Земля-Космос

Soon after the Odyssey Launch Platform returned to Sea Launch Home Port in February, the cofferdam was moved from a parking lot to the pier, for installation under the pontoons. The cofferdam is a water-tight structure that permits workers to inspect external surfaces, propellers, etc., below the waterline. Originally scheduled for February, the inspectors were able to assess any post-mission damage. They found only some minor nicks that they were able to repair with polishing applications.

Because the cofferdam is such a large structure, a house-moving vehicle was employed to move the structure to the pier, where a large crane positioned it in the water, around the stern of the portside pontoon. In April, the cofferdam will be moved to the starboard pontoon, where inspections and repairs will continue.

Work begins on the Odyssey Launch Platform. Before repairs can be performed, the team assesses operations and functioning of the vessel, its support equipment and the launch support equipment. Here, members of the marine crew examine the roof of the hangar, which is designed to retract to accommodate the movement of the rocket as it is erected on the launch pad.

The transporter-erector is housed inside the hangar during launch operations. Following a full evaluation inspectors found no damage.

A test of the cable mast demonstrates its integrity for mission operations…
Here the mast is released from the erector (part of the transporter-erector launch support structure. The cable mast contains wires and connector cables that provide an electrical umbilical to the rocket. It releases at liftoff and is often visible in our launch photos. (Note that our photographer used a fisheye lens to capture some of this activity.)

Recovery activities ramp up, supplies, support equipment and contractors arrive on the Launch Platform for repairs and replacements as required. Here, the Odyssey's large yellow crane returns to operation after some cable repairs. While the bright yellow paint is obviously tarnished, the efficient function of the crane is a welcome support to recovery operations.

Scaffolding equipment is strategically placed at various locations on the launch deck.

Ladders are situated between the two great liquid oxygen tanks.

A mix of new cable and old pipes is gathered at the stern of the launch deck.

Removing the vent mast from the Launch Platform

The vent mast enables venting of gaseous elements, generated from nitrogen and liquid oxygen. Located on the starboard-side stern, the mast sustained some damage and must be removed from the launch deck for repairs.

The first step in this operation is cutting the mast from its base structure. Following repairs, it will be welded back in place.

A heavy support crane, based on the pier, extends up to the top of the mast to lift it (note that our photographer uses a fisheye lens in some of these photos, making the mast appear curved - it is actually straight). A worker is lifted in a box by another crane, to support the removal activity.

The vent mast is brought down to the pier, between the vessels, and is prepared for transport on a flatbed truck to a repair area at another area in Home Port.

Following the removal of the vent mast from the Launch Platform , a flatbed truck moves the structure to an area where workers could cut out damaged sections and replace with new parts. Here, the mast is lifted off the truck and positioned onto a work support.

Without delay, the repairs begin.

Assessment and Repairs of Communications Systems - Part 1

Communications plays a significant role in the requirements and operations of the vessels. On each of the Sea Launch vessels we have systems supporting Phones, FAX, Internet, Data, etc. To assess the operational status of these systems, the team has removed various antenna from the Launch Platform to inspect and repair as needed.

Here, the Inmarsat antenna is removed from its position.

Assessment and Repairs of Communications Systems - Part 2

Following the removal of the Inmarsat system, the team removes the SAT COM antenna, a standard Intelsat ground station that serves as the main communications downlink and uplink for Phone, FAX, Data and Internet services on the Launch Platform.

Assessment and Repairs of Communications Systems - Part 3

The process of bringing down the communication antennas is challenging. Sea Launch brings special cranes onto the pier, positioned between the vessels. The cranes have the capability to extend upward to more than 200 feet to pick up the heavy antennas and their related support structures and bring them safely to the ground.

Assessment and Repairs of Communications Systems - Part 4

The Marine Line of Sight provides a primary datalink between the Odyssey Launch Platform and the Sea Launch Commander, including two-way telephony and data flow. It also enables remote control of the platform from the bridge of the ship, during launch operations, when all personnel are positioned on the ship, including the captain of the Odyssey. Here, this antenna is lifted from the top of the platform's mast and carefully lowered to the pier for evaluation.

