Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Transit Day 21 - ACS Arrival Home Port

Today we arrived at Home Port and completed the ACS Voyage to Mission Success. Our fellow teammates and sister ship still have a few more days to go before their voyage is complete but Captain Knutsen will bring her in around the 20th of December in time for the Christmas holidays.
Captain Atle Knutsen on board the Launch Platform

So for the last post with respect to this voyage, I thought it would be interesting to post a few fun facts:
  • 5,764 nautical miles sailed this mission from Home Port to the launch site and back
  • 4,755,097 gallons of seawater taken on board the LP for ballasting down at the launch site

  • 10,567 gallons of seawater used for the launch pad fire-fighting test on L-3 day

  • 197,000 gallons of freshwater produced on board the ACS out of seawater
  • 5 seconds is all takes for the ILV main engine to reach 1.6 million pounds of thrust
  • It takes 150 seconds for the ILV to climb from sea level to 70 km (43.5 miles)
  • PLU Radio Frequency (RF) team conducts 10,000 hrs of testing and verifications to support one launch attempt
  • This mission Spacecraft Radio Frequency Support System (SCRFS) availability rate was 99.995%!
  • Boeings SCRFS system is used as a direct interface between the customers electrical ground support equipment and the satellite at 6.5 kilometers away.
  • PLU RF SBand and SCRFS systems recorded 75.55 Gigabits of data prior to and during the launch for use in post flight analysis
  • On one launch our photo-optics team uses over 6,000 feet of film in 11 cameras, more than 240,000 frames in about 40 seconds.
  • The weather radar did more than 92,000 scans to assist our launch weather specialist, Mike Patnoe, with preparation of 30 weather forecasts during the voyage.
  •  16,300 kilograms is the weight of the LP hangar roof

  • The temperature of the rocket plume affecting the launch deck at lift off is 1500°C

  • 562 people total transferred between the ACS and LP at the launch site in support of pre-launch and post-launch operations
 

  •  4008 liters of Jet-A helicopter fuel used for 74 helicopter flights performed at sea

  • It took Bosun and the Carpenter 40 hrs to create the Eutelsat 70B Mission Buoy

  • 15,731 meals served on board the ACS during the voyage

  • 75 bottles of champagne consumed as part of the champagne toast following our successful launch
  • 8400 eggs consumed on board the ACS during our 3 week voyage
  • 2,150 lbs of laundry detergent and dish soap used on board the ACS by the catering department

  • This mission our FAA auditor Ed Springer ran 97.3 miles on the treadmill and covered 400 miles on the stationary bike while training for his upcoming Ironman race!

  • 237 people are looking forward to walking on land for the first time in 21 days!

Transit Day 20-Almost Home

As we sail toward Home Port today, the launch team has completed a very successful launch of Eutelsat’s 70B satellite; the post launch quick look report is completed with no significant issues identified; the 70B spacecraft is healthy and has successfully deployed its solar arrays and reflectors and is now drifting into its orbital slot; it is truly a successful voyage.

In parallel, the launch team is gearing up for our next launch in January. There have been daily calls with the team back at Home Port finalizing operations schedules, and personnel planning. The spacecraft is already at Home Port undergoing stand-alone operations. The Boeing built payload assembly arrived to Home Port on 5 December and is undergoing stand-alone processing. The Zenit 1st and 2nd stages are on the way to Home Port having just passed through the Panama canal a few days ago. The Block DM-SL upper stage is currently on the ACS and will begin stand-alone operations after the ACS returns to Home Port. There is a lot of good energy flowing as we have completed 5 launches in 15 months following completion of our reorganization in October 2010. It is not an easy business to compete in and just having backlog is not enough you need to be able to effectively execute and deliver on the 3 R’s of a launch service company; Reliable, Repeatable and a positively Rememberable experience, one customer at a time. Sea Launch knows how to do just that and has demonstrated our ability to execute where some of the new providers are struggling to develop the momentum required to deliver on the 3 R’s.

