Meeting/Event Information

About the Speaker:

William “Bill” Chardavoyne is a NASA Artemis Launch Systems Specialist and Commercial Crew Program Ground Facilities System Manager at Kennedy Space Center. He leads engineering and launch operations for critical water-based launch pad systems, including the Ignition Overpressure Protection and Sound Suppression system, supporting Artemis and Commercial Crew missions.

A Florida Professional Engineer with over 20 years of experience, Bill specializes in large-scale mechanical and facility systems and has played a key role in the development and operation of launch infrastructure for human spaceflight.

Topic (1 PDH/ CEH): Taming the Thunder: Water’s Role in Artemis Launches

Taming the Thunder: Water’s Role in Artemis Launches provides a high-level overview of the critical water-based engineering systems used to protect NASA’s Space Launch System, launch infrastructure, and surrounding environment during liftoff.

The presentation covers key systems including launch tower cooling, fire suppression and the Ignition Overpressure Protection and Sound Suppression deluge system capable of flowing 1 million gallons of water per minute.

Attendees will also receive an update on the Artemis mission progression from Artemis I through the recent Artemis II mission highlighting the role these systems play in enabling safe and reliable launch operations.

Additional topics include scale-model acoustic testing, CFD modeling, system reliability challenges, corrosion and FOD mitigation, and environmentally responsible post-launch water management.

This session is designed for engineers and anyone interested in practical insight into the design, operation, and challenges of large-scale water infrastructure supporting modern spaceflight.