THE LAUNCH AREA

Final preparation of the space vehicle for launching, including propellant and ordnance loading, final checkout, and countdown takes place in the launch area.

There are presently two launch areas on Complex 39. Each area is polygon-shaped with the linear distance from side to side at approximately 3,000 feet. The launch sites are 8,730 feet apart to allow operations on the pads to be handled independently for safety reasons.

Liquid oxygen, RP-1, and liquid hydrogen are stored near the perimeter of the launch sites. Heli­um and nitrogen gases are stored at 10,000 psi near the center.

An elevated steel and concrete hardstand is located in the center of each area. Steel support fittings for the mobile launcher and mobile service struc­ture are anchored to the hardstand. The exhaust flame trench runs through the center of the hard­stand. Prior to the launch, the wedge-shaped flame deflector is moved along rails into the trench.

The liquid oxygen system consists of a 900,000- gallon LOX storage facility and transfer system.

The RP-1 system consists of a storage area con­taining three 86,000-gallon tanks and a transfer system. The tanks have a carbon steel shell and a bonded stainless steel lining.

Gaseous nitrogen and helium are stored under­ground in vessels near the launch pad at pressures of 6,000 psi.

Automation of vehicle prelaunch checkout is ex­pected to uprate mission confidence and to increase launch rate capability. The heart of this automatic checkout system is the computer complex.