Hypergol Maintenance Facility

Hypergol Maintenance Facility (HMF) is a rocket fuel and engine center located in an isolated location in the Kennedy Space Center industrial area.[1] It was constructed in 1964 to support the Apollo program and upgraded in 1985 to support the Space Shuttle program. The facility was used for storage and processing of the hypergolic propellants used in the Space Shuttle's reaction control system, Orbital Maneuvering System, and auxiliary power units which were used to provide hydraulic power to the shuttle's control surfaces, main engines and brakes.[2] The facility was previously used for cryogenic testing during the Apollo program and Solid Rocket Booster aft skirt hot-testing.[3] The facility includes:

The full name for the facility is Hypergol Maintenance Facility Hazardous Waste South Staging Area.[1]

Contamination

Soil tests in 1998 found surface soil to be contaminated with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), trichlorofluoromethane (TCFM) and aluminum. Tests in 2002 found vinyl chloride soil content to be above acceptable levels and 400,000 pounds (180,000 kg) of soil was removed as a temporary solution.

References

  1. 1 2 "HMF". NASA KSC.
  2. "Orbiter Processing" (PDF). NASA KSC Public Affairs Office.
  3. "HMF Fact Sheet" (PDF). NASA.


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