This NASA Technical document comes courtesy of Doug Forrest.
1. 1 OVERALL FUNCTIONAL DESCRIPTION The Mobile Launcher is a structure designed to permit: (1) Vertical assembly of the space vehicle on its launch platform in a protected, industrial environment; (2) Transfer of the assembled and check-out vehicle mounted on its launch platform to the pad; (3) Automatic check-out; (4) Remote control of the actual launch operation from a distant Launch Control Center.
View of Mobile Launcher - Level "O" Area
Basically, the Mobile Launcher is a 380 foot Umbilical Tower mounted on a launch platform 135 feet wide by 160 feet 4 inches long by 25 feet high.
The launch platform supports the Umbilical Tower on one end and the Saturn V Vehicle on the other end. A 45 ft. square engine chamber cut through the Launcher provides an escape area for the vehicle exhaust. Two interior floor levels, designated Level ''A" and Level "B", house equipment essential to launch operations.
The Umbilical Tower has eighteen floor levels; one 52 feet x 40 feet, one 45 feet x 40 feet and sixteen 40 feet x 40 feet. Tower levels are designated by elevation above the Launcher deck, the first as Level 30, the second as Level 60 and the remaining 16 as Level 80 through Level 380 at 20 foot intervals. Two 2, 500 pound high-speed elevators located in the center of the Tower provide access to each level through Level 340. Adjacent to the elevator is a stair running from the Launcher deck to Level 360. Access to Level 380 is provided by a ladder from Level 360 through a hatch in the Level 380 floor.
Located on the top of the Tower is a full revolving 10/25-ton hammerhead crane. The Tower supports the Ground Support Equipment including the umbilical arms and the propellant, pneumatic, instrumentation, communication and environmental control systems.
1.1.1 LAUNCHER STRUCTURE The primary structural system for the Launcher is a grid of plate girders fully butt welded at each intersection arranged as shown in Figure 1-3. Standard beam sections span between girders to frame floors and the top deck. A cross section through a Launcher girder is shown in Figure 1-5.
1.1.1.1 Girders Nineteen plate girders approximately 25 feet deep frame the Launcher. Girder web thicknesses range from 3/4 inch to 1-1/4 inch. Flange sizes range from 24 inches wide and 1-1/2 inch thick to 34 inches wide and 6 inches thick. Girder webs are stiffened by pairs of ST10WF31 vertical web stiffeners spaced from 8 to 10 feet apart. Special bearing stiffeners are provided at Mobile Launcher Support Interfaces and truss connection points. Reinforced openings are provided for door, pipe, conduit and cable tray penetrations. Figure 1-6 shows a partial elevation of girder G-14 and the adjacent floor framing inside the Launcher.
1.1.1.2 Vehicle Hold-Down Girders Plate girders G-6, G-7, G-16 and G-17 form the base for the four Saturn V Hold-Down Arms. The geometry of the flange on these girders is modified to provide an area large enough to support the Hold-Down Arms. Flanges taper from a width of 32 inches to 80 inches at the engine chamber.
1.1.1.3 Trusses Two trusses, approximately 90 feet long and 25 feet deep, frame a large area of the Launcher under the Umbilical Tower as shown in Figure 1-3. Trusses are used in this area, instead of girders, to provide access and weight savings. Trusses are fabricated from wide flange beams and plate.
1.1.1.4 Deck and Floor Framing Standard structural shapes are used as primary support for Mobile Launcher floors and the Level "O" deck. Beam sizes range from 6B12 to 21WF62. Beams span between plate girders and trusses. Beam connec tions are either high strength bolted or welded. Figure 1-3a shows typical interior floor framing at Level "A" and Level "B". Metal decking, steel grating or steel raised pattern floor plate provides floors in the interior compartments.
1.1.1.5 Level "O" Deck Plate Continuously welded steel plate covers the top deck of the Launcher. Plate thickness varies from 3/4 inch under the Umbilical Tower to one inch for the remainder of the Launcher. The deck slopes from the longitudinal center line of the Launcher to facilitate drainage.
