r/spaceflight • u/RABlackAuthor • 5d ago

Fram2 Question

I hadn't heard anything about the Fram2 flight until I clicked on YouTube and saw the livestream of their launch. Question - How were they able to launch into a polar orbit from Kennedy? I thought Vandenberg was the only place you could launch into polar orbit from the continental US.

8 Upvotes

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14

u/Immabed 5d ago

SpaceX has a polar trajectory that includes a 'dogleg' around southern Florida, and briefly overflying Cuba. They have used this a few times, although they normally use Vandenberg for polar launches. The specific trajectory for Fram2 is quite cool, as they need to also account for an abort into the ocean at any point during launch. They upgraded the abort software for Dragon to allow it to boost forwards or flip around and boost backwards, allowing them to abort at any time and still avoid Cuba and Panama with the Dragon capsule.

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u/HAL9001-96 4d ago

and I don't think vandenberg has the infrastructure for human launches

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u/Immabed 3d ago

It doesn't, so without the Cape polar trajectory, the Fram2 mission wouldn't have been possible.

8

u/whjoyjr 5d ago

A couple of years ago range safety upgrades were made that now allows KSC / CCSFS to “shoot south”.

0

u/lextacy2008 4d ago

ago range safety upgrades were made that now allows KSC / CCSFS to “shoot south

But its not perfect, and they knew this. But without the FAA, they can now start launching

5

u/joepublicschmoe 5d ago

AFTS is what enabled polar launches from Florida. https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2019/10/45th-space-wing-discuss-polar-launch-corridor-florida/

In response to why only AFTS rockets would be permitted to fly the polar launch corridor from Florida, the Air Force noted “AFSS allows the rocket to fly unconstrained from our command destruct coverage and without accommodation for legacy calculated processing response times.

“The response of the on-board decision logic is faster than our legacy architecture. The capability of the rocket is also important since it provides the necessary energy to make the required maneuvers to meet final orbital requirements.”

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u/[deleted] 5d ago

[deleted]

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u/snoo-boop 5d ago

Polar orbits from the Cape dog-leg around Miami and then fly over Cuba during the 2nd stage burn. SX has done this many times recently.

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u/lextacy2008 4d ago

Great question. They technically aren't allowed. But guess who now runs the FAA? Just guess..........

3

u/Accomplished-Crab932 4d ago

Polar launches from the cape were licensed as early as 2019… long before musk ventured into politics.