4.1.6 Pre-flight Reviews & Tests
Long before a balloon project achieves the point where the scientific payload is
being checked out at the CSBF, it has already gone through a formal process of
reviews that can begin years ahead of time. These reviews would have included
Program Approval, a variety of Program Assessment Reviews, Internal Reviews,
as well as others. They would have involved people from the sponsoring NASA
Headquarters level down through the Directorate, Division and Center levels of
management. Once the balloon project got to the WFF Balloon Program Office,
this would trigger another set of reviews. Once the payload got to CSBF, there
would be other more specific tests and reviews, and the same would be true on
arrival at the launch site.
Once a payload has been through all the programmatic reviews in Washington,
Goddard Space Flight Center and the Wallops Flight Facility/Balloon Program
Office, the payload is shipped to the CSBF were it is finally assembled with all the
payload components, all the balloon components, the SSBF equipment, the solar
panels and so on. Then the functional tests during the Compatibility Test involve
a “hang test” on the launch vehicle. At this stage the team verifies that everything
is working as planned. Usually a Mission Readiness Review (MRR) occurs shortly
thereafter. If the CSBF is the launch site, it remains there for final tests and launch,
otherwise it is disassembled, packed and shipped to the launch site.
Once the payload arrives at the launch site, the assembly process is repeated as
well as a Compatibility Test and, finally, a Flight Readiness Review (FRR) just
prior to launch. With the balloon and its payload fully integrated at the pad, the
CSBF team invites the Principal Investigator to give a “thumbs up” to proceed
with the launch.
While the above might be the general rule, each payload is different, as are the
particular scheduled events.
For a specific example, the following is an actual case for the recent launch of
SuperTIGER at Williams Field, McMurdo Station as provided by the Principal
Investigator, Dr. Brian Rauch of the Washington University in St. Louis. It has
been edited and summarized.
August 15, 2019
The Compatibility Test at the CSBF: The payload is taken outside
and suspended on a crane or launch vehicle where it must show it
can operate on its own power over all of the communications
channels, including receiving commands and sending telemetry.
October 4, 2019
Mission Readiness Review (MRR): Required prior to shipment of
the payload to Antarctica.
November, 2019
The team deploys.
December 11, 2019
Completed the Compatibility Test and Flight Readiness Review
(FRR): Final payload weight and ballast. Final plan details and
CSBF/BPO responsibilities discussed.
December 12, 2019
Received the Authority to Proceed (ATP) from BPO.
December 16, 2019
Launched.
January 16, 2019
Landed.
4.1 Mission Drivers 69
Long before a balloon project achieves the point where the scientific payload is
being checked out at the CSBF, it has already gone through a formal process of
reviews that can begin years ahead of time. These reviews would have included
Program Approval, a variety of Program Assessment Reviews, Internal Reviews,
as well as others. They would have involved people from the sponsoring NASA
Headquarters level down through the Directorate, Division and Center levels of
management. Once the balloon project got to the WFF Balloon Program Office,
this would trigger another set of reviews. Once the payload got to CSBF, there
would be other more specific tests and reviews, and the same would be true on
arrival at the launch site.
Once a payload has been through all the programmatic reviews in Washington,
Goddard Space Flight Center and the Wallops Flight Facility/Balloon Program
Office, the payload is shipped to the CSBF were it is finally assembled with all the
payload components, all the balloon components, the SSBF equipment, the solar
panels and so on. Then the functional tests during the Compatibility Test involve
a “hang test” on the launch vehicle. At this stage the team verifies that everything
is working as planned. Usually a Mission Readiness Review (MRR) occurs shortly
thereafter. If the CSBF is the launch site, it remains there for final tests and launch,
otherwise it is disassembled, packed and shipped to the launch site.
Once the payload arrives at the launch site, the assembly process is repeated as
well as a Compatibility Test and, finally, a Flight Readiness Review (FRR) just
prior to launch. With the balloon and its payload fully integrated at the pad, the
CSBF team invites the Principal Investigator to give a “thumbs up” to proceed
with the launch.
While the above might be the general rule, each payload is different, as are the
particular scheduled events.
For a specific example, the following is an actual case for the recent launch of
SuperTIGER at Williams Field, McMurdo Station as provided by the Principal
Investigator, Dr. Brian Rauch of the Washington University in St. Louis. It has
been edited and summarized.
August 15, 2019
The Compatibility Test at the CSBF: The payload is taken outside
and suspended on a crane or launch vehicle where it must show it
can operate on its own power over all of the communications
channels, including receiving commands and sending telemetry.
October 4, 2019
Mission Readiness Review (MRR): Required prior to shipment of
the payload to Antarctica.
November, 2019
The team deploys.
December 11, 2019
Completed the Compatibility Test and Flight Readiness Review
(FRR): Final payload weight and ballast. Final plan details and
CSBF/BPO responsibilities discussed.
December 12, 2019
Received the Authority to Proceed (ATP) from BPO.
December 16, 2019
Launched.
January 16, 2019
Landed.
4.1 Mission Drivers 69