As discussed in this question, there will be no launches from Cape Canaveral for several weeks during the summer of 2017 because Eastern Range is closed for maintenance. I assume it includes some work on the tracking equipment and such. Could someone shed more light on what range maintenance includes?
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1$\begingroup$ This is really a good question. is there a list what kind of equipment is on the range at all? $\endgroup$– PolygnomeJul 19, 2017 at 6:40
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2$\begingroup$ I'd just wondered this after seeing the other Q - I pictured the range as just being a vast area of air and sea that just needed to be kept clear of stuff during a launch and not some complex thing that needs 2-3 weeks of downtime for maintenance. $\endgroup$– James ThorpeJul 19, 2017 at 9:12
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$\begingroup$ Perhaps a very long fishing tournament? $\endgroup$– uhohJul 19, 2017 at 9:35
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2$\begingroup$ In this particular case, upgrades to Radar Tracking and Range Safety. I believe the goal is to remove the need for a 24hr reset between launches. $\endgroup$– tl8Jul 19, 2017 at 10:23
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1 Answer
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This Is Wikipedia describing the Eastern Range https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_Range. For US spaceflight, the range supports tracking, comm, data, and range security for Cape Canaveral AAFS, KSC, Wallops Flight Facility, Patrick AFB, and even Arianne launches from Guiana Space Center. It also includes all the ground structures, bunkers, piping and storage equipment for fuel and other liquids and gases, and ground support equipment. The range starts at KSC and extends eastward to 90° East (Bangladesh) where it meets the Western range. There is comm, data, and tracking equipment on most of the Caribbean islands heading southeast from KSC down below the equator to Ascension Island and beyond. There are also airborne and sea-based tracking assets that support launches when available. Much of the sea-based tracking assets and many of the land base stations have been replaced by space-based tracking primarily using TDRSS. The same equipment also supports US missile testing. The current maintenance activity is https://thespaceport.us/forum/topic/45546-eastern-range-hiatus-in-july/. They seem to be mostly disassembling and safing the large buildings and equipment that supported the shuttle.