Wires and Cables

During the damage assessment phase of the Launch Platform, one of the most pervasive heat-affected elements inspectors identified was the wiring and cabling on and below the launch deck of the vessel. The team estimates that the marine segment alone requires more than nine miles and 35 different types of new cable. Cable-pulling and replacement efforts begin with the able support of Danish contractor, SEMCO Maritime.

Repairs to the vent mast are completed, leaving damaged parts behind . The structure is loaded onto a flatbed truck for transportation to an offsite painting facility.

Work on the pontoons is completed

Following work on the port pontoon where workers polished up the propeller and completed other previously scheduled maintenance items, the cofferdam was prepared for transfer to the starboard pontoon.

When work on the starboard pontoon is completed, the process of raising the cofferdam out of the water gets underway. Large yellow balloons are used to detach the cofferdam from the pontoon, with a team of experienced marine experts and frogmen managing the operation.

Here, the photographer captures the action from above, at the stern of the launch deck on the platform.

With the support of a barge-based crane and heavy-duty moving truck, the 50-metric ton (about 110,000 lbs) cofferdam is brought to a parking lot on site, where it will be stored until needed again in the future.

In preparation for the upcoming transition to repair work at a shipyard, the team goes about organizing logistics, schedules and deadlines, completing projects and storing equipment, as needed. Here, workers move the launch vehicle lifting beams from the hangar of the Launch Platform to an onsite warehouse at Home Port. The beams are the yellow brackets that are lowered on cables from the hangar and attached to the 1st and second stages of the rocket, enabling the lifting operation that occurs during rocket transfer, from the assembly hall on the ship to the hangar on the platform.

In preparation for the upcoming transition to repair work at a shipyard, the team goes about organizing logistics, schedules and deadlines, completing projects and storing equipment, as needed. Here, workers move the launch vehicle lifting beams from the hangar of the Launch Platform to an onsite warehouse at Home Port. The beams are the yellow brackets that are lowered on cables from the hangar and attached to the 1st and second stages of the rocket, enabling the lifting operation that occurs during rocket transfer, from the assembly hall on the ship to the hangar on the platform.

The gas deflector (also known as the flame deflector), is located directly beneath the launch pad, and was lost upon impact with the rocket after it lost thrust at ignition. This one-of-a-kind, 250-metric ton steel structure directs the engine exhaust away from the platform and controls the acoustic environment. A replacement gas deflector is under construction by its original manufacturer at a shipyard in St. Petersburg, Russia. The eight main frames are welded together before the installation of the covering plates begin. Here two of the frame sections are welded together. Once all the connecting pieces are welded, the plating installation begins.

Once repairs are completed on the Intelsat unit (see
page 9 for earlier reference) it is rolled down the pier and attached to a large crane, which raises it up over 200 feet for re-positioning in place on the Launch Platform.

Preparations on the Odyssey Launch Platform continue for the transition to the shipyard.

The Intelsat communication antenna has been repaired and returned to its position (large white dome at right). This image was made from the roof of the hangar, with the vessel's mast at center.

The launch deck is cleaned up and in good shape. The doors to the hangar, here at the aft-portside, will be re-installed on their tracks at the shipyard.

The paint has arrived and is ready for application.

The Odyssey Launch Platform departs for the Victoria Shipyard, at the Esquimalt Graving Dock in British Columbia, for repair work and painting.

Aboard this mission are a broad variety of professionals from around the world with expertise in launch support equipment, ships and large oil rigs.

As the platform sails off to the horizon, the Sea Launch Commander begins preparations for its sail to the shipyard as well. The ship will undergo routine maintenance and also support activities on the platform.

The Odyssey Launch Platform sails into Victoria Shipyard at the Esquimalt Graving Dock in Victoria, British Columbia. She pulls up alongside the dock and is greeted by the facility's gigantic cranes.

The vessel's uniquely designed hangar structure is once again clean and bright, as a result of painting completed at sea.

The Sea Launch Commander arrives and settles into its berth at the shipyard, where she will undergo routine maintenance.