Over the past 20 days I have written about many of the team that are up in the front rows on executing a successful mission. But It takes a lot of support to execute a launch regardless of the launch vehicle and no matter where in the world the launch site is located. Most land based launch sites are supported by the local community for hotels, restaurants, medical facilities and entertainment. The launch site itself has multiple facilities and is spread out over a large amount of acreage. Sea Launch is different, in that our facility at Home Port is quite small in comparison. Our hotel, restaurant, medical, entertainment and launch vehicle integration/assembly facility, fueling hall, launch control center, and helipad are located right here on the ACS. As a result we have a number of people who provide support to our infrastructure that, although not directly involved in the aerospace aspect of the mission, play a significant role in keeping the machine running in top form. I have written quite a bit about the great job that Chef Geir and the entire catering team under Chief Catering Officer Ove Rosenberg provide. There are others, for instance we have a small hospital on board run by Dr. Sergey Feldman. Dr. Feldman is here to treat most minor injuries and sickness and in case of more serious situations he is capable of stabilizing the patient until we are able to get them to a hospital or medical facility. Dr. Feldman and Nurse Mildred Dadis have been working behind the scenes to keep all of us healthy.
 
Nurse Mildred Dadis and Dr. Sergey Feldman in the ACS Hospital...
 
The heart of the ship is the “Engine Room.” Chief Engineer Jarle Ringdal is responsible for all the technical aspects of the marine systems of which most of them can be found in the engine room. The ACS is powered by two eight cylinder Wartsila Diesel Engines each outputting approximately 10500 horsepower. The two engines drive a single shaft with a variable pitch propeller. The shaft spins at a fixed speed and the speed of the vessel is controlled by varying the pitch of the propeller. The engine room is manned by two people 24 hours a day working shifts of 4 hours with an 8 hour rest period between. Most of the time we rarely see these guys but they are hard at work keeping the vessel running in top form. Chief Engineer Ringdal’s team includes:

  • Motor Men, Ernesto Laosantos, & Joel Pacheco
  • Wiper, Marlon Lopez
  • Chief Electrician, Hans Myre
  • Electrician, Igor Medvind
  • Electronics, Kim Sjolund
  • Refer Engineer, Reynaldo Abonador
  • 1st Engineer, Johan Txolix
  • 3rd Engineer, Eugenio Razodon
  • 3rd Engineer, Reynaldo Andal

Congratulations to Chief Engineer Ringdal’s team they have performed flawlessly this mission and although we rarely see them, their contribution and hard work does not go unnoticed.
 
ACS Chief Engineer, Jarle Ringdal and Engine Room Watch Team

ACS Chief Engineer, Jarle Ringdal explains the engine room control system to a tour

Hanging in the Engine Control room is the plaque commemorating the birth of the ACS back in 1997..

Nothing but Diesel Engines to see...

Each of the two Diesels adorned with a bronze identification plaque, awful small plaque for such a big engine...

Now that is a valve... Chief Engineer Ringdal demonstrates the size of one of the cylinder valves... There are 4 of these per cylinder...
 
Well organized tools...

We also have a stellar laundry service on board, after all we are hoteling over 230 guests and that means bed linens, towels, uniforms, personal clothing. Just like a hotel you drop off in the morning and by the afternoon your clothes are hanging on your cabin door, only difference it’s no charge. Thanks to Nicolas Perez and Vergel Repia for your hard work keeping our laundry clean.

Nicolas Perez and Vergel Repia at work in the laundry...not much rest for these two guys...

In addition to the Marine crew and launch team we also have two U.S. Government monitors from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on board; Charles Huet and Ed Springer. These guys are here to not only monitor operations to ensure we remain compliant with our launch license but they integrate into the team and help us achieve a successful mission. Charles took some time and wrote nearly 2 pages of of his impressions about the launch campaign, here are some excerpts from his input:

What are two inspectors from the FAA doing on a ship in the middle of the Pacific? Well it all started when Sea Launch needed a launch license from somewhere in the world. Originally, Sea Launch decided to be based out of the Cayman Islands and be under British law. However, Sea Launch found US regulations to be easier to work with so they applied for a US launch license. The FAA has delegated authority from The Secretary of Transportation under US statute to issue licenses and inspect launches in order to ensure public safety, safety of uninvolved property, and interests of the US government. The office responsible for carrying out this duty is the Office of Commercial Space Transportation (AST), a line of business within the FAA under the DOT. As safety inspectors, we ensure the public is protected by monitoring license applicants like Sea Launch to ensure compliance with Federal regulations and representations made by Sea Launch in their application.

