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After the pain of the Shuttle\u2019s retirement, the green shoots of recovery are being found in the modernization and construction work ongoing at the spaceport.<\/p>\n
KSC will soon be ready to provide a home base for a number of commercial launch companies and may eventually host crewed missions to Mars in the 2030s.<\/p>\n
New tenants range from Orion, X-37 and CST-100\u2019s processing requirements, through to the commercial use of the Shuttle Landing Facility (SLF).<\/p>\n
![\"2015-05-09-153054\"](\"https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/2015-05-09-153054-350x247.jpg\")
However, it\u2019s KSC\u2019s two iconic launch pads that are providing an exciting glimpse into the future.<\/p>\nPad 39A is now deep into its preparations to host SpaceX\u2019s Falcon Heavy processing and launch campaigns.<\/p>\n
Pad 39B has already undergone a major revamp into a \u201cclean pad\u201d, in readiness to host the Space Launch System (SLS) from 2018 onwards.<\/p>\n
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However, part of the 39B complex is now being worked on under a project to attract small class launchers, utilizing KSC\u2019s facilities before being launched from a mobile pad system.<\/p>\n
![\"2015-05-09-152351\"](\"https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/2015-05-09-152351-350x247.jpg\")
Known as the Deployable Launch System (DLS), the \u201claunch pad in a box\u201d concept is being developed to support small class (thrust<200k lbs) launch systems at 39B.<\/p>\nThe equipment consists of basic components needed for a small class vehicle launch capability, including a launch mount, flame deflector, and propellant servicing system.<\/p>\n
The small class vehicle infrastructure at KSC has the ability to support multiple processing concepts via vertical processing\/integration in the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) before being taken from a ride on a wheeled flatbed transporter to the pad complex.<\/p>\n
The DLS is depicted as being processed in the Transfer Aisle of the VAB.<\/p>\n
![\"2015-05-09-152250\"](\"https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/2015-05-09-152250.jpg\")
The DLS will use a Universal Propellant Servicing System (UPSS) with LOX and LCH4 pressure fed propellant transfer systems, up to three stage vehicle servicing and the option of expandable storage volume via commercially available ISO shipping containers.<\/p>\nThe UPSS is also adaptable to other propellants, such as LH2 and Kerosene.<\/p>\n
The facility will be available to both NASA and commercial operators, providing them an opportunity to utilize KSC\u2019s famed facilities.<\/p>\n
Visible work is taking place at 39B, via a contract involving design firm Jones Edmunds and Associates Inc and construction contractor Frazier Engineering Inc.<\/p>\n
![\"2015-05-09-151617\"](\"https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/2015-05-09-151617.jpg\")
The work began at the end of 2014 and is expected to be complete by June of this year.<\/p>\n\u201cThe scope of this project is to construct a small class vehicle launch and test site to support NASA and potential external customers. This construction work is located at the former Hypergol Oxidizer Facility (J7-0490) at Launch Pad 39B,\u201d noted L2 KSC Construction Information.<\/p>\n
\u201cWork includes demolition, site work and new construction.\u201d<\/p>\n
KSC Status Information (L2) notes the work is now 73 percent complete for the DLS at 39B.<\/p>\n
\u201cTrenched and new conduit installed at Communication Box locations, ready for rerouting. Continue installation of new headwalls and culvert piping. Grading continues at remaining stabilized drive area of the site. Demolition of recently found utility and abandoned water pipe complete,\u201d added ISC KSC information.<\/p>\n
It is not currently known how many customers have booked a launch campaign from the DLS.<\/p>\n
![\"2014-10-09](\"https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/2014-10-09-23_37_57-www.nasa_.gov_sites_default_files_files_KSC-central-campus.pdf-350x249.jpg\")
Meanwhile, work is also taking place on the administration facilities \u2013 that will also be used to attract new customers \u2013 at the spaceport, with KSC\u2019s offices also in the midst of being upgraded for the future.<\/p>\nKnown as the Central Campus makeover, the project will take place in several phases.<\/p>\n
The primary project in \u201cPhase 1\u201d is the ultra-modern Headquarters Building, a seven-story, 200,000-square-foot structure. The building is being designed to house about 500 people.<\/p>\n
The site has now been cleared and is ready for Phase 1 construction to rise out of the ground, marked by the driving of pilings into the site (L2 Photos).<\/p>\n
(Images: via L2 Sections, including renderings created by L2 Artist Nathan Koga \u2013 Click here for full resolution renderings and more \u2013 other images via NASA)<\/p>\n
(Click here: http:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/l2\/ \u2013 to view how you can support NSF\u2019s running costs and access the best space flight content on the entire internet).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The Kennedy Space Center (KSC) is constructing a Deployable Launch System (DLS), marked by work at the famous Pad 39B complex. Designed to support small class launch systems, the \u201cLaunch Pad in a Box\u201d concept will utilize the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) and the former Hypergol Oxidizer Facility at the launch pad that will principally host […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":29992,"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":[7871,624],"class_list":["post-39339","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-39b","tag-sls"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39339"}],"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=39339"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39339\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/29992"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=39339"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=39339"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=39339"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}