height=\"245\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/2015-08-25-181059-350x245.jpg 350w, https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/2015-08-25-181059-500x350.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/2015-08-25-181059.jpg 557w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 350px) 100vw, 350px\">In preparation for bringing OVI online with an Atlas V flow, ULA developed a specialized flatbed transporter \u2013 towed by a truck \u2013 that could safely move the five-story stack of hardware approximately six miles from the DOC to the VIF.<\/p>\n<p>The transporter includes a tank pressure control system for the Centaur upper stage.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe Off-site Vertical Integration process, including ground support equipment designs and operational procedures, were developed in collaboration with our Air Force customer to support launch manifest needs and enable continuous improvement to these critical launch operations,\u201d added Mr. Sponnick.<\/p>\n<p>The ULA Atlas V launch with MUOS-4 is currently scheduled to take place on August 31, with a launch window ranging from&nbsp;6:07 to 6:51 am EDT.<\/p>\n<p>(Images via ULA)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>United Launch Alliance (ULA) has completed its first processing flow utilizing Off-site Vertical Integration (OVI) ahead of the upcoming Atlas V\/MUOS-4 mission. The process involves several structural elements \u2013 and the Centaur upper stage \u2013 being integrated at the indoor Delta Operations Center (DOC) \u2013 as opposed to at the pad \u2013 potentially shaving a [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":30177,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[7758,3537,363],"class_list":["post-39262","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-atlas-v","tag-muos","tag-ula"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39262"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=39262"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39262\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/30177"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=39262"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=39262"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=39262"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}