Step Integration to Taurus First Flight Payload Launch Processing

The first flight of the Orbital Sciences Corp. (OSC) TAURUS launch vehicle is with a space vehicle developed by TRW and DSI under the Air Force Space Test Experiment Program (STEP) that contains several scientific experiments. The experiments have a demanding cleanliness requirement; the satellite requires status monitoring and battery maintenance during launch operations. OSC developed the TAURUS launch vehicle in response to the Advanced Research Project Agency (ARPA) Standard Small Launch Vehicle (SSLV) program. The Taurus system is composed of a flight vehicle and ground support equipment designed for easy transportability and rapid setup and launch on an unimproved concrete pad. TRW provides system engineering on the STEP program, and DSI designed and built the STEP spacecraft. The spacecraft is an evolutionary design based on previous DSI satellite designs. A TRW propulsion system provides orbital adjustment capability. The space vehicle is approximately 36" in diameter, 72" high and weighs almost 1100 pounds when in flight configuration. The challenge was to maintain the requirements in a low cost environment with minimal support from an established infrastructure. This was achieved by the process of encapsulating the satellite in the fairing in a clean room before transport and mate to the launch vehicle. Rehearsals were held at the OSC facility in Arizona in November 1992 and February 1993, and at Vandenberg AFB, CA in June 1993 to develop the procedures necessary for mission success. The TAURUS initial launch capability is planned for November 1993.