|
-Description |
Overview (U):(U) The Eastern Range (ER) is located at Cape Canaveral AFS on the Atlantic Coast of Florida at approximately 28.5N, 80.6W, and is used to launch Air Force missions that require launch in an easterly direction. Orbital launches from the ER are limited to azimuths between 37 and 112 degrees. The latitude of the ER is approximately 28.5 degrees, so the orbital inclination of ER launches is 28.5 degrees for a due east launch. The missions flown from the ER include the STS for NASA and the Titan III/IV, Atlas I/II/IIA/IIAS, and Delta 6925/7925 for the Air Force and commercial users. |
(U) Cape Canaveral Air Station (CCAS), located 21 miles north of Patrick Air Force Base (PAFB), serves as the Eastern Range space processing and launch area. The 45th Space Wing provides spacecraft processing, launch and tracking facilities, safety procedures, and test data to a wide variety of customers and manages launch operations for DoD space programs.
(U) Government launch operations from the Eastern Range include: Titan IV (SLC-40 and SLC-41); Atlas IIA and Atlas IIAS (SLC-36A/B); and Delta II (SLC-17A/B).
(U) Cape Canaveral facilities include launch complexes, booster and payload assembly buildings, and other elements essential to the assembly, prelaunch, launch, and postlaunch operations of space and ballistic vehicles. One advantage of the range is the proximity to the equator to launch vehicles in GEO. Another advantage is over-water flight trajectories that make long-range missile flights possible over an area relatively free of world shipping lanes and inhabited land masses.
(U) The Range Operations Control Center (ROCC) complex provides flight safety, weather, scheduling, and instrumentation target designation support in real time for each missile and space launch.
(U) There is a 48 hour turnaround time for the Eastern Range, affecting operability. The complexity of the current telemetry format causes delays in generating the required TT&C capability. Processes required to regenerate the TEL-4 telemetry system (6 hours) and communications patch panel (12 hours) are also excessive. The relatively short timelines associated with the generation phase indicate the range is reasonably reliable in this phase. This has also been supported by the AFSPC/LG launch delay study.
(U) The Delta II Space Launch Complex (SLC) 17 requires repair because of structural corrosion. Other infrastructure replacements include: electrical distribution and fire protection to at least 85% of critical launch and range facilities; environmental systems at SLC-17, Ascension Communications Facility, and Range Control Center; 80% of roofs and related structural deficiencies; and finish installation of backup power for at least 90% of the critical launch facilities.
(U) The ER provides east coast facilities and launch support for national, DoD and commercial satellites.
(U) Operational.
(U) None.
| Name | Title |
|---|---|
| Antigua | Antigua |
| Atlas | Atlas |
| CBM with Common Aero-Vehicle | Conventional Ballistic Missile (CBM) with Common Aero-Vehicle (CAV) |
| CBM with MNNRV | Conventional Ballistic Missile (CBM) with Maneuverable Non-Nuclear Reentry Vehicle (MNNRV) |
| Delta II | Delta II |
| DSCS II | Defense Satellite Communications System (DSCS) II |
| DSCS III | Defense Satellite Communications System (DSCS) III |
| DSCS Service Life Enhance Prog | Defense Satellite Communications System (DSCS) Service Life Enhancement Program (SLEP) |
| DSP | Defense Support Program (DSP) |
| EELV (HLV) | Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) Heavy Lift Vehicle (HLV) |
| EELV (MLV) | Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) Medium Lift Vehicle (MLV) |
| FLTSATCOM | Fleet Satellite Communications (FLTSATCOM) |
| GEOSAT | Geodetic/Geophysical Satellite (GEOSAT) |
| GPS Block IIA | NAVSTAR Global Positioning System(GPS) Block IIA |
| GPS Block IIF | NAVSTAR Global Positioning System(GPS) Block IIF |
| GPS Block IIR | NAVSTAR Global Positioning System(GPS) Block IIR |
| IUS | Inertial Upper Stage (IUS) |
| Milstar I | Milstar I |
| Milstar II | Milstar II |
| Range Upgrades | Range Upgrades (RANGEU) |
| RSA Phase 1 | Range Standardization and Automation (RSA) Phase 1 |
| RSA Phase 2A/B | Range Standardization and Automation (RSA) Phase 2A/B |
| Shuttle Operations | Shuttle Operations |
| Titan IVA | Titan IVA |
| Titan IVB | Titan IVB |
| UHF Follow-on (UFO) | Ultra High Frequency (UHF) Follow-on (UFO) |
| Name | Title |
|---|---|
| Launch Complexes | Launch Complexes |
| Spacelift | Spacelift |
| Name | Title |
|---|---|
| SPACE FORCES SUPPORT | SPACE FORCES SUPPORT |
(U) None.
Air Force.
(U) DoD: USD(A&T) and OASD(C3I), Pentagon, Washington, DC
(U) Service Staff: SAF/AQS, Pentagon, Washington, DC
(U) Major Command: AFMC/SMC, Los Angeles AFB, CA
(U) Program Management: AFPEO/Space, Pentagon, Washington, DC
(U) Lt Col Everett Thomas, Open Phone: DSN 467-9017.
(U) 07 November 1997
(U) Road Map Production Date: 23 June 2001