How SpaceX won the LC-39A ramp despite the protests of the competing Blue Origin

How SpaceX won the LC-39A ramp despite the protests of the competing Blue Origin

SpaceX has two ramps on the east coast of the US (SLC-40 and LC-39A) and one one is leased on the western coast (SLC-4E), which allows starts to polar tracks.

Each of these starting ramps has its unique history and everyone could write a very nice article.For example, the SLC-4E California ramp from the west coast wrote the history of the company before SpaceX was lease.When SpaceX was planned for the first start to orbit from Vandenberg's base in California, the last Ramp of Titan IV stood on this ramp.And her start was postponed until the first start of Falcon 1 from the American coast to the atoll kwajalein in the middle of the Pacific.

Legendary ramp

Aviation view of Kennedy space center, in the background of the ramp LC-39B (left) and LC-39a (right).

One of the SpaceX ramps, however, with its fame and history exceeds the others.It is the LC-39A starting complex that is part of the Kennedy Space Center.From there, all the monthly missions with the exception of Apollo 10 started and most of the US shuttle missions also started from here.To this day has hosted a total of 127 cosmic starts.But how did this ramp in the middle of the swamps have SpaceX in the middle of the swamps?

It started to write in 2003 when the COLOMBIA shuttle did not return from the STS-107 mission.Since its destruction, it has become clear over time that the American shuttles program is approaching its end.It was to be replaced by the Contellation program and the LC-39B ramp was selected for its needs, where the last shuttle started in 2006.

The necessary building modifications also started on this ramp.The sister ramp 39A remained alone until 2011 and served for the needs of the shuttles.Meanwhile, the Constellation program has also been canceled.

But what to do with this most famous American starting ramp?NASA decided not to need a ramp and only its maintenance cost taxpayers $ 100,000 a month.However, the various uncertainties in the negotiations of the US Space Agency and Florida the state caused the future of this ramp to emerge only in May 2013, when NASA decided to send missile companies, whether they would be interested in taking this ramp for rent.Possible bidders were to express themselves in 5.July 2013, when the deadline for applications was.Thanks to the historical value of this ramp, the whole situation was monitored by a number of well -known cosmonautic portals.

When the deadline expired, NASA refused to tell which candidates are applying for the famous starting ramp.Therefore, the Space News Cosmonautic portal decided to act alone and began to ask for leading American missile companies on their own, whether they entered the competition.The results were somewhat surprising.It was generally assumed that there would be several.Of all the companies addressed - United Launch Alliance (ULA), ATK, Orbital Sciences Corporation and SpaceX - only the latter entered the competition.

Exclusive or shared ramp

The situation seemed clear in mid -July 2013.A few days later there was a surprise, because another candidate appeared, who no one has affected his interest.This was Blue Origin, which is a private property of Jeff Bezos.The approach of both companies also differed.

SpaceX wanted to use the ramp exclusively, while Blue Origin suggested building a space port that would share more companies, including ULA.This company also publicly supported Blue Origin's plan.Blue Origin decided for this procedure mainly because he felt that this historical ramp should not be the only company, but should serve more companies.

Jak SpaceX získalo rampu LC-39A i přes protesty konkurenčního Blue Originu

Under pressure was NASA who had only a few months to decide on the winner's decision.Already 30.September 2013 was to expire a deadline to which she could raise money from the state budget for the maintenance of the ramp.And the US space agency would then have nothing else but to leave this starting ramp and let.The interest of two well -known and influential American entrepreneurs has unleashed a great battle behind the scenes, including US lawmakers.

At the beginning of August, NASA wrote a letter to the US Congress in which it clearly expressed its opinion.According to him, it is not essential whether the exclusive approach of SpaceX or the possibility of using a ramp for more companies wins, as proposed by Blue Origin, both approaches are fine.

