• Created by Unknown User (adamsa@mit.edu), last modified by Unknown User (jmabel@mit.edu) on Nov 16, 2019 19:16

Launch ops for Hermes II were iterated several times throughout the year, mostly after launch rehearsals. The document was designed to have key procedures take up as few pages as possible, and for two-party verification on several procedures throughout. Assembly procedures and their corresponding integration checklists were kept in an appendix. One integration checklist was used for each subsystem, which was checked by two people and contained key points for checkout photos. 

Attached is the pre-flight version of launch ops. 

Hermes II Flight Launch Ops.pdf

Keep from Hermes II: 

  • Chronological structure
  • Contingency checklists
  • "Breakout" procedures when possible – single sheets for tasks like Pad cameras, pad setup, away team. Allows distribution of tasks

Intended changes for Hermes III: 

  • Better packing lists. 
    • Clearer organization by subteam - which exact tools are which? make sure tools aren't doubled 
    • Easy way to add/remove things to packing list
    • Serialize boxes for prelaunch / flight - log which tools are in which box
    • Clearer enforcement of packing for transit so we don't lose items and/or become disorganized during transit
    • Add specific sets of flight spares for small parts
  • Go-nogo poll
    • Faster/clearer who to ask for each go/nogo 
    • Multiple boxes for each item – several opportunities
    • Easy way to log attempts (misfires are likely)
      • Altimeter state at launch
      • Temp/wind speed/direction at launch
  • Tie roles in more distinctly throughout Launch Ops
  • Make quality/consistency integration checklists better across subteams
  • Pad cameras were very difficult on launch day: 
    • Lack of training
    • Lack of knowledge of which cameras were available and exact placement of each type of camera
    • No documentation of aluminum foil shades/sunshields for cameras
    • Roles not enforced strongly from the beginning
  • We did a verbal walkthrough of the rocket prior to launch – might be nice to have 
  • Data recovery was not well-enforced. We took a lot of checkout photos but it's not clear how many of them made it back

Added 9/24: 

  • Pre-transit driver checklists
    • One car ran out of gas on the way to the launch site, risking safety and delaying launch
    • Prevent with list of things. 
    • Gas, food, water, list of riders (or # of riders), list of rocket components
    • PRE-PRINT and give to drivers
    • Maybe have matrix of rocket component / tool boxes (serialized earlier) to car number.
  • Structural change idea: 
    • Minimize "launch ops" parts to the pad preparations in parallel with final integration onsite and the "pad setup" portion 
    • Pad setup == pad camera setup, rocket vertical
    • Prelaunch == arm avionics, turn on cameras, arm propulsion
    • Launch == go/nogo & contingencies

 

Structural changes to achieve above items: 

