Location via proxy:   [ UP ]  
[Report a bug]   [Manage cookies]                
Scribd Logo
Upload

Welcome to Scribd!

  • 25 views

    Crawlertransporters 06

    Uploaded by

    postscript
    National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) uses two massive crawler transporters to move rocket launch platforms between the Vehicle Assembly Building and launch pads at Kennedy Space Center. Each transporter travels on eight tracked tread belts containing 57 steel shoes weighing 2,100 pounds each. In the early 2000s, cracks were found in the original shoes, prompting NASA to contract a company to produce new, more durable replacement shoes to support continued shuttle launches. The crawler transporters remain the workhorses of Kennedy Space Center, reliably moving rocket and launch platforms for multiple NASA programs over 50 years using their original design.

    Copyright:

    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
    Download as PS, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    Crawlertransporters 06

    Uploaded by

    postscript
    25 views1 page
    National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) uses two massive crawler transporters to move rocket launch platforms between the Vehicle Assembly Building and launch pads at Kennedy Space Center. Each transporter travels on eight tracked tread belts containing 57 steel shoes weighing 2,100 pounds each. In the early 2000s, cracks were found in the original shoes, prompting NASA to contract a company to produce new, more durable replacement shoes to support continued shuttle launches. The crawler transporters remain the workhorses of Kennedy Space Center, reliably moving rocket and launch platforms for multiple NASA programs over 50 years using their original design.

    Original Title

    crawlertransporters06

    Copyright

    © Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)

    Available Formats

    PS, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    Did you find this document useful?

    Is this content inappropriate?

    National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) uses two massive crawler transporters to move rocket launch platforms between the Vehicle Assembly Building and launch pads at Kennedy Space Center. Each transporter travels on eight tracked tread belts containing 57 steel shoes weighing 2,100 pounds each. In the early 2000s, cracks were found in the original shoes, prompting NASA to contract a company to produce new, more durable replacement shoes to support continued shuttle launches. The crawler transporters remain the workhorses of Kennedy Space Center, reliably moving rocket and launch platforms for multiple NASA programs over 50 years using their original design.

    Copyright:

    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
    Download as PS, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as ps, pdf, or txt
    25 views1 page

    Crawlertransporters 06

    Uploaded by

    postscript
    National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) uses two massive crawler transporters to move rocket launch platforms between the Vehicle Assembly Building and launch pads at Kennedy Space Center. Each transporter travels on eight tracked tread belts containing 57 steel shoes weighing 2,100 pounds each. In the early 2000s, cracks were found in the original shoes, prompting NASA to contract a company to produce new, more durable replacement shoes to support continued shuttle launches. The crawler transporters remain the workhorses of Kennedy Space Center, reliably moving rocket and launch platforms for multiple NASA programs over 50 years using their original design.

    Copyright:

    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
    Download as PS, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as ps, pdf, or txt
    of 1

    National Aeronautics and Space Administration

    NASA Facts
    Crawler Transporters
    A credit to the individuals who designed the
    Kennedy Space Center crawler transporters
    is the fact they did not embark on exotic schemes
    lowing months, additional inspections revealed
    that this crack was not an isolated occurrence,
    prompting the acceleration of new shoe procure-
    that might have taken years to develop and would ment activities. Subsequent NASA/United
    have cost many times more. Instead, they used Space Alliance analysis revealed the existing shoes
    existing and proven concepts that were modified were experiencing fatigue failures due to internal
    and ingeniously applied to the Apollo program manufacturing flaws that dramatically reduced
    requirements. the service life of the shoes.
    Construction of the crawlers as separate In December 2003, the development of more
    and independent of the mobile launch platform restrictive design specifications was initiated to
    structures proved both prudent and visionary in prevent the manufacturing flaws found in the
    light of future requirements of the transporters. existing shoes. ME Global of Duluth, Minn.,
    Spanning multiple programs, the crawlers have was the only domestic supplier that proposed to
    truly become the workhorses of the Complex 39 manufacture all of the required shoes within both
    area. They continue to function well in the 21st the quality and schedule requirements. In mid-
    century using the basic design initiated in 1962. May 2004, ME Global was contracted to produce
    all of the required replacement shoes pending
    Crawler Transporter Tread Belt successful qualification of the company’s produc-
    Shoes tion process.
    Each transporter travels on eight tracked In time to support the shuttle’s return to
    tread belts, each containing 57 tread belt “shoes.” flight, the first of 53 shipments (19 shoes) arrived
    Each shoe is 7.5 feet long, 1.5 feet wide and weighs at KSC in early September 2004, with others fol-
    approximately 2,100 pounds. More than 1,000 lowing shortly after.
    shoes (456 per crawler, plus spares) were provided
    by Marion Power Shovel Co. in Ohio when the The Crawlers at Work
    crawlers were initially built in 1965. One of the two crawlers transports the as-
    In the early 1980s, this original shoe quantity sembled space shuttle, sitting atop the mobile
    was supplemented with 228 new shoes per crawler launcher platform, from the Vehicle Assembly
    from foundries in Bay City, Mich., and Kobe, Ja- Building to Launch Pads 39A and 39B.
    pan. These additional shoes permitted the imple- The transporter lifts the mobile launcher
    mentation of a shoe refurbishment program in the platform from its parking site pedestals at the
    late 1980s, as each transporter approached 1,000 refurbishment area, carries it into the Vehicle As-
    miles of use. To date, more than 500 shoes have sembly Building, and lowers it onto the pedestals
    been refurbished and placed into operation. The in the high bay.
    crawlers performed well for nearly 40 years sup- When the orbiter has been mated to the
    ported by the shoe refurbishment program, which external tank and solid rocket boosters (thus
    was designed to extend shoe life indefinitely. becoming the space shuttle), the crawler lifts
    However, in September 2003, a crack was the mobile launcher with the space shuttle, and
    found on an original Marion shoe. In the fol- carries it to the launch pad using a laser guidance
    www.nasa.gov

    You might also like