The Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) rover was launched on an Atlas V on November 26, 2011. Preparations were carried out prior to launch in order to closeout the spacecraft's complex heat rejection system (HRS), which consists of two mechanically pumped CFC-11 fluid loops. The first HRS loop, onboard the Curiosity rover, was fully integrated, filled with CFC-11, and successfully operated prior to launch pad operations; however, the second thermal loop, called the cruise HRS loop, required final mechanical and thermal integration activities to occur while on the launch pad in order to accommodate the last minute installation of the rover's Multi-Mission Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator (MMRTG) power source. In order to prevent overheating of propellant tanks and critical avionics equipment buried deep within the spacecraft's aeroshell, the MMRTG needed to be pre-cooled using a separate non-flight mechanically pumped fluid loop prior to and during the final closeout and subsequent startup of the flight loop. This paper outlines the various steps that took place to safely install the MMRTG while carefully transitioning from the pre-cooling operation to the final startup and operation of the flight cruise HRS loop. Temperature data of the launch pad thermal transition from the ground support loop activity to the final flight loop operation is presented. Some background development of the ground support loop and lessons learned are also discussed. This successful launch pad integration activity required a close-knit coordination between NASA KSC, JPL, the Department of Energy, Idaho National Labs, Pratt and Whitney Rocketdyne Inc., Teledyne Technologies Inc., ULA, and Advanced Thermal Sciences Corp.


    Zugriff

    Zugriff über TIB

    Verfügbarkeit in meiner Bibliothek prüfen


    Exportieren, teilen und zitieren



    Titel :

    Launch Pad Closeout Operations for the Mars Science Laboratory's Heat Rejection System


    Beteiligte:
    Mastropietro, A. J. (Autor:in) / Bame, Dave (Autor:in) / Birur, Gajanana (Autor:in) / Bhandari, Pradeep (Autor:in) / Miller, Jennifer (Autor:in) / Cucullu, Gordy (Autor:in) / Lyra, Jacqueline (Autor:in)

    Kongress:

    International Conference on Environmental Systems (ICES) ; 2012 ; San Diego, CA, United States


    Erscheinungsdatum :

    2012-07-15


    Medientyp :

    Aufsatz (Konferenz)


    Format :

    Keine Angabe


    Sprache :

    Englisch




    Launch Pad Closeout Operations for the Mars Science Laboratory's Heat Rejection System

    Mastropietro, A. J. / Bame, Dave / Birur, Gajanana et al. | NTRS | 2012


    Launch Pad Closeout Operations for the Mars Science Laboratory's Heat Rejection System

    Mastropietro, A. / Bame, D. / Birur, G. et al. | British Library Conference Proceedings | 2012


    Launch Pad Closeout Operations for the Mars Science Laboratory's Heat Rejection System

    Mastropietro, A. / Bame, Dave / Birur, Gajanana et al. | AIAA | 2012


    Mars Science Laboratory's Parachute Qualification Approach

    Adams, D. / Rivellini, T. / American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics | British Library Conference Proceedings | 2009


    Mars Science Laboratory's Parachute Qualification Approach

    Adams, Douglas / Rivellini, Tommaso | AIAA | 2009