  • Table of contents
  • Better packing lists
    • Spreadsheet for transit tracking 
      • By box & list of missing items 
      • Single master sheet on cloud --> sharable and traceable
      • Assign spreadsheet manager(s) for launch and enforce that they do their job
    • Color-coding tape & boxes by subteam to enforce accountability (with general category)
      • Each tool or item has a designated spot
      • "Master Key" all tools and all boxes
    • Add specific sets of flight spares for small parts
      • If a part is <$50? (Jakob&Julia?) or single point failure? get 2x
    • Link boxes to cars for launch site transit
      • Or a column for "vehicle" – FedEx or Jakob's car or On Foot... how does it get from A -> B (if applicable)
    • Pre-transit checklists
      • Print checklist with food, water, fuel, cash for tolls, small first-aid kit... etc (common across cars)
      • Open area to write down which rocket parts/boxes go in cars
  • Go-nogo
    • Full page of GO-NOGO that is very clear to see 
    • Is a checklist with checkboxes to fill and roles to call GO-NOGO for certain fields
    • Multiple copies of this page in large print
      • Launch attempt number: __ is a field
    • New Fields: 
      • Altimeter state at launch 
        • number of satellite
      • Temp/wind speed/direction at launch
      • Time & date
      • Some way to connect launch attempt with video files
        • Altimeter startup time
        • Camera startup time
        • Liftoff time (seconds)
  • Tie roles in more distinctly throughout Launch Ops – Andrew
    • Train people for their roles at rehearsals 
    • Define windows of "useful roles" vs "free hands" 
      • MUST BE DONE BY: XYZ? i.e. Julia calls FAA
    • Ask Jakob & Julia
  • Make quality/consistency integration checklists better across subteams – Assign to teamleads, Andrew & Jamie verify
    • ENFORCING CHECKOUT PHOTOS
      • Assign a role for that & have a "Master Key" of checkout photos needed for flight
      • Checkout photos are GO-NOGO criteria
    • AVI: More detail on programming of altimeters on the integration checklist
    • Prop & Struc: Torque spec on bolts, Torque stripe all bolts
    • Keep checkout photos in bold
    • Get rid of ambiguity (e.g. what does "Secure" mean? Pull test? Wobble test? ??)
  • Pad Cameras - changes to Launch Ops
    • Identify Pad Cameras & order them (How much money do we have to do this???)
    • ID each camera and show where it should be placed
    • Enforce roles & train for roles
    • Add in Camera setup if necessary 
    • Add in "take photo of camera running with your phone" 
    • Identify when pad cameras should be turned on and someone from the Pad should signal when that time is
      • After altimeter & onboard camera startup complete
  • Add in verbal walkthrough of integration checklists?
  • Data Recovery
    • Checkout photos - see above
    • File management scheme: What do you name your files and where do they go so they can be found
    • Expand post-launch checklist - add in roles for all subsystems
      • Enforce roles!! Launch is not done until this is completed
  • In the Event of...
    • Premature loss of control in flight, etc... proceed to ballistic recovery
    • Medical Emergency
    • Rocket otherwise becomes dangerous? 
    • Go over failure modes at the launch site before flight – add to preflight on-site meeting / safety review thing (in a Kahoot?) 
  • Preflight Sims
    • Split into RasAero & Recovery Sims
    • Signatures for each one
    • Upload to file, filename?
  • List Mission Critical items – USE INTEGRATION CHECKLISTS
    • Which things do we NEED to fly? e.g. 3 cameras vs all 5 or otherwise
    • Which things can we leave out?
  • How To: use Transit spreadsheet - Jamie
    • Appendix with link & instructions
  • Avionics
    • Add in tables for Away team & Launch Line to review GO-NOGO parameters
      • Choose GONOGO parameters - voltage limits, GPS Lock, Data Logging for Telemega
      • Choose GO-NOGO parameters - Pyxida sensors - flight critical and science critical and not critical
      • Define acceptable flight scenarios
        • > 2 hours in window remaining, do all science-critical items
        •  < 2 hours in window remaining, only do flight-critical items so we can fly at all
    • Replace "on loading to launch rail" to have Launch Line verify table completion 
  • KEEP:
    • Single-page breakouts where possible
    • Contingency 1-pagers
    • Signatures required
    • Categorize by date

Misc. TODO:

  • Ask Jakob & Julia questions from this sheet - Andrew
  • Make Transit spreadsheet structure for packing lists but DO NOT FILL IN ANY ITEMS - Jamie
  • Get teamleads to start working on their packing lists after structure is made - Jamie
  • Pad Cameras
    • Consult Charlie & Sam on cheap, easy, reliable pad cameras?
    • Get $$$ for pad cameras
    • Order pad cameras 
    • Practice at rehearsal
  • Order colored tape and sharpies if necessary
  • Bring Launch Ops 3.0 to teamleads 11/19 - Jamie
  • Pack and Serialize boxes - Andrew, Jamie, and 2-3 others (Pre-rehearsal)

Away Team Logistics: 

Team of 8-10 people in mountains: 35°26'10.4"N 117°48'56.4"W

Pros

Cons

  • Antenna Alignment - Ease of tracking rocket
  • Visual Off-Nominal Tracking
  • Video Footage - for PR
  • Risk - Ground Communications (~5mi range needed)
  • Power Requirements for Communications – Equipment needed?
  • Need High-Magnification Video Equipment
  • More Complex Logistics & Launch Ops

Required Equipment:

  • Fixed-direction antenna – can be borrowed
  • Telephoto lens (95.2" parallax - likely 400mm-600mm needed) – need to be rented (~$100)
  • Power bank/generator – need to be rented (available at Home Depot)
  • Binoculars
  • Emergency radio
  • Survival supplies (food, water, shelter, first aid, etc.) -> for cold weather
  • Vehicles – off-road capability likely needed

Action Items:

  • Contact FAR and BLM (760-384-5400) re. feasibility/permits
  • Update Launch Ops accordingly
  • Order hard drives for data recovery

 

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