 |
The Mobile Launcher (ML) for the NASA’s SLS heavy lift
megarocket and Orion deep space crew capsule moves off Launch Complex 39B
enroute to the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) on Sept. 7, 2018 at the Kennedy
Space Center in Florida. The ML and trio of
lightning towers reflect beautifully in the waters of the Merritt Island National
Wildlife refuge. Credit: Ken
Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com
|
Ken Kremer -- SpaceUpClose.com -- 7 September 2018
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FL – The Mobile Launcher (ML) which will be used to transport NASA’s mammoth Space Launch System (SLS) megarocket out to the launch pad, has begun its return trip from Launch Complex 39B - departing today, Sept. 7 for the iconic Vehicle Assembly Building at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
The 380 foot tall ML rolled off and left pad 39B around noon Friday and reached the outskirts of the VAB by late afternoon.
NASA's crawler-transporter 2 (CT-2) is positioned beneath the ML and used to slowly move it between the pad and the VAB.
Check out our exclusive Space UpClose photos from today’s move.
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FL – The Mobile Launcher (ML) which will be used to transport NASA’s mammoth Space Launch System (SLS) megarocket out to the launch pad, has begun its return trip from Launch Complex 39B - departing today, Sept. 7 for the iconic Vehicle Assembly Building at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
The 380 foot tall ML rolled off and left pad 39B around noon Friday and reached the outskirts of the VAB by late afternoon.
NASA's crawler-transporter 2 (CT-2) is positioned beneath the ML and used to slowly move it between the pad and the VAB.
Check out our exclusive Space UpClose photos from today’s move.
 |
The Mobile Launcher (ML) for the NASA’s SLS heavy lift
megarocket and Orion deep space crew capsule moves off Launch Complex 39B
enroute to the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) on Sept. 7, 2018 at the Kennedy
Space Center in Florida. The ML and trio
of lightning towers reflect beautifully in the waters of the Merritt Island National
Wildlife refuge. Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com
|
NASA
plans to move the ML/CT-2 stack inside the VAB Saturday morning, Sept. 8.
Watch
for our detailed story to follow.
 |
The Mobile Launcher (ML) for the NASA’s SLS heavy lift
megarocket and Orion deep space crew capsule stands at the center of Launch
Complex 39B prior to rolling off for move to the Vehicle Assembly Building
(VAB) on Sept. 7, 2018 at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com
|
The
ML trekked out to pad 39B on August 31 for the first time in several years.
 |
The Mobile Launcher (ML) for the NASA’s SLS heavy lift
megarocket and Orion deep space crew capsule moves off Launch Complex 39B
enroute to the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) on Sept. 7, 2018 at the Kennedy
Space Center in Florida. Credit: Ken
Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com
|
It
was a test run by the Ground systems and launch teams to check out and
calibrate systems ahead of its first use with an actual SLS rocket standing
vertical atop.
 |
The Mobile Launcher (ML) for
the NASA’s SLS heavy lift megarocket and Orion deep space crew capsule moves
off Launch Complex 39B enroute to the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) on Sept.
7, 2018 at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
Credit: Ken
Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com
|
The ML is equipped with the crew access arm and
several umbilicals that will provide power, environmental control, pneumatics,
communication and electrical connections to NASA's Space Launch System (SLS)
and Orion spacecraft, according to NASA officials.
 |
The Mobile Launcher (ML) for
the NASA’s SLS heavy lift megarocket and Orion deep space crew capsule moves
off Launch Complex 39B enroute to the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) on Sept.
7, 2018 at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
Credit: Ken
Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com
|
Exploration Ground Systems is preparing the
ground systems necessary to launch SLS and the Orion deep space crew capsule on
Exploration
Mission-1 by 2020, and human journeys missions to the Moon and on to
Mars thereafter starting with Exploration Mission-2 about 2 years later.
Pad 39B was previously used to launch NASA’s Apollo/Saturn V Moon rockets and Space Shuttles since the 1960s.
