Photo By Staff Sgt. Thomas Sjoberg | A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying the GPS III SV06 payload launches from Space Launch...... read more read more
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PATRICK SPACE FORCE BASE, Fla. -- Who doesn’t love a rocket launch? The sights, the sounds, the visceral energy of hundreds of tons of hardware and propellant lifting skyward? Better than a single rocket launch, though, is two, and those on the Space Coast in January 2023 were treated to a pair of history-making launches to start off the year.
Launching two Falcon National Security Space Launch missions, USSF-67 on Jan. 15 and GPS III-6 on Jan. 18, within 61 hours of each other was a historic moment for the U.S. Space Force, Space Launch Delta 45, and the 5th Space Launch Squadron (5 SLS).
The 5th SLS Falcon Team expertly managed 24/7 operations for two concurrent launch site processing campaigns spread across three processing facilities and two launch pads.
“SpaceX is driving the pace of space launch, and our teams have worked hard to stay up-to-date with all their efforts and ensure that we can put our assets on orbit the moment the call is made,” said U.S. Space Force Maj. James Trexler, 5th SLS falcon flight commander. “These two launches have shown that we have been, are, and will remain at the forefront of space in support of national security.”
The 5th SLS engineers and mission assurance technicians partnered with NASA, SpaceX, Space Systems Command, and multiple squadrons across SLD 45, ensuring mission success through diligent coordination and execution of launch site operations. Additionally, the 5th SLS, winners of the U.S. Space Force’s Inaugural 2021 Col. Bradford Parkinson Innovation Award, continued their innovative approach to operations by streamlining task observation and coverage, resulting in a 40% reduction in verification requirements, saving 320 man-hours.
“We had to think strategically about how we approached mission assurance for this dual mission flow and leverage all tools at our disposal to ensure mission success,” said Robert Allen, technical lead for the Falcon Flight. “This set a new precedent for us, and there are still lessons to be learned, but the whole team can be proud of this accomplishment.”
Not lost in the herculean task of getting two NSSL missions off the ground is the continued support to commercial missions through Fleet Surveillance operations. As the
USSF-67 static fire approached, the launch of OneWeb 2 also loomed on the calendar, leaving the 5th SLS on-console team with a potential conflict. Enter the 2nd SLS, who completed the first remote monitoring of a Cape Canaveral launch from the west coast.
“Our team was excited to be able to support this history-making effort,” said U.S. Space Force Maj. Kayla Mackenthun, 2nd SLS falcon flight commander. “As part of the One Falcon Team, Space Launch Delta 30 and SLD 45 know they can rely on the other to fill in the gaps to make sure we can provide quality support to all our launches.”
“With equally strong and qualified teams at both of the Deltas, the technology and flexibility to monitor launches remotely, it was a no-brainer to ask for our west coast counterparts to support deconfliction,” said Cory Pinkelton, USSF-67 vehicle engineer. “It gave us the breathing room we needed to have our people at full strength for Falcon Heavy ops.
Not only did the deconfliction aid the run-up to USSF-67, it provided additional opportunities to focus on operational coverage of GPS III-6, whose launch followed quickly on the heels of USSF-67.
“Considering the heavy mission assurance workload for USSF-67, I couldn’t be more proud of the team for their quick pivot to GPS III-6 ops,” said U.S. Space Force Capt. Brendan Ruchlin, GPS III-6 vehicle engineer. “It was a marathon followed by another 10K, but the team never slowed their pace and got us over the finish line with 100% mission assurance success.”
“The Eastern Range is busier than it has been in generations, and it’s only getting busier with all the new launch vehicles coming online,” said Trexler. “It’s an exciting time to be here, and the nation can feel assured that we’re ready for whatever comes next.”
| Date Taken: | 03.07.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 03.22.2023 10:41 |
| Story ID: | 439869 |
| Location: | CAPE CANAVERAL SPACE FORCE STATION, FLORIDA, US |
| Web Views: | 183 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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