- \n
- SLS Forum Section<\/li>\n
- L2 SLS Section<\/li>\n
- L2 Hi Res Photo Section<\/li>\n
- Click here to Join L2<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
High Bays 1 and 3 were used for integration and stacking of the complete Space Shuttle vehicle. High Bay 2 was used to process the Shuttle\u2019s External Tank (ET) after its arrival from the Michoud Assembly Facility (MAF), in what were known as checkout cells.<\/p>\n
High Bay 4 was also used for ET checkout and storage, as well as for payload canister operations and Solid Rocket Booster (SRB) contingency handling.<\/p>\n
During a Space Shuttle flow, the integrated SRB segments were transferred from nearby SRB assembly and checkout facilities \u2013 such as the Rotation, Processing and Surge Facility (RPSF) \u2013 hoisted onto a Mobile Launcher Platform (MLP) in High Bays 1 or 3 and mated together to form two complete SRBs.<\/p>\n
Next up, the ET \u2013 following its arrival on the Pegasus Barge into the KSC Turn Basin \u2013 would be inspected and checked out in the High Bays 2 or 4 checkout cells and then transferred to High Bay\u2019s 1 or 3 by crane to be attached to the SRBs already in place.<\/p>\n
Spaceflight news subscription
<\/path>Rocket launch schedules <\/path>Rocket building kits <\/path>\n (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/09\/Z45.jpg\" "\\"Z4\\"")
The orbiter would then be transported over from her Orbiter Processing Facility (OPF) to the VAB transfer aisle, raised to a vertical position by crane, shortly followed by the requirement to photograph her belly\u2019s Thermal Protection System (TPS), transferred over to the awaiting ET and SRB stack and then mated.<\/p>\nWhen assembly and checkout was complete, the Crawler-Transporter would enter the High Bay, picks up the platform and assembled shuttle vehicle and carried to the launch pad. (Click Here for 15,000+ exclusive Hi Res Shuttle Photos in L2)<\/p>\n
With the Space Shuttle Program (SSP) retired, the entire Kennedy Space Center is undergoing its transition to a multi-user spaceport, with a goal of launching both commercial and government vehicles.<\/p>\n
While no commercial vehicles have committed to using the VAB at this time, the next big government vehicle \u2013 the Space Launch System (SLS) \u2013 will be using the famous building, not least because it\u2019s the only facility on the Space Coast that can host the Heavy Lift Launch Vehicle (HLV).<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/09\/Z38.jpg\" "\\"Z3\\"")
The only problem is the fixed platforms in the High Bays are still configured for use only with the Space Shuttle, meaning they have to be removed, ahead of the installation of a new set of \u201crelocatable\u201d platforms.<\/p>\n\u201cThe scope of this project is to safely remove and dispose of the seven extensible platforms in High Bay 3 (HB-3) of the VAB,\u201d noted a construction update presentation for KSC \u2013 available on L2 LINK. \u201cThis work also involves selective structural, mechanical, plumbing and electrical modifications.\u201d<\/p>\n
For SLS, the booster build up \u2013 this time five segments high, and installed on the new Mobile Launcher (ML) \u2013 will be similar to that observed during a Shuttle\u2019s VAB processing. However, instead of an External Tank being mated to the boosters, the large SLS core stage will arrive into the transfer aisle, complete with its four Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne RS-25s already installed.<\/p>\n
For previous SLS Articles, click here: http:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/tag\/hlv\/<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/09\/Z56.jpg\" "\\"Z5\\"")
The core will be then hoisted over to the awaiting boosters and mated, followed by the interstage, and then the Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage (ICPS). With the stack rising towards the roof of the VAB, the Orion crew capsule would then arrive from the Operations & Checkout (O&C) building, to be lofted to the top of the stack and mated.<\/p>\nTo complete the stack, the Launch Abort System (LAS) and shroud would then be mated, completing the 321 foot tall vehicle, ready for rollout to Pad 39B.<\/p>\n
During the processing, several decks of platforms will surround the vehicle, prior to retracting \u2013 again similar to Shuttle operations \u2013 for the rollout to begin.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/09\/Z515.jpg\" "\\"Z515\\"")
The configuration of the platforms would need to change as SLS evolves, with the giant 130mt Block 2 being so much taller than its younger cousin, it will only just fit under the VAB doors during its rollout operations.<\/p>\n\u201cThe HB-3 platforms were a vital part of space shuttle stacking operations, but they are not properly configured to support NASA\u2019s Space Launch System (SLS),\u201d added the update presentation. \u201cAfter the existing platforms are removed, a new, relocatable platform system, designed to accommodate the SLS and other potential future launch vehicles, will be installed.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat design effort is underway and the work will be executed under a separate construction contract.\u201d<\/p>\n
The work, designed by BRPH Architects-Engineers, Inc. \u2013 and contracted to Ivey\u2019s Construction, Inc. \u2013 is expected to last until March, 2013.<\/p>\n
The fate of the famous platforms is not known, although the contract includes their disposal, likely to involve the breaking down of the large structures on site, prior to being sent for scrap.<\/p>\n
(Images: Via L2\u2019s specific sections, which include presentations, videos, graphics and internal updates. Discovery rollout photo by Larry Sullivan, MaxQ Entertainment\/NASASpaceFlight.com. Other images via NASA.)<\/p>\n
(L2 is \u2013 as it has been for the past several years \u2013 providing full and exclusive vehicle coverage. To join L2, click here: http:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/l2\/)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The giant High Bay 3 (HB-3) platforms \u2013 previously used during the stacking and mating of Space Shuttle hardware \u2013 are being dismantled and removed from the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB). The giant facility at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) is being transitioned from Shuttle operations to accommodate the Space Launch System (SLS). VAB High […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":30339,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[9133,9034,7779,624,1701],"class_list":["post-40028","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-21-century","tag-hlv","tag-shuttle","tag-sls","tag-vab"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40028"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=40028"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40028\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/30339"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=40028"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=40028"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=40028"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}