Pad 39B was previously used to launch NASA’s Apollo/Saturn V Moon rockets and Space Shuttles since the 1960s.
 |
The Mobile Launcher (ML) for the NASA’s SLS heavy lift
megarocket and Orion deep space crew capsule moves off Launch Complex 39B
enroute to the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) on Sept. 7, 2018 at the Kennedy
Space Center in Florida. The ML and trio
of lightning towers reflect beautifully in the waters of the Merritt Island National
Wildlife refuge. Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com
|
Watch for Ken’s continuing onsite coverage of NASA, SpaceX, ULA,
Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Orbital ATK and more space and mission reports direct
from the Kennedy Space Center, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida and
Wallops Flight Facility, Virginia.
Stay tuned here for Ken's continuing Earth and Planetary science and human spaceflight news: www.kenkremer.com –www.spaceupclose.com – twitter @ken_kremer – email: ken at kenkremer.com
Stay tuned here for Ken's continuing Earth and Planetary science and human spaceflight news: www.kenkremer.com –www.spaceupclose.com – twitter @ken_kremer – email: ken at kenkremer.com
………….
Ken’s upcoming outreach events/photos for sale:
Learn more about the upcoming upcoming/recent NASA/ULA Parker Solar Probe, SpaceX Merah Putih & Telstar 18 & 19 launches, SpaceX Falcon 9/CRS-15 launch to ISS, SES-12 comsat launch, Falcon Heavy, TESS, GOES-S, Bangabandhu-1, NASA missions, ULA Atlas & Delta launches, SpySats and more at Ken’s upcoming outreach events at Kennedy Space Center Quality Inn, Titusville, FL, evenings.
Sep 8/9: “NASA/ULA Parker Solar Probe launch, SpaceX Merah Putih & Telstar 18v & 19v Launches, SpaceX Dragon CRS-15 resupply launch to ISS, SpaceX Falcon Heavy & Falcon 9 launches, SpaceX SES-12 comsat. ULA Atlas USAF SBIRS GEO 4 missile warning satellite, SpaceX GovSat-1, CRS-14 resupply launches to the ISS, NRO & USAF Spysats, SLS, Orion, Boeing and SpaceX Commercial crew capsules, OSIRIS-Rex, Juno at Jupiter, InSight Mars lander, Curiosity and Opportunity explore Mars, NH at Pluto and more,” Kennedy Space Center Quality Inn, Titusville, FL, evenings. Photos for sale
Ken’s upcoming outreach events/photos for sale:
Learn more about the upcoming upcoming/recent NASA/ULA Parker Solar Probe, SpaceX Merah Putih & Telstar 18 & 19 launches, SpaceX Falcon 9/CRS-15 launch to ISS, SES-12 comsat launch, Falcon Heavy, TESS, GOES-S, Bangabandhu-1, NASA missions, ULA Atlas & Delta launches, SpySats and more at Ken’s upcoming outreach events at Kennedy Space Center Quality Inn, Titusville, FL, evenings.
Sep 8/9: “NASA/ULA Parker Solar Probe launch, SpaceX Merah Putih & Telstar 18v & 19v Launches, SpaceX Dragon CRS-15 resupply launch to ISS, SpaceX Falcon Heavy & Falcon 9 launches, SpaceX SES-12 comsat. ULA Atlas USAF SBIRS GEO 4 missile warning satellite, SpaceX GovSat-1, CRS-14 resupply launches to the ISS, NRO & USAF Spysats, SLS, Orion, Boeing and SpaceX Commercial crew capsules, OSIRIS-Rex, Juno at Jupiter, InSight Mars lander, Curiosity and Opportunity explore Mars, NH at Pluto and more,” Kennedy Space Center Quality Inn, Titusville, FL, evenings. Photos for sale
 |
Credit:
Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com
|
No comments:
Post a Comment