I-United Launch Alliance inokulayisha i-cryogenic methane kunye ne-oksijini engamanzi kwindawo yayo yokuvavanya i-Vulcan rocket e-Cape Canaveral okokuqala ngqa kwiiveki ezizayo njengoko iceba ukusungula isizukulwana sayo i-Atlas 5 rocket phakathi kweenqwelo-moya. Uvavanyo oluphambili lweerokethi eziya kusebenzisa ukuqaliswa kwe-rocket efanayo. nzima kwiminyaka ezayo.
Ngeli xesha, i-ULA isebenzisa i-rocket ye-Atlas 5 ukuvavanya izinto ezinamandla ngakumbi i-Vulcan Centaur rocket phambi kwenqwelomoya entsha yokuqalisa. I-BE-4 entsha ye-injini yenqanaba lokuqala ukusuka kwinkampani yendawo kaJeff Bezos iBlue Origin ilungile kwaye iqhubela phambili nokuqaliswa kovavanyo lokuqala lweVulcan.
IGosa eliPhezulu le-ULA uJohn Albon uthe ekuqaleni kukaMeyi ukuba i-rocket yokuqala ye-Vulcan kufuneka ilungele ukusungulwa ekupheleni konyaka.
Ukuqaliswa kokuqala kwe-Vulcan kunokuthi kwenzeke ngasekupheleni kwalo nyaka okanye ekuqaleni kwe-2022, uCol. Robert Bongiovi, umlawuli we-Space Force's Space kunye ne-Missile Systems Centre's Space and Missile Systems Centre, uthe ngoLwesithathu. I-Space Force iya kuba ngoyena mthengi mkhulu we-ULA njengoko i-rocket ye-Vulcan iqhuba iinqwelomoya ezimbini zesatifikethi ngaphambi kokuba iqalise umsebenzi wayo wokuqala wase-US, i-USSF-106, ekuqaleni kuka-2023.
Ukuphehlelelwa kwesathelayithi yomkhosi wase-US i-Atlas 5 ngoLwesibini ivavanye inguqulelo ephuculweyo ye-RL10 ye-injini yeqonga eliphezulu eya kubhabha kwi-rocket ye-Vulcan's Centaur ephezulu. Ukuqaliswa kwe-Atlas 5 elandelayo ngoJuni kuya kuba yi-rocket yokuqala ukusebenzisa i-Vulcan. . Njengekhaka lomthwalo ohlawulelwayo owenziwe e-USA, hayi eSwitzerland.
Ukwakhiwa kunye novavanyo lwenkqubo entsha yokuphehlelelwa kwe-rocket ye-Vulcan Centaur sele igqitywe, utshilo u-Ron Fortson, umlawuli kunye nomphathi jikelele wemisebenzi yokuqaliswa e-ULA.
“Le iya kuba yindlela yophehlelelo olusetyenziswa kabini,” utshilo uFordson kutshanje njengoko ebekhokele iintatheli kukhenketho lweLaunch Pad 41 kwiCape Canaveral Space Force Station. "Akukho mntu wenze le nto ngaphambili, ngokusesikweni esungula i-Atlas kunye nomgca wemveliso weVulcan owahluke ngokupheleleyo kwiqonga elifanayo."
I-injini ye-RD-180 yaseRashiya ye-Atlas 5 rocket isebenza kwi-kerosene exutywe ne-oxygen engamanzi. I-BE-4 yeenjini zeVulcan zenqanaba lokuqala zisebenza nokuba yirhasi yendalo enyibilikisiweyo okanye i-methane fuel, ifuna i-ULA ifakele amatanki okugcina amatsha kwi-Platform 41.
Iitanki ezintathu ze-100,000-gallon yokugcina i-methane zibekwe kwicala elingasentla le-Launch Pad 41. Inkampani, i-50-50 yendibaniselwano phakathi kwe-Boeing kunye ne-Lockheed Martin, iphinde yaphucula inkqubo yamanzi yokufunxa isandi, ethi ithobe isandi esinamandla esiveliswa yiphedi yokuqalisa. Ukuqaliswa kwe-rocket.
Ulwelo lwehydrogen kunye neendawo zokugcina ioksijini elulwelo kwiLaunch Pad 41 nazo zaphuculwa ukuze zikwazi ukumelana nenqanaba eliphezulu leCentaur, eliza kubhabha kwiVolcan rocket.