1.1.1.6 Bottom Plate Continuously welded one-half inch thick steel plate covers the entire bottom of the Launcher. Removable plugs are located in the bottom plate to drain accumulated moisture.
1.1.1.7 Interior Partitions Air locks at exterior doors and an unpressurized corridor to the exterior atmosphere are provided by interior metal partitions. These partitions provide an enclosure only and are not designed to act as a part of the struc tural system.
1.1.1.8 Handrails Steel pipe handrails are provided on the Level "O" deck and on the interior stairs. The handrails on the Level "O" deck are removable to prevent blast damage during launch and to provide access along Side 1 for the Mobile Service Structure.
1.1.2 UMBILICAL TOWER STRUCTURE The Umbilical Tower is a "K" trussed tower of uniform cross section above Level 80. The Tower base is spread below Level 80 to the Mount Mechanisms at the ends of girders G13 and G 14.
1.1.2.1 Columns Main Umbilical Tower columns are box sections in the lower levels and wide flange beam sections in the upper levels. Steel plate, varying from 1 inch to 3-3/4 inches in thickness forms the columns from Level "O" to Level 260. Wide flange beams form columns from Level 260 toLevel 380. Each column is protected for the first 10 feet above Level "O" by a thermal ablative coating to a minimum thickness of one-eighth inch.
1.1.2.2 Struts Tower platform perimeter members (struts) are fabricated from wide flange beams varying from 24WF68 to 36WF150 except at Level 80 on Sides 1 and 3 where a welded box section is used. Struts are high strength bolted to Umbilical Tower columns at all levels except Level 80, where struts are welded to the columns.
1.1.2.3 Diagonals Umbilical Tower diagonals are fabricated from pipe, ranging from 12 inch diameter to 16 inch diameter. Weight per foot varies from panel to panel. Pipe diagonals are welded to gusset plates which are high strength bolted to the columns and struts. Each diagonal at Level "O" is protected for the first 10 feet above Level "O" by a thermal ablative coating to a minimum thickness of one-eighth inch.
1.1.2.4 Floor Framing Wide flange beams are used as primary support for Umbilical Tower floors. Beam sizes range from 6B12 to 33WF118. Con- nections are high strength bolted. Steel grating is bolted to the floor framing at Level 30 through Level 360. Steel raised pattern floor plate is provided at Level 380.
1.1.2.5 Access and Camera Platforms Access and camera platforms are located at various Tower levels to provide access to the umbilical arms and to support camera equipment during launch.
1.1.2.6 Umbilical Arm Columns Umbilical arm support and locking columns run from Level 60 to Level 340 on Side 1 and from Level 300 to Level 340 on Side 4 of the Umbilical Tower. These columns are fabricated from wide flange beam sections.
1.1.2.7 Stairs Umbilical Tower stairs are fabricated from 10JR channels with standard galvanized grating treads with abrasive nosing. Riser height is eight inches. Landings are provided every ten feet.
1.1.2.8 Elevator Machine Room Enclosure Protection of the elevator machinery is provided by an elevator machine room enclosure on Umbilical Tower Level 365.5. This enclosure is designed to protect the elevator machinery from direct exposure to the weather. The roofing and siding panels are seal welded to reduce leakage to a minimum and to enable a positive pressure to be maintained within the enclosure to exclude hazardous vapors during launch operations.
1.1.2.9 Elevator Hoistway Enclosure The elevator hoistway enclo sure consists of ceramic coated steel sheets and woven wire panels enclosing the elevator shaft in the center of the Umbilical Tower. This enclosure protects personnel working on the Umbilical Tower levels and prevents foreign objects from being inadvertently dropped down the elevator shaft.
1.1.2.10 Handrails Fixed, steel pipe handrails are provided around the perimeter of all Tower levels except Level 380 and on all stairs and landings.
1.1.3 HEAT AND BLAST SHIELDS Heat and blast shields are provided in the vehicle engine chamber and on Level ''O" as shown in Figure 1-2.
