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Nike Launch Procedure |
Two Stage Flight
Pre-Flight Operations T-72
Hours
1.
Verify resistance of all “DaveyFire” electric
matches.
a)
1.6 ohms nominal
b)
Igniters
i)
Primary
sustainer igniter (two each)
ii)
Backup sustainer
igniter (two each)
iii)
Booster motor igniters
(three per engine)
iv)
Outboard motor
igniters (one per engine)
c)
Ejection Matches
i)
Primary drogue
ii)
Backup drogue
iii)
Primary Main
charge
iv)
Backup Main
charge
v)
R/C Controlled
Main charge
i)
R/C Controlled
Drogue charge
vi)
Primary booster
chute
vii)
Backup booster
chute
viii)
Primary &
backup separation charge
2.
Dip igniters
i)
Primary
sustainer igniter (two each)
ii)
Backup sustainer
igniter (two each)
iii)
Booster motor
igniters (three per engine)
3.
Make ejection canisters
a)
Primary drogue
X.X grams
b)
Backup drogue
X.X grams
c)
Primary Main charge
4.5 grams each
d)
Backup Main
charge 5.5 grams each
e)
R/C Controlled
Main charge 6.0 grams
f)
R/C Controlled
Drogue charge X.X grams
g)
Primary booster
chute 2.5 grams
h)
Backup booster
chute 3.0 grams
i)
Primary booster
separation charge 1.0 grams
j)
Backup booster
separation charge 1.5 grams
4.
Roll and
pack chutes into deployment bags.
i)
Drogue chute
ii)
Main chute
iii)
Booster chute
5.
Z-fold
and tape all shock cords
i)
Drogue cord
ii)
Main cord
iii)
Booster cord
Launch Preparations T-3 Hours (in the safe area)
6.
Electronics Prep
a)
Warm batteries
to operating temperature
b)
Load test all
batteries
c)
Install
batteries into electronics
d)
Secure battery
mounting clamp assembly.
e)
Set/Verify
electronics switch settings
i)
Booster
Altimeter Settings
a)
Redundant Apogee
mode
b)
8 Seconds of
Mach delay
ii)
Primary Altimeter
Settings
iii)
Backup Altimeter
Settings
a)
Apogee Delay ON
iv)
Primary &
Backup Timer Settings
a)
Channel 1
(1)
3 Seconds
b)
Channel 2
(1)
4 Seconds
v)
Outboard Timer
Settings
a)
Channel 1
(1)
12 Seconds
b)
Channel 2
(1)
17 Seconds
f)
Mount sustainer
electronics
g)
Mount booster
electronics
7.
Recovery Systems
a)
Install shunt
plugs
i)
Port side shunts
ii)
Starboard side
shunts
iii)
Topside shunts
iv)
Booster shunts
b)
Install ejection
canisters & thread igniter wires through conduits
i)
Nose Cone
Charges
a)
Primary drogue
b)
Backup drogue
c)
R/C Controlled
drogue charge
ii)
Sustainer main
body charge
a)
Primary Main
charge
b)
Backup Main
charge
c)
R/C Controlled
Main charge
iii)
Booster Section
charges
a)
Primary booster
chute
b)
Backup booster
chute
c)
Separation
charge
c)
Install
sustainer main chute recovery material.
d)
Insert main
shock cord into main body
e)
Attach main
chute to shock cord and install.
f)
Insert nose cone
coupler into main body
g)
Install nose
cone coupler to main body shear pins
h)
Install drogue
chute recovery material
i)
Insert drogue
shock cord
j)
Attach drogue to
shock cord and insert
k)
Attach nose
cone, and insert nose cone to main body shear pins
8.
Motor Prep
a)
Assemble
sustainer primary / backup igniter onto dowel
b)
Assemble booster
igniters onto dowels
c)
Verify engines
and reloads are at temperature.
d)
Assembly reloads
i)
Ensure last
grain of each reload is well scuffed.
ii)
Paint upper part
of last grain with pyrogen
9.
Fill out flight card.
10.
Secure RSO preflight checkout
11.