I-Vulcan rocket entsha ye-Centaur 5 iqonga eliphezulu linobubanzi beenyawo ze-17.7 (iimitha ezi-5.4), ngaphezu kokuphindwe kabini ububanzi njenge-Centaur 3 iqonga eliphezulu kwi-Atlas 5. I-Centaur 5 iya kunikwa amandla ziinjini ezimbini ze-RL10C-1-1, kwaye kungekhona injini ye-RL10 efanayo esetyenziswa kwiininzi ze-Atlas kunye namaxesha angoku angaphezulu kwe-5.
UFordson uthe i-ULA ilugqibile uvavanyo lwamatanki ogcino lwemethane amatsha kwaye yathumela ulwelo lwe-cryogenic ngokusebenzisa iintambo zomhlaba kwindawo yokuphehlelelwa ePad 41.
“Sigcwalise la matanki ukuze sifunde ngezakhiwo zawo,” utshilo uFordson. "Sinamafutha ahamba kuyo yonke imigca. Oku sikubiza ngokuba luvavanyo lokuhamba okubandayo. Sihambe kuyo yonke imigca ukuya kutsho kuqhagamshelo kunye neVLP, eliqonga lokuphehlelela iVulcan, kunye nevulcan rocket esungulweyo. vertex."
I-Vulcan Launch Platform yindlela entsha yokuqalisa ehambayo eya kuthwala i-rocket ye-Vulcan Centaur ukusuka kwindawo ye-ULA edibeneyo edibeneyo ukuya kwi-Launch Pad 41.
I-ULA igcina amanqanaba e-VLP kunye ne-Vulcan Pathfinder kwiZiko elikufutshane le-Cape Canaveral Space Operations Centre ngelixa inkampani ilungisa i-rocket yayo entsha ye-Atlas 5 ukuze iphakame ngesathelayithi yomkhosi i-SBIRS GEO 5 yangethuba.
Ukulandela ukuqaliswa ngempumelelo kwe-Atlas 5 kunye ne-SBIRS GEO 5 ngoLwesibili, iqela le-Vulcan liya kuhambisa i-rocket kwi-Launch Pad 41 ukuqhubeka nokuvavanya i-Pathfinder. I-ULA iya kuqalisa ukubeka i-rocket ye-Atlas 5 ngaphakathi kwe-VIF, ecwangciselwe ukuqaliswa ngoJuni 23 kwimishini ye-Space Force ye-STP-3.
I-ULA iceba ukulayisha amafutha kwisithuthi sokuphehlelela i-Vulcan okokuqala, ngokusekwe kuvavanyo lwakwangoko lwenkqubo yomhlaba.
Kwixesha elizayo xa sikhupha ii-VLPs, siza kuqala ukwenza olu vavanyo ngemoto,” utshilo uFortson.
Isithuthi i-Vulcan Pathfinder safika e-Cape Canaveral ngoFebruwari sikhwele i-rocket ye-ULA ukusuka kwiziko lenkampani e-Decatur, e-Alabama.
Ukuphehlelelwa ngoLwesibini kuphawule i-Atlas 5 yokuqala yemishini kwisithuba esingaphezulu kweenyanga ezintandathu, kodwa i-ULA ilindele ukuba isantya siza kukhawuleza kulo nyaka. Ukulandela ukuqaliswa kwe-23 kaJuni ye-STP-3, ukuqaliswa kwe-Atlas 5 elandelayo kucwangciselwe i-30 kaJulayi, eya kubandakanya inqwelomoya yovavanyo lwemodyuli ye-Boeing's Starliner crew.
“Kufuneka sigqibezele umsebenzi kwiVulcan phakathi kokusungulwa,” utshilo uFordson. "Siza kumisela i-STP-3 kungekudala emva koku. Banefestile encinci yokusebenza, ukuvavanya kunye nokuvavanya, kwaye siya kufaka enye imoto apho."
I-rocket ye-Vulcan Pathfinder inikwe amandla yi-Blue Origin's BE-4 indawo yovavanyo lomhlaba we-injini, kwaye iimvavanyo zetanki yayo ziya kunceda iinjineli ukuba zibone indlela yokulayisha amafutha kwi-Vulcan ngosuku lokuqaliswa.
"Siza kuziqonda zonke ii-asethi kunye nendlela ezisebenza ngayo kwaye ziphuhlise i-CONOPS yethu (umbono wokusebenza) ukusuka apho," utshilo uFordson.
I-ULA inamava abanzi nge-ultra-cold liquid hydrogen, enye i-rocket fuel ye-cryogenic esetyenziswa kwinkampani ye-Delta 4 yosapho lweerokethi kunye nezigaba eziphezulu ze-Centaur.
