Horizontal integration tooling for launch vehicles, and associated systems and methods

A method of using an alignment tool with annular sections of a launch vehicle, the method comprising:

• providing, as part of the alignment tool, a receiver assembly which is adapted to couple with a first one of the annular sections using a first feature and which comprises a first load feature of a load path;
• providing, as part of the alignment tool, an actuation assembly which is adapted to couple with a second one of the annular sections using a second feature and which comprises a second load feature of the load path;
• and
• associating a threaded shaft with at least one of the receiver assembly or the actuation assembly to enable opposite movements to occur at the same time and through the load path, through the first feature, and through second feature, wherein the opposite movements are to cause the annular sections to align while maintaining a circular shape in each of the annular sections.

A method of aligning annular sections of a launch vehicle, the method comprising:

• providing a plurality of flanges in a first one of the annular sections and in a second one of the annular sections;
• providing a plurality of bolt holes in the plurality of flanges, wherein the plurality of bolt holes are to receive features of at least one receiver assembly and at least one actuation assembly of an alignment tool, and wherein the at least one receiver assembly and the at least one actuation assembly are associated with at least one load path therebetween;
• and
• enabling the plurality of flanges to receive opposite movements through the at least one load path, wherein the opposite movements are caused at the same time, in part, by the at least one receiver assembly or the at least one actuation assembly and caused through the features of the at least one receiver assembly and the at least one actuation assembly, and wherein the opposite movements cause the aligning of the annular sections while maintaining a circular shape in each of the annular sections.

An alignment tool to align annular sections of a launch vehicle, the alignment tool comprising:

• a receiver assembly to couple with a first one of the annular sections and comprising a first load feature of a load path;
• an actuation assembly to couple with a second one of the annular sections and comprising a second load feature of the load path;
• and
• a threaded shaft of the receiver assembly or the actuation assembly to cause opposite movements to occur at the same time, in part through the load path of the first load feature and the second load feature, wherein the opposite movements allow are to cause the annular sections to align while maintaining a circular shape in each of the annular sections.