john f. kennedy space center brevard county, florida - Environmental ...

NAME(S): Hypergol Module Processing (North)
FACILITY NO(S): M7-961
FLORIDA MASTER SITE FILE NO: 8BR1993
LOCATION: Within the KSC Industrial Area, to the east of E Avenue SE and south of the
Space Station Processing Facility.
PROPERTY TYPE: Vehicle Processing Facilities
DATE(S): 1964
ARCHITECT/ENGINEER: Tampa Bay Engineering Company (original); Pan American
Technical Services, Inc. (Space Shuttle modifications)
USE (ORIGINAL/CURRENT): Processing the hypergolic-fueled modules which comprise the
Orbiter’s reaction control system (RCS), orbital maneuvering system (OMS) and auxiliary power
units (APUs).
HISTORICAL DATA: The HMP (M7-961), located within the KSC Hypergolic Maintenance
and Checkout Area, was designed in 1963 by Tampa Bay Engineering Company of St.
Petersburg, Florida to serve the Apollo Program; in 1976, Pan American Technical Services, Inc.
of Cocoa Beach, Florida designed the internal modifications necessary to support the Space
Shuttle Program. The work done at the HMP consists of the checkout, refurbishment and
revalidation of the hypergolic fuel modules of the orbital maneuvering system (OMS), the
reaction control system (RCS), and the auxiliary power units (APUs). Once inside the HMP, the
component undergoes an inspection shakedown and hookup of electrical cables and propellant
lines. Then, any residual propellants are drained and the system is flushed and dried. Following
this, the line replaceable units (LRUs) are replaced and any discrepancies repaired, which is then
followed by the electrical and pneumatic checkout. Once everything is revalidated, the
components are moved to the installation site. In addition to these functions, the facility also
conducts electrical, tile and thermal protection system (TPS) repairs on the OMS pods and the
individual modules. Due to the hazardous nature of the hypergolic fuels, safety precautions such
as full-body self-contained atmospheric protective ensemble (SCAPE) suits and vapor
concentration monitors are used throughout.
DESCRIPTION: The Industrial Vernacular style HMP has overall dimensions of approximately
128 feet (ft) in length (north-south), 110 ft in width (east-west), and 59 ft in height. The facility is
constructed of 12-inch nominal concrete block walls, a poured concrete slab foundation, and a
flat, built-up roof. It is arranged so that there are two high bays, to the east and west, separated by
a two-level low bay with a one-story projection to the north and a one-story annex area to the
south. The north elevation historically served as the main façade of the facility, with the main
entrance at the center of the projection. This entrance has since been filled in, but the elevation
retains a set of metal steps to the roof of the projection, which provides access to the second floor
of the low bay through two metal swing doors. The north elevation of each high bay has a foursection
metal vertical lift door, approximately 22 ft in width and 40 ft in height. The doors are
surrounded by a projecting pocket, roughly 3.5 ft deep, which contains the door tracks and lifting
mechanisms. The south elevation of the HMP contains three pairs of metal swing doors at the
ground level. There is also a pair of metal swing doors to the second level of the low bay, which