Oil Platforms / Sea Launch

Is there an obsession lately about using oil platforms. They have used an oil platform for Sea Launch, now they have another 1 for new listening platform.





[edit on 11-7-2005 by ULTIMA1]

Who? What nation are you talking about? A link would be good as well!!

Its a company not a country.

Its a company not a country.

Well then could someone please enlightne me to which company is using sea launches, I would really like to know, I would Google, but its not working for me for some reason!!

www.sea-launch.com...

*** The Concept:

Launch commercial satellites to orbit from a platform at sea.
Modern, accessible, user-friendly payload processing.
Automated launch operations.
All-inclination launch capability.
Affordable, reliable, new-generation launch vehicle, comprised of capable, flight-proven components.
Facilities and amenities of a U.S. launch site.

*** The Partners:

Boeing Commercial Space Company, Seattle, Washington, USA
Kvaerner ASA, Oslo, Norway
RSC-Energia, Moscow, Russia
SDO Yuzhnoye/PO Yuzhmash, Dnepropetrovsk, Ukraine

*** Sea Launch Rocket:

Stages 1 & 2: Zenit-3SL.
Stage 3: Energia-produced Block DM-SL.
Payload enclosure and interfaces: Boeing.
Widest diameter 14 feet.
Overall length 209 feet.
All stages kerosene/liquid oxygen fueled.
Capacity to geosynchronous transfer orbit:
6,000 kg.

*** Assembly & Command Ship:

Kvaerner ASA.
Modified roll-on, roll-off cargo vessel design.
Rocket vehicle assembly facilities below decks.
Launch control facilities on upper decks.
Customer and crew accommodations for 240 people.
Approximate length 660 feet.
Approximate width 106 feet.
Approximate displacement of 34,000 tons.

*** Launch Platform:

Kvaerner ASA.
Modified, self-propelled, ocean oil-drilling platform.
Rocket hangar, transporter-erector-launcher system, fuel storage/supply system with three-stage launch capacity.
Accommodations for 68 crew and spacecraft personnel.
Approximate length 436 feet.
Approximate width 220 feet.
Approximate displacement:
Surfaced - 30,000 tons.
Submerged - 50,600 tons.

*** Milestones:

First studies - 1993.
Sea Launch venture formed - April 3, 1995
Ship construction commenced - December 1995
First order signed with Hughes Space and Communications - Dec. 18, 1995
Second order signed with Space Systems/Loral - July 12, 1996
Home Port construction - August 1996 - 1998
Vessels arrive at Home Port - 1998
First launch - March 27, 1999 - Demonstration Payload
First commercial launch - October 9, 1999 - DIRECTV 1-R
PanAmSat order signed (one launch plus four options) - February 2, 2000
Failed mission - March 12, 2000 - ICO F-1
Return to Flight mission - July 28, 2000 - PAS-9
Heaviest commercial payload in history - October 20, 2000
Most powerful commercial payload - XM-ROCK - March 18, 2001
XM constellation completed - XM ROLL - May 8, 2001
PanAmSat's Fleet Modernization Program completed - June 15, 2002 -
Galaxy IIIC
Heaviest commercial payload (as of launch date) - June 10, 2003
Additional launch services offering, Land Launch, October 2003
Fifth Anniversary of Launch Operations - March 27, 2004
Heaviest commercial payload (as of launch date) - May 4, 2004

The main advantage of using an "oil platform" is that they can be moved. If you launch in the right direction from the equator the revolution of the Earth actually asists the rocket in reaching orbit. For launching in other orbit types a movable sea going platform gives you the advantage of not having to launch over populated areas. Last but not least if you get far enough out to sea there are no neighbors to disturb or windows to break.

Jim,

Yes i know what the advatages are. Just a big new thing now, using them in a lot of different ways.

Originally posted by JIMC5499
The main advantage of using an "oil platform" is that they can be moved. If you launch in the right direction from the equator the revolution of the Earth actually asists the rocket in reaching orbit. For launching in other orbit types a movable sea going platform gives you the advantage of not having to launch over populated areas. Last but not least if you get far enough out to sea there are no neighbors to disturb or windows to break.

umm.. no..All launches on or off the equator are in the the direction you mention for rotation assist..

Its just that the acceleration due to gravity "g", expereienced by a body on earth is the LEAST at the equator (9.78 m/s) as compared to the poles
(9.83 m/s). All regions between the poles and the equator have a "g" of approx 9.8 m/s..

Hence at the equator one actually requires "less" fuel to get into orbit as there is less gravitaional pull.

The reason for this is that the Earth is not entirely spherical actually..
Its a "Geoid".. somewhat like an egg exept not distorted so much..

Imagine the egg kept on a table such that it balances itself like so
(except this is still very distorted)




Thats why the ESA launches from French Guyanna which is pretty close to the equator

For the exact ownership breakdown of Sea Launch check:

en.wikipedia.org...

And that "rig" is not a modified oil rig actually... Its a custom-made launching platform owned by SeaLaunch..
But it has the same structural dynamics of a floating oil rig..

[edit on 16-7-2005 by Daedalus3]