With the arrival of the scaffolding materials and repair and painting supplies, workers at the shipyard set about their task of returning the Odyssey to its original condition. 

Each day's work at the shipyard begins with a meeting to coordinate all activities.

Supplies and support hardware are similarly organized for this large-scale work.

Plastic piping will be used as a sluice to move water from the power-washing process to a catch barge. This innovative process manages and contains output to prevent any environmental impact. Victoria Shipyards prides itself in its attention to enviornmental concerns.

Removing the starboard anchor… This anchor (and one like it on the portside) weighs 15 tons. The 500 meters of anchor chain adds challenge to this operation.

Scaffolding on the underside of the Launch Platform will support the power-washing and painting operations.

The gear staged on the launch deck continues to grow and yet remain well organized. The yellow baskets (right, foreground) are used to hoist gear and supplies up to the deck from the pier below.

Two barges with manlifts aboard are positioned beneath the Launch Platform for work on remnants of the gas deflector truss. The gas deflector itself was lost at sea during the January launch attempt - a new gas deflector has been fabricated and will be installed when the vessels return to Home Port.

Scaffold is built up around the first of the columns on starboard.

Work continues at the shipyard with supports and protection devices in strategic positions all over the Launch Platform. The large yellow crane at starboard is now freshly painted.

The scaffolding on the underside of the deck is now fully installed for the power-washing process. The green piping is also getting placed as a sluice to carry water to the catch barge.

Painting is underway inside the hangar and various support structures are under wrap for protection. Painters use the walkway above one of the large cranes to facilitate some of the work. The cranes are used during the transfer of the fully integrated rocket from assembly on the Sea
Launch Commander up to the platform hangar, where it is stored during transit to the launch site.

Shipyard repairs continue as supplies are loaded aboard the Odyssey Launch Platform by the shipyard's huge crane.

Scaffolding is erected on the starboard side.

Scaffolding for the port side rises from the port pontoon.

The forward hangar door is repaired in place...

... while the aft hangar door undergoes repairs and preparations for re-installation on their tracks

Installing the newly repaired marine line-of-sight (MLOS) antenna takes a lot of steady hands and and one of the West Coast's tallest marine cranes.

Marine-Line-Of-Sight International Installation Team, and the completed installation.

Sea Launch's prime contractor for launch system ground support, the Design Bureau for Transport Machinery (DBTM) of Moscow, Russia, completes fabrication of a new gas deflector for the Zenit-3SL launch system. The gas deflector (also known as the flame deflector), is a one-of-a-kind, 280 metric ton steel structure, including truss supports, that directs engine exhaust away from the platform and controls the acoustic environment. DBTM managed construction of the replacement structure near the Baltisky shipyard in St. Petersburg, Russia, where the original deflector was manufactured in the 1990s.

Here, the new gas deflector is loaded onto a cargo vessel, the Thor Amalie, which is scheduled to deliver it to Sea Launch Home Port in mid-August. The new deflector will be installed at the stern of the Odyssey Launch Platform, beneath the launch pad.

Re-installing the aft hangar doors on their tracks requires large cranes and careful precision... all in a day's work for our extraordinary team at the shipyard.

Working a 24 x 7 schedule at the shipyard, progress on the repairs and the painting forges ahead toward completion. Nothing is overlooked and quality rules on every operation.

With final painting projects underway, the TECO painting team begins the process of dismantling scaffolding and collecting it on a barge. TECO Coating Services ASA, a Norwegian subcontractor, specializes in the maintenance of floating offshore installations worldwide. Most of the painters working on the Launch Platform are experienced in large-scale oil rig repair and painting. Other workers working on the vessel are local to the Victoria Shipyard.

With work completed, the Sea Launch
Commander eases out of Victoria Shipyard and into the harbor.

With heavy repairs and large-scale painting completed, the
Odyssey Launch Platform departs Victoria Shipyard for marine tests with the Sea Launch
Commander. Sea Launch extends a greatful thanks for the outstanding leadership, work and accommodation of the shipyard as well as the warm hospitality and support of the people of Victoria.