Transport rocket to the pad
At the Pad T-30
12.
Booster
Section
a)
Slide booster
onto rail
b)
Verify engine
closure tightness
c)
Install booster
igniters and tape to each engine.
d)
Install the
booster motors.
e)
Install booster
motor retainers
f)
Position booster
against rail stop.
g)
Join booster
igniters
h)
DO NOT CONNECT
BOOSTER IGNITERS TO LAUNCH CONTROLLER AT THIS TIME!!!
i)
Independent
igniter wiring verification
13.
Place sustainer onto rail
a)
Attach sustainer
rail supports to rail.
b)
Rest sustainer
onto rail supports.
c)
Verify engine
closure tightness
d)
Install Primary
/ Backup igniter assembly and tape to engine.
e)
Install
sustainer main engine
f)
Pull main engine
igniter leads through conduits
g)
Outboard engines
(if used for this flight)
i)
Install outboard
igniters and tape to engines.
ii)
Install outboard
motors
iii)
Pull sustainer
motor igniter leads through conduits
iv)
Install
sustainer motor retainers
14.
Join Sustainer to Booster
a)
Remove
inter-stage adapter covers
b)
Align
inter-stage adapter dowels with sustainer section
c)
Seat sustainer
into booster inter-stage adapter
d)
Independent
verification of seating and igniter positioning via inter-stage adapter sight hole
e)
Install both
inter-stage adapter cover plates
15.
Connect sustainer recovery electronics
a)
Primary drogue
to Electronics Unit #4
a)
Primary Main
charges to Electronics Unit #4
b)
Backup drogue to
Electronics Unit #5
b)
Backup Main
charges to Electronics Unit #5
c)
R/C Controlled
Main charges to Electronics Unit #6
d)
R/C Controlled
Drogue charges to Electronics Unit #6
c)
Install primary
and backup sustainer recovery electronics cover
16.
Connect sustainer ignition electronics
a)
Connect primary
sustainer igniter to Electronics Unit #2.
b)
Connect backup
sustainer igniter Electronics Unit #3
c)
Connect outboard
igniters to Electronics Unit #7
d)
Independent
igniter wiring verification
e)
Install primary
and backup sustainer ignition electronics cover
17.
Connect booster recovery electronics
e)
Connect primary
booster chute charge to Electronics Unit #1
f)
Connect backup
booster chute charge to Electronics Unit #1
a)
Install booster
electronics cover plate.
18.
Erect the launcher
a)
Verify sustainer
to booster seating.
b)
Verify Booster
alignment onto rail support.
c)
“Iwo Jima”
the launcher and lock in place
d)
Remove sustainer
rail supports.
19.
Clear all unnecessary personnel from the pad area
20.
Arm the rocket
a)
Arm port side
electronics
b)
Arm starboard
side electronics
c)
Arm topside
electronics
d)
Arm booster
electronics
e)
Connect booster
motors to launch system. Verification REQUIRED
f)
Remove Shunts
and verify continuity
i)
Port side shunts
ii)
Starboard side
shunts
iii)
Topside shunts
iv)
Booster shunts
21.
Pose for pictures at launch pad.
22.
Setup the close-up video camera and tripod. Set the
focus and framing. Leave the camera in the standby position.
23.
Return to behind the flight line
Behind
the flight line
24.
Verify shunt plug flag count (four total).
25.
Inform LCO we are “GO FOR LAUNCH” with a hold for
status check. Inform LCO this will be a “HEADS UP” flight and requiring a “High
Altitude” wavier.
26.
When the LCO informs us we are the next to launch,
a)
Flight-line
camera operator starts flight line camera.
b)
Close-up video
operator starts pad-camera. Adjust focus and framing.
c)
Close-up video
operator returns to behind the flight line.
d)
Man the R/C
chicken switch
e)
Flight crew
reports go/no go status
i)
Close Video
operator
ii)
Flight-line
video operator
iii)
R/C chicken switch
operator
iv)
Procedures
v)
Booster recovery
spotters
27.
Inform LCO we are “GO FOR LAUNCH”.
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