Orbiter Processing Facility
The Orbiter Processing Facilities ( OPF ) are the hangars where the space shuttle -Raumfähren of NASA were serviced between flights.
A total of three OPFs are located on the grounds of the Kennedy Space Center (OPF-1, OPF-2 and OPF-3). These are located west of the Vehicle Assembly Building . OPF-1 and OPF-2 are connected to each other, while OPF-3 is housed in a separate building.
After the Columbia disaster , each space shuttle was assigned an OPF (OPF-1 of the Atlantis , OPF-2 of the Endeavor and OPF-3 of the Discovery ). In the course of the shutdown of the shuttles, OPF-3 was taken out of service early in 2011 to be ready for new users. As a result, the division of the orbiters into their own OPFs could no longer be maintained.
During normal after each mission Post Mission Processings was u. a. the payload removed and a full orbiter inspection carried out. Finally, parts of the payload were installed for the next mission and the orbiter was driven into the vehicle assembly building.
The OPF-3 was leased to Boeing in October 2011. There the CST-100 Starliner is assembled, tested and prepared for take-off.
In October 2014, NASA reached an agreement with the US Air Force to use OPF-1 and OPF-2 for the X-37B program .
Web links
- NASA: Orbiter Processing Facility to the site of Kennedy Space Center (English)
- NASA: NSTS 1988 News Reference Manual - Orbiter Processing Facility (English)
Individual evidence
- ^ Boeing to Build Commercial Spacecraft at Kennedy. NASA, October 31, 2011, accessed February 15, 2016 .
- ^ NASA Partners with X-37B Program for Use of Former Space Shuttle Hangars. NASA, October 8, 2014, accessed February 15, 2016 .
Coordinates: 28 ° 35 ′ 18 ″ N , 80 ° 39 ′ 13 ″ W.