Sea Launch User's Guide

Other • A helicopter is provided to support mission operations. Both the ACS
and the launch platform are equipped with landing pads.
• A comprehensive photo-optical recording system is used to document
launches.
• External communications are handled through INTELSAT satellites
and Sea Launch ground stations in Brewster, WA, and Eik, Norway.
Zenit-3SL flight
operations
Zenit first- and second-stage flight operations are completely automatic.
A mission event timeline is included in section 3, table 3-1 of this user’s
guide.
All Stage 1 and 2 events occur within the view of the ACS. The spent
stages fall in the Pacific Ocean, far short of the coast of South America
and the major coastal shipping lanes. Any deviation of flight trajectory
from preprogrammed limits causes onboard systems to automatically
terminate propulsion and end the mission. This approach to flight safety
has been used successfully for decades by the CIS and obviates the need
for the traditional range safety officer.
At second-stage separation from the Block DM-SL, four solid propellant
rocket motors at the base of Stage 2 fire to back the stage away from the
Block DM-SL. The Block DM-SL lower and middle adapters are
jettisoned during this period, the lower adapter is jettisoned with Stage 2,
and the middle adapter is jettisoned just before Block DM-SL ignition.
Block-DM flight
operations
Before launch, the Block DM-SL onboard systems are turned on and
initialized, its oxidizer tank level is adjusted, and power is transferred
from the LP umbilical to the Block DM-SL internal power supply.
During the Stage 1 and 2 flight, the Block DM-SL remains inactive,
except for preparations for autonomous flight. Following Stage 2
separation, the Block DM-SL is inserted into the target orbit with a single
main engine burn. For two-burn missions, the Block DM-SL performs a
settling burn using the attitude control/ullage propulsion system prior to
the second burn of the main engine. Burn program options include, but
are not limited to, one- or two-impulse insertion GTO and multiple burns
(up to a maximum of five) to medium Earth orbit (MEO) or planetary
escape.
Following spacecraft insertion into the target orbit, the Block DM-SL
separates from the spacecraft and performs a CCAM. Disposal options
include transfer of the Block DM-SL to a higher or lower disposal orbit
that mitigates orbital debris generation risk and reduces the spent stage
orbital lifetime.
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