“Bobabini babebanda kakhulu,” utshilo uFordson. “Baneempawu ezahlukeneyo.Sifuna nje ukuqonda indlela eziphatha ngayo ngexesha losulelo.
“Lonke uvavanyo esilwenzayo ngoku kukuqonda ngokupheleleyo iimpawu zale gesi nendlela eziphatha ngayo xa siyifaka emotweni,” utshilo uFordson. “Yile nto siza kube siyenza kwezi nyanga zimbalwa zizayo.”
Ngelixa iinkqubo zasemhlabeni ze-Vulcan zonganyelwe, i-ULA isebenzisa ukuqaliswa kwayo kwe-rocket ukuvavanya iteknoloji yenqwelomoya yokuqalisa isithuthi.
Uhlobo olutsha lwe-injini ye-Aerojet ye-Rocketdyne RL10 kwinqanaba eliphezulu le-Centaur yatyhilwa ngoLwesibini. Inguqu yamva nje ye-injini ye-hydrogen, ebizwa ngokuba yi-RL10C-1-1, iphucule ukusebenza kwaye kulula ukuyenza, ngokutsho kwe-ULA.
I-injini ye-RL10C-1-1 inombhobho omde kune-injini esetyenziswe kwiirokethi ze-Atlas 5 zangaphambili kwaye ibonisa i-injector entsha eprintiweyo ye-3D, eyenza indiza yayo yokuqala yokusebenza, utshilo uGary Harry, usekela mongameli wenkampani karhulumente kunye nemicimbi karhulumente. iinkqubo zorhwebo. UGary Wentz uthe. ULA.
Ngokutsho kwewebhusayithi ye-Aerojet Rocketdyne, i-injini ye-RL10C-1-1 ivelisa malunga ne-1,000 yeepounds ze-thrust eyongezelelweyo kunenguqulo yangaphambili ye-injini ye-RL10C-1 esetyenziswe kwi-Atlas 5 rocket.
Ngaphezulu kwe-500 RL10 iinjini ziye zasebenza iirokethi ukusukela ngoo-1960. I-rocket ye-ULA's Vulcan Centaur iya kusebenzisa imodeli ye-injini ye-RL10C-1-1, njengoko iya kwenza yonke imisebenzi ye-Atlas 5 yexesha elizayo ngaphandle kwe-capsule ye-Boeing's Starliner crew capsule, esebenzisa iqonga elikhethekileyo le-injini ye-Centaur.
Kunyaka ophelileyo, i-rocket booster entsha eyakhiwe nguNorthrop Grumman yasungulwa okokuqala kwinqwelomoya ye-Atlas 5. I-booster enkulu, eyakhiwe nguNorthrop Grumman, iya kusetyenziswa kwimishini ye-Vulcan kunye neyona ndlela izayo ye-Atlas 5 yeenqwelomoya.
I-booster entsha ithatha indawo ye-Aerojet Rocketdyne strap-on booster eye yasetyenziswa kwi-Atlas 5 yasungulwa ukususela ngo-2003. Iinjini ze-rocket ezomeleleyo ze-Aerojet Rocketdyne ziya kuqhubeka nokutshisa iirokethi ze-Atlas ezi-5 ukuthwala imisebenzi elawulwa ngumntu kwi-orbit, kodwa injongo yale veki iphawule inqwelomoya yokugqibela yoyilo lwenqwelo yomkhosi ye-Atlas endala. Isithuthi sokusungulwa kwe-Aerojet Rocketdyne siqinisekisiwe ukuba siqalise oosomajukujuku.
I-ULA idibanise ii-avionics kunye neenkqubo zesikhokelo ze-Atlas 5 kunye ne-Delta 4 rockets zibe yidizayini enye eya kubhabha nayo kwi-Vulcan Centaur.
Kwinyanga ezayo, i-ULA iceba ukutyhila inkqubo yokugqibela efana ne-Vulcan-efana ne-Vulcan ukubhabha kuqala kwi-Atlas 5: i-payload fairing ekulula kwaye ingabizi ukuvelisa kune-Atlas yangaphambili ye-5's canopy.
I-17.7-foot (5.4-metres) yedayamitha yokuhlawula i-fairing fairing eza kuqaliswa kwinyanga ezayo kwi-STP-3 mission ibonakala ifana nezo zisetyenziswe kwiirokethi ze-Atlas 5 zangaphambili.
Kodwa ukulunga kuyimveliso yobambiswano olutsha lweshishini phakathi kwe-ULA kunye nenkampani yaseSwitzerland iRUAG Space, ethe yavelisa ngaphambili yonke iAtlas 5′s 5.4-metres fairings kwiplanti yaseSwitzerland. Ikhowuni encinci ye-Atlas 5 yempumlo esetyenziswa kwezinye iimishini yenziwa kwiziko le-ULA eHarlingen, eTexas.
