PAYLOAD USER’S GUIDE

Falcon User’s Guide
coming to VAFB via the airfield must clear customs at LAX or another port of entry prior to arrival at
VAFB.
As a standard service, SpaceX will arrange for the customer’s spacecraft container and all associated test
and support equipment to be offloaded from the plane and transported to the payload processing facility.
Ground transport services can also be provided by AstroTech or Spaceport System International; SpaceX
can facilitate these as a nonstandard service.
8.3 Spacecraft Processing
SpaceX provides an ISO Class 8 (Class 100,000) PPF for processing customer spacecraft, including
equipment unloading, unpacking/packing, final assembly, nonhazardous flight preparations, and payload
checkout. The payload processing facility is available to customers from four weeks prior to launch, with
16 hours per day standard availability and access during that period. Additional time in the payload
processing facility may be available as a nonstandard service. The PPF layouts for VAFB and CCAFS are
shown in Figure 8-2 and Figure 8-3, respectively.
Services and equipment provided for satellite processing within the PPF are outlined in Table 8-1.
Additional space is provided for customer ground support equipment and operations personnel. A facility
HVAC system maintains payload processing facility environments. SpaceX will continuously monitor
relative humidity, temperature and cleanliness in the payload processing facility using particle counters.
Cleanliness monitoring using witness plates is available as a nonstandard service. After encapsulation and
prior to launch vehicle mate, SpaceX will verify purge media source and ducting cleanliness. The
customer must supply any necessary cables and converters for its ground support equipment to interface
with payload processing facility power. SpaceX can supply alternative power sources as a nonstandard
service.
The PPF is also designed to accommodate hazardous operations such as hypergolic propellant loading and
ordnance installation. Any required fueling operations will be performed by customer personnel with
assistance from SpaceX personnel. All personnel must use certified SCAPE suits, pass a physical and
attend SCAPE training classes.
All spacecraft processing operations within the PPF must be completed by L-10 days to allow for mating
to the payload adapter, fairing encapsulation and transportation to the launch vehicle integration hangar in
preparation for launch.
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