3117. The Development of Sea Launch Mass Properties
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Paper
Abstract
The Sea Launch program is a unique international collaboration to provide commercial launch services using hardware made in the United States, Russia, and the Ukraine. The chronology of agreements that led to a successful method for calculating mass properties is presented, reconciling diverse, culturally rooted philosophies of weights engineering. Additionally, novel methods for verification of weight and center of mass are discussed, based on a minimum cost, short-cycle commercial approach to development and operations. Lessons learned for future programs include recognizing and using best practices from multiple sources to create a hybrid, program-unique approach to mass properties management.