I-ULA kunye ne-RUAG baye baphuhlisa umgca omtsha wokuvelisa i-payload fairing kwiindawo ezikhoyo ze-Atlas, Delta kunye ne-Vulcan e-Alabama.
Umgca wemveliso we-Alabama usebenzisa inkqubo entsha eyenza lula amanyathelo okuvelisa i-fairing. Ngokutsho kwe-ULA, indlela yokuvelisa "i-non-autoclave" inokusebenzisa i-oven kuphela ukunyanga i-carbon fiber composite fairing, ukuphelisa i-autoclave ephezulu yoxinzelelo, ekhawulela ubungakanani beengxenye ezinokungena ngaphakathi.
Olu tshintsho luvumela i-payload fairing ukuba yahlulwe ibe ziziqingatha ezibini endaweni ye-18 okanye ngaphezulu kwamaqhekeza amancinci. Oku kuya kunciphisa inani lezibophelelo, iziphindaphindi kunye nokuba nokwenzeka kweziphene, i-ULA yatsho kwisithuba seblogi kunyaka ophelileyo.
I-ULA ithi indlela entsha yenza ukuba kube lula kwaye kungabizi kakhulu ukwakha i-payload fairing.
I-ULA iceba ukubhabha i-30 okanye ngaphezulu imisebenzi ye-Atlas 5 eyongezelelweyo ngaphambi kokuba i-rocket ithathe umhlalaphantsi kwaye idluliselwe kwi-rocket ye-Vulcan Centaur.
Ngo-Epreli, iAmazon yathenga iinqwelomoya ezilithoba zeAtlas 5 ukuze iqalise ukuphehlelela iisathelayithi zenkampani yeKuiper yenethiwekhi ye-Intanethi. Isithethi se-Space Force's Space kunye ne-Missile Systems Centre sathi kwiveki ephelileyo ukuba imisebenzi yezokhuseleko yelizwe ezintandathu iya kufuna iirokethi ze-Atlas 5 kwiminyaka embalwa ezayo, ngaphandle kokubala i-SBIRS GEO 5 mission eqaliswe ngoLwesibili.
Kunyaka ophelileyo, i-US Space Force yabhengeza iikhontrakthi zeebhiliyoni zeedola zokuhambisa umthwalo obalulekileyo wokhuseleko lwelizwe kwiirokethi ze-ULA's Vulcan Centaur kunye ne-SpaceX's Falcon 9 kunye ne-Falcon Heavy yokusungula iimoto ngo-2027.
NgoLwesine, i-Space News yabika ukuba i-Space Force kunye ne-ULA baye bavuma ukuhambisa i-mission yokuqala yomkhosi eyabelwe i-rocket ye-Vulcan Centaur kwi-rocket ye-Atlas 5. Imishini, ebizwa ngokuba yi-USSF-51, icwangciselwe ukusungulwa ngo-2022.
Oosomajukujuku abane abalungiselela ukundulula kwi-orbit kwi-SpaceX's Crew Dragon “Resilience” capsule bakhwele isiphekepheke sabo kwi-Kennedy Space Centre ngoLwesine ukuya kuqeqesha ekusungulweni kwabo okucwangcisiweyo kwiSikhululo saMajukujuku saMazwe ngaMazwe ngoMgqibelo ngokuhlwa, ngelixa iinkokeli zeMishini zibeke iliso kwimozulu kunye neemeko zolwandle ngexesha lenkqubo yokubuyisela. indawo engaphaya koLwandlekazi lweAtlantiki.
Iinjineli ze-NASA Kennedy Space Centre eziya kongamela ukusungulwa kwesathelayithi zesayensi kunye ne-interplanetary probes ziya kuba noxanduva lokuqinisekisa ukuba amaphulo amathandathu amakhulu afikelela kwindawo ngokukhuselekileyo kwisithuba nje seenyanga ezintandathu kulo nyaka, ukuqala nge-NOAA entsha yokusungulwa kwe-GOES - ngo-Matshi 1, ibhodi ye-S Weather Observatory ye-Atlas 5 rocket.
Irokethi yaseTshayina yazisa iisathelayithi ezintathu zovavanyo lomkhosi kwi-orbit ngolwesiHlanu, iseti yesibini efana nesathelayithi yasungulwa kwisithuba esingaphantsi kweenyanga ezimbini.
Ixesha lokuposa: Apr-28-2024