A typical day begins with the sound of the alarm at 7 am. A quick shower at a coordinated time and off to breakfast. The galley greets you with an all you can eat buffet of scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, Spam, oatmeal, cheese. After breakfast we grab our laptops and setup in the “office”, an open space with tables in the Boeing area formerly known as customer area 2. A quick check on emails and off we go to the Mission Director’s (MD) meeting at 8:30. We then meet with the safety official to go over the meeting schedule and decide what meetings we should attend. Meetings range from off nominal discussions, to vessel position decisions, to post launch reviews, to crisis at sea plans. There are also two rehearsals prior to launch.

After the launch the long voyage home begins. We still keep busy with hot wash meetings and post launch review meetings, but the nights seem to last forever. Sea Launch tries to keep spirits up by having some sort of activity in the bar every night. With the launch completed, thoughts turn to returning home. I leave the ship exited to return home but a little sad that I am leaving my shipmates behind and the ship that became my home for the last three weeks.

FAA Monitors, Charles Huet and Ed Springer

Finally recognition has to go out to the two people on board that allow us to communicate across the language barrier, our translators. When I first started running the ELUS company one of my first statements was addressed toward communication… “Communication is the essence of what we do, our ability to effectively communicate will ultimately determine our success. I truly believe in this statement. We can have the smartest Rocket Scientists sitting around a table but if we cannot communicate then we are doomed for failure. Sasha Trushkin and Elena Pysher are the keystones to our ability to effectively work across the English-Russian language barrier for without them we would be just a bunch of smart Rocket Scientists sitting around a table, with them we are Sea Launch… Every document, every meeting, every rehearsal, every integrated social event and of course launch requires translation, there is no shortage of work for them to perform and it is just not casual conversation it is Rocket Science that they translate flawlessly, allowing us to effectively communicate and execute our mission.
Elena Pysher with an equatorial sunset in the background...
 
Sasha Trushkin translating to Def Leppard's Hysteria album...how else can you explain that grin...

There are still many of the team that I have not had time to address by name but each and every person on the ACS and LP fills a specific role and contributes to our Voyage to Success and on behalf of ELUS and Sea Launch Thank you and Great Job!

Transit Day 19 – Sunday Day of Rest and Balut

Today is a rest day so not much going on.  Tonight, in the ACS bar, we will celebrate all those who had birthdays on the voyage and Captain Lars will recognize and award certificates to those slimy “Pollywogs” that became “Shellbacks” and sons of Neptune on this voyage for crossing the equator for the first time on board a sea going vessel. For the most part people relaxed today as there were no meetings on the schedule.  As a result there was a lot of time spent in one’s cabin so thought it would be a good time to take a look inside and see how we live. 

There are a few different class of cabins on board the ACS and they vary from VIP State Rooms to 3 person cabins.  For the most part we try to limit the cabins to no more than two persons so as to provide comfortable living arrangements for all.  The VIP Staterooms are limited to Customers and Executive Launch Management for each segment.  Each of the major suppliers receive a block of rooms that they will utilize to house their teams and subcontractors during the voyage.

The VIP State Rooms are two room suites with a small vestibule and bathroom as shown below.
 
Living Area

Living Area

Bedroom

Bedroom 

A typical 1st Class Cabin is for a single person and is shown below.
 

 
A typical 3-person cabin has two bunk beds and a fold down bed as shown below.

Two bunks on the right...

Fold down bunk on the left

Desk
 
It is easy for me to state that the living arrangements are tolerable since I am extremely fortunate to have a VIP Stateroom. But for those that need to share a room it sometimes, as you can imagine, might not be so pleasant specifically for those who have not lived with a roommate for years. Overall we try to accommodate requests for specific roommates so as to make the journey as pleasurable as possible.