(Sea Launch photos by
Les Lyshkov and Tod Milton)

As the Odyssey cruises out into the Strait of Juan de Fuca at the southern end of Vancouver Island, a robotic camera captures the vessel perfectly, in all her glory. Garry Fletcher, Educational Director for racerocks.com, graciously shared this image with us. In addition to observing the passage of our Launch Platform, the robotic cameras and networks of www.racerocks.com and Lester B. Pearson College also observe the local ecological environment.

Return to Mission Recovery Page

The Odyssey Launch Platform is spotted entering the Port of Long Beach and the Sea Launch team gathers at the pier to welcome her home.

As she approaches, we are excited to see how great she looks after her repairs and painting at the shipyard.

With the return of the vessels, work resumes at Sea Launch Home Port on a variety of activities, including secondary painting, installation of repaired structures and recertification of systems

Preparations for the installation of the gas deflector begin at the stern of the platform.

A team from the Design Bureau for Transport Machinery (DBTM) works on ground support components.

The large yellow crane on the starboard side of the platform is busy at work once again, now with a fresh coat of paint.

The gas deflector will be installed at the stern of the Odyssey Launch Platform, beneath the launch pad, replacing the structure that was lost during the launch attempt in January. Early in the recovery process, Sea Launch convened a special team to manage the fabrication and installation of the gas deflector. Specialized workers are using a Strand Jack hydraulic lift and pneumatic chain hoists for aligning the structure into position. Scaffolding around the launch pad area supports the workers in managing the assembly, lifting process and welding operations. First, they must put all of the support equipment in position.

The Strand Jack can lift as much as 350 tons and is often used in the building of structures, such as bridges and buildings. It uses 40 cables (steel wires) within the system.

Carrying the 280-metric ton gas deflector on its deck, the cargo vessel, the Thor Amalie (see page 29), ties up alongside the pier at Home Port and the team inspects their shipment.

The Valhalla barge crane arrives at the pier to transfer the gas deflector from the Thor Amalie to a flexifloat barge alongside the pier… the next step toward the process of installation on the Launch Platform.

With its cargo safely delivered to Sea Launch Home Port, the Thor Amalie prepares for departure to its home base in Panama. And Sea Launch prepares to move to the next step in the procedure.

Truss and support sections are separated from the primary structure, to facilitate the planned sequential installation process. More than a hundred parts are being offloaded onto the Flexifloat barge and arranged for rigging and lifting in prearranged order and placement.

With the gas deflector now floating beneath the Launch Platform, activity resumes toward lift operations.

With all cable connections and apparatus in place, lifting operations proceed at the pier to bring the gas deflector up to the underside of the deck on the Launch Platform. Once the structure is positioned into place, workers in the orange man-lift cranes and along the scaffolding begin tacking welds, while the Strand Jack hydraulic lift and pneumatic chain hoists (see page 37) continue to support its weight.

As the installation operations continue, the powerful Strand Jack supports the effort above deck, at the launch pad. Safety, as always, is on the scene to make sure all procedures are executed with the utmost care for all personnel.

Cranes from each vessel operating in high gear, unloading and loading equipment, scaffolding and supplies.

As you walk along the deck on the Launch Platform, you can't miss the new paint and cables all finely organized and positioned in their racks overhead (see "before" images on page 12).

The segments for the Zenit-3SL launch system begin their journey in Dnepropetrovsk and Moscow and are transported by rail to the Port of Oktyabrsk, Ukraine, on the Black Sea. After being loaded onto the Condock, a roll-on/roll-off vessel, the shipment arrives 35 days later at the pier.

The Sea Launch Logistics team unloads the cargo and stores it in a warehouse at Home Port. The rocket team will draw from this inventory to assemble a 3-stage vehicle for each of our upcoming missions. The Zenit-3SL includes the Zenit-2S booster and a Block DM-SL upper stage.

After unloading the new rocket stages, the team then loads the Condock with crates of support materials and equipment, for return to Dnepropetrovsk and Moscow.

Activity prevails on the Sea Launch pier… and the Odyssey Launch Platform is looking better every day.