{"id":38302,"date":"2018-09-07T18:51:56","date_gmt":"2018-09-07T10:51:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp-productionenv-bjg9h2g2bgg5b8aa.southeastasia-01.azurewebsites.net\/news\/sls-ml-completes-39b-testing-rolls-back-to-the-vab\/"},"modified":"2018-09-07T18:51:56","modified_gmt":"2018-09-07T10:51:56","slug":"sls-ml-completes-39b-testing-rolls-back-to-the-vab","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/news\/sls-ml-completes-39b-testing-rolls-back-to-the-vab\/","title":{"rendered":"SLS ML completes 39B testing rolls back to the VAB"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Space Launch System (SLS) Mobile Launcher (ML) has conducted a major milestone, as it rolled to Pad 39B atop Crawler Transporter -2 (CT-2). Engineers are now testing the huge structure at the \u201cclean pad\u201d before rolling back \u2013 now set for this coming weekend \u2013 to the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) for one year\u2019s worth of multi-element verification and validation testing \u2013 which is now understood to include four months of testing back at 39B \u2013 prior to being ready to accept the first SLS rocket ahead of Exploration Mission -1 (EM-1).\n<\/p>\n

The CT and ML have rolled out together before back in 2011. However, this was in their Constellation Program (CxP) configuration, before the ML was heavily modified from hosting Ares I rockets to SLS.<\/p>\n

With new umbilicals and a completely rebuilt launch mount, the SLS ML now sports an array of new arms that will link the huge structure to the rocket.<\/p>\n

This conversion was a large, multi-year, undertaking as the new launch mount has to cater for four RS-25 engines and two Solid Rocket Boosters. It would also require numerous changes and additions to the array of umbilical connections on the tower.<\/p>\n

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ML Umbilicals overview at the NAC \u2013 via NASA.<\/p>\n

Challenges relating to the total mass of the structure and a small lean \u2013 cited as \u201csome deflection\u201d by NASA \u2013 have been mitigated enough to complete the umbilical installation and provide the green light to take the ML on a road trip up the Crawlerway.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve got all the umbilicals installed from top to bottom. The contractors final day at the Park Site was on Wednesday, as the ML rolls on Thursday for a fit check at the pad,\u201d noted Bill Hill of NASA\u2019s Exploration Systems Division at this week\u2019s NASA Advisory Council (NAC) meeting.<\/p>\n

The ML was carried by Crawler Transport -2 (CT-2) which has itself undergone a large number of modifications to allow it to live on deep into the 2020s and possibly beyond.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n