However, the situation was significantly complicated in early September.The third day of this month was written by Blue Origin Protest, which sent to the Government Accountability Office (Government Accountability Office).The details or content of the protest were not known at the time, but this meant a big complication for NASA.She had to postpone her decision and wait for the GAO office to be made to do so within 12.December.

On 5.September September Senators of the US Congress wrote a letter to NASA administrator Charles Bolden, reporting that the construction and maintenance of the LC-39A starting ramp cost US taxpayers billions and expressed concerns that one of the companies would receive exclusive rights to rent this ramp.The result of this step will be a monopoly of this company, suppressing competition and thus the increase in prices when exposed to space costs.

At the end of September, the SpaceX approach changed.This has decided that if other companies are interested in the ramp, they will allow them to start their carriers from this starting ramp.

Quarrels and attacks continued, but the state itself has not changed.NASA could not decide and Gao dealt with protest.The decision then came 12.December 2013, když byl protest Blue Originu zamítnut.At that time it only turned out to have a complaint in the.Blue Origin had the feeling that the agency placed more emphasis on the use of the spaceport after reading the NASA question from May.

New Shepard Rocket Blue Origin

Furthermore, Jeff Bezos claimed that NASA intended to conclude a lease agreement on the basis of criteria other than those listed in the original inquiry found by the company's interest in the ramp.This statement of Blue Origin leaned on the statements of NASA administrator, who publicly declared that the starting ramp LC-39B, the one that NASA retains and plans to use, can serve for multiple users.

According to Blue Origin, it was NASA bias in favor of the proposal of exclusive use, which was proposed by SpaceX.Whether there was something of truth on this statement or not will probably remain an unanswered question forever.The winner of the selection procedure was the California company SpaceX and has started several months of negotiations on the conditions under what conditions SpaceX will be able to use the starting ramp.

SPACEX ramp ceremony.From left: Charles Bolden, NASA administrator, Gwynne Shotwell, director of SpaceX and Robert Caban, director of Kennedy space center.

In April 2014 it was publicly announced that SpaceX rented the LC-39A starting ramp for 20 years.

From today's perspective, it can be clearly said that SpaceX's decision to rent a ramp was far -sighted, although for a completely different reason than the company originally intended.SpaceX wanted to use this starting ramp primarily for Falcon Heavy launches and, according to Gwynne Shotwell's bold statement, this missile was to be premiered in 2015 (eventually flew in 2018).

The company also wanted to gradually convert all NASA starts to this ramp and after obtaining a contract for the transport of astronauts to the ISS from here I wanted to release the manned missions.In 2015, a new horizontal integration building (HIF) was built here and in February 2016 it was announced that with the exception of modifications for pilot flights, the ramp is basically prepared.

Re -operating

When the fateful 1 came then.September 2016 and the static ignition before the AMOS-6 mission was severely damaged by the SLC-40 starting ramp, SpaceX had a backup available.All that remained was to investigate the causes of the upper degree explosion, and the flights east could be restored.After nearly six years, the LC-39A ramp finally lived.Falcon 9 was brought here for the CRS-10 supply mission to go to the International Space Station.Was written 19.February 2017 and the mission went well.

Integration Hangar of HIF SPACEX on Rampa LC-39A.

SpaceX currently uses the LC-39A ramp on all types of missions, not just those for NASA.However, they still make up a large part of all starts from this ramp, as it is the only one able to serve piloted missions and at the same time it is the preferred ramp for the missions of the modernized freight dragon.

The boarding arm for astronauts greatly facilitates the final placement of time -sensitive cargo in the ship shortly before the start.At the same time, three Falcon Heavy has started from the LC-39A ramp and two more are planned for this year.Among all these missions then SpaceX tries to squeeze different other starts when the nearby ramp SLC-40 is not available for any other mission.SPACEX has made a total of 33 starts from the LC-39A ramp since February 2017.

CRS-10, first start SpaceX from ramp LC-39A.

Text was taken from Elonx server.Has been edited before the release.The original can be found here

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