1.1.3.1 Engine Chamber Heat Shields Engine Chamber Heat Shields are an arrangement of plate sections attached to the Mobile Launcher structure which are designed to protect the structure from the heat of the vehicle engine exhaust.
1.1.3.2 Hold-Down Girder Heat Shields Hold-Down Girder Heat Shields are an arrangement of plate sections attached to the portion of the Hold-Down Girders projecting into the vehicle engine chamber which are designed to protect the structure from the heat of the vehicle engine exhaust.
1.1.3.3 Engine Chamber Blast Shield Engine Chamber Blast Shields are plate sections mounted around the Vehicle Engine Chamber to protect the structure from the blast effect of the vehicle engine exhaust. The Blast Shield extends over the upper edge of the engine chamber and covers approximately five ( 5) feet of the Level "O" deck around the engine chamber.
1.1.3.4 Elevator Blast Shields A blast shield located on the Level "O" deck, between the elevator enclosure and vehicle engine chamber, protects the elevator enclosure from the deflected vehicle engine exhaust during launch. This shield is triangular in shape with a rounded nose as shown in Figure 1-2.
1.1.3.5 Removable Handrails Removable, aluminum pipe handrails are provided on the Engine Chamber Blast Shields for use when a Vehicle is not erected on the Mobile Launcher.
1.1.3.6 Hold-Down Arm Service Platform Removable, hinged platforms fabricated from aluminum pipe are provided on the Engine Chamber Blast Shields for access to the Hold-Down Arms when a Vehicle is not erected on the Mobile Launcher.
Mobile Launcher Support Interface Plan
1.1.4 SUPPORT INTERFACES The Support Interfaces provide a suitable surface for mating the Mobile Launcher to the various supporting structures. There are a total of 14 Support Interfaces. Figure 1-9 shows the locations and designations of the Support Interfaces.
1.1.4.1 Mobile Launcher to Mount Mechanisms The Mobile Launcher is supported on six Mount Mechanisms at the Mobile Launcher Erection Position, in the Vehicle Assembly Building and at the Launch Pad. The Mount Mechanisms are located around the perimeter of the Mobile Launcher and are designed to allow for slight mis alignment in positioning the Mobile Launcher and for expansion and/or contraction due to temperature. A nine (9) inch (maximum) diameter tapered centering pin attached to the Mobile Launcher is used to assure proper alignment. Hold-down capability is provided by twelve (12) bolts attaching the Mobile Launcher to each Mount Mechanism. The Mount Mechanisms are covered in Manual TM-486-MD.
1.1.4.2 Mobile Launcher to Crawler-Transporter The Mobile Launcher is supported by the Crawler-Transporter at four interfaces located on the bottom of girders G-3, G-4, G-9 and G-10. The Mobile Launcher to Crawler-Transporter Mount Mechanisms are covered in Manual TM-486-MD.
1.1.4.3 Mobile Launcher to Extensible Columns Four Extensible Columns are used to absorb the additional weight of fuel and dynamic loads occurring at the Launch Pad. These columns are essentially hydraulic jacks, preloaded for the above condi tions. Interfaces are provided on the bottom of girders GO and G10 at the ends of girders G15 and G18.The Extensible Columns are covered in Manual TM 488-MD.
1.1.5 HATCH COVERS Vertical access to the interior compartments of the Mobile Launcher is provided by sixteen 5 feet 0 inch by 8 feet 0 inch clear openings in the Level "O" deck. Hatch Covers for these openings are fabricated from one inch plate and are recessed into the Level "O" deck to maintain a flush surface. Hatch Covers are held in place by 3/4 inch bolts and are provided with a continuous gasket seal. Four lifting devices are provided for removal Positions of the hatch openings are shown in Figure 1-2.
1.1.6 BENCH MARK COVERS Eight adjustable bench marks defining the longi tudinal and transverse centerlines of the Vehicle are recessed into the Level "O" deck. .These bench marks are protected by a steel plate cover attached to the Level "O" deck. Locations of the Bench Mark Covers are shown in Figure 1-2.
Copyright 1997-2005 by John
Duncan |