The big news for the day happens to be my invite from last night in the bar to join the Semco team in Room 35 for my inaugural Balut game. I joined Semco’s Steen Nielsen, Jesper Hansen and Ivan Johnsen (former World Champ) for a friendly game of Balut.  Now I am a rookie in all sense of the word as I have no idea how to play this game but all of the Semco guys were very helpful and guided me through the first game.  I was paying particular attention to Ivan as he was after all a World Champion at this game. But apparently, even World Champions have bad days as I think I witnessed Ivan go through 3 different sets of dice, 3 dice shaker cups and matching pads trying to find luck.  But nothing seemed to work for him as the luck was not with him.  However, using the full potential of my “Beginners Luck” and the guidance from all 3 of the Semco guys I was able to walk away a victor in my initial game and now I am hooked for life.  Thanks to Steen, Jesper and Ivan for the invite and good time.

My Virgin Balut Scorecard...Winner!
 
Some photos from Birthday night and Equator crossing ceremony, enjoy.

What is a birthday without a little cake?

This one was really good...

Must have been fabulous as it went quick...

Also really good...

ELUS's Loads Specialist, Mike Sanders recieves his Shellback Certificate from Captain Lars...


ELUS Photo Optics Scott Crozier receives his certificate....
 
Now this is a face of a Shellback...

Captain Lars extends a greeting to RSC Energia, Evgeny Shabarov

RSC Energia's Deputy Mission Director Igor Bogachev and Yuzhnoye's Konstantyn Vorontsov watch the proceedings...
 

Monday, December 10, 2012

Transit Day 18 – The Buoy Reveal

Today is the day where the Marine Crew expresses their thanks to the customer by presenting them with a hand painted life buoy commemorating the launch.  This has been a tradition since Sea Launch’s first launch and photos of each of the buoys adorn the walls of the ACS bar.  The buoy is hand painted by the ships Bosun and Carpenter and is revealed in the ACS bar just prior to the Captains farewell dinner.

The Eutelsat 70B Buoy awaiting the reveal...

Captain Lars introduces Ships Carpenter, Efren Fernandez and Bosun, Alfredo Andal

Ships Carpenter, Efren Fernandez and Bosun, Alfredo Andal ready to reveal... drum roll...


The Reveal...


Group photo...

Eutelsat's Craig Williamson and Peter Newell pose with the addition...


Astrium's Florent Fauthous, and Pierre-Yves Barat join Eutelsat's Craig Williamson and Peter Newell with the Buoy..

Chief Engineer Jarle Ringdal and Captain Lars Haaheim pose with the Buoy...
 
Eutelsat 70B Buoy...
 
 
Captain Lars Haaheim hosted the final farewell dinner in the VIP Dining Room.  Chef Geir and the catering team delivered another spectacular meal enjoyed by all, here are some of the highlights.

The Table...

The Toast...

The 1st Course - Galley Crab Salad

The Toast...Round 2

The 2nd Course - Broiled Filet of Chilean Sea Bass, Baby Fennel, Buttery Saffron Sauce, & Risotto...

 

The Chefs - 1st Cook Peter Navarro and Chef Geir Haugen...

The Main Course - Medallion of Venison, Butter Fried Chanterelles, Apple & Onion Compote, Hassle Baked Potatoes in a Port Wine Sauce...

The Photo Op - Jenneth Cunanan, Ronwald Christian David, Jethel Obamos
 

The Team - Jethel Obamos, Ove Rosenberg,Jenneth Cunanan ,Marcelo Montero

The Benefit of being the photographer for the evening...

The Thank you....

After dinner we adjourned to the ACS bar and enjoyed the festivities.  It is there that I was awarded an honor of being invited to Room 35 tomorrow, Sunday, at 2pm to play my first game of Balut with the Semco team... I am excited about this opportunity as I am intrigued with the game itself and the social atmosphere about the game. And I am going to learn from a World Champion, Ivan Johnsen... Something to report out about tomorrow.