50 years ago, on 14 December 1972, man last walked on the surface of the moon and NASA’s Apollo lunar space programme drew to an end. In the same year, CCG was founded in South Africa and first started manufacturing Captive Component Glands.
CCG cable glands have been specified for installation on electrical and electronics cabinets that will support the launch control subsystem for the ML2 tower.
NASA has committed to returning to the moon by 2025 as part of its Artemis space programme, which is the first phase of its plans to send humankind to the moon and on to Mars. The programme requires a massive investment in new rocket and spacecraft technology as well as the Ground Launch Control Systems – GLCS – and the Mobile Launcher known as the ML2.
ML2 is the primary interface between the GLCS and the Space Launch System – SLS – rocket and the Orion spacecraft. It serves as the platform for all SLS and Orion integrated stacking operations, as well as structurally supporting the stack during prelaunch preparations, its roll out onto the launch pad and during the launch procedure.
ML2 and all its related mission critical equipment is designed to stabilise the rocket and spacecraft, which weighs about 2 700 tons once loaded with liquid hydrogen (H2(l)) and liquid oxygen (LOx) and must also withstand the severe launch blast environment during lift off.
Multiple umbilicals on the swing arms on the ML2 tower will provide the critical power, data, remote monitoring and control, propellants, fluids, gases, sound suppression, imagery, and communications necessary for launch.
Sitting in the Launch Control Centre’s Firing Room 1, the launch team will send remote commands to the SLS rocket and the Orion spacecraft via the ML2 tower umbilicals.
Bechtel Corporation is the primary contractor building the tower, a structure some 110 m tall and weighing about 5 200 tons. NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems is overseeing the build to support the first launch of a Block 1B SLS rocket, scheduled for Artemis IV. The structural design of the ML2 will incorporate many lessons learnt, and modifications made, from ML1, which was used to launch Artemis 1 on 16 November 2022.
Equipment used on such a prestigious space project has to perform to the highest engineering standards. Based on a proven technical design, Bechtel Engineering and Sidus Space selected CCG cable glands for installation on unique electrical and electronics cabinets that will support the launch control subsystem and ground special power subsystems. To ensure mission critical power and data cables are terminated and perform under the most arduous conditions experienced during launch, independent performance testing for extreme high and low temperatures, pressure testing to the equivalent of 85 atmospheres, high pull-out loads and vibration resistance tests to North American and various other international certification standards were considered essential.
In the 50th anniversary year of CCG’s founding and of NASA’s last lunar landing, CCG is honoured to be involved in a small part of one of humankind’s greatest technological and exploration challenges of sending people once again to the moon and future manned missions from the moon on to Mars.
Enquiries: info@ccgcablegland.co.za
