Apollo Pad Reborn

[Eric Mc]

Well, at least the launch tower.

NASA recently rolled out their new launch tower which is reminiscent of the old Apollo Tower. It was originally designed for the Ares V rocket - which has now been cancelled. However, if the proposed SLS goes ahead, the tower would be able to act as the gantry for that rocket too.

[jingars]

Very nice. Small point - it was built for Ares I, not Ares V.

Saw the structure parked at the side of the crawler way on a visit to KSC two years ago.

[Eric Mc]

It's been sitting around for a while then. I was shown a home video by someone who visted the KSC a few weeks ago and I spotted it in a few of the shots. I was wondering what it was.

[jingars]

Sorry, it was August last year, not two years ago:



The colours are rather dodgy as the pic was taken through the tinted window of a tour bus.

ETA if you look at the full size version of the above pic and count the number of flights of steps, it gives a better sense of scale of the thing.

Edited by jingars on Thursday 24th November 17:19

[MartG]

jingars said:

and count the number of flights of steps,

I pity the engineer who has to climb all those to fix the lift when it breaks !

[jmorgan]

Jet pack, they need jet packs when the lift fails. Come on, it NASA, they are rocket scientists.....



Slightly OT, Jim Lovells "getting them out the brown stuff" notes for Apollo 13 are up for auction.

[jingars]

jmorgan said:

Jim Lovells "getting them out the brown stuff" notes for Apollo 13 are up for auction

Hadn't heard about that, so had a bit of a gargle and found this.

Interesting; thanks for posting about it.

[Simpo Two]

jmorgan said:

Slightly OT, Jim Lovells "getting them out the brown stuff" notes for Apollo 13 are up for auction.

If you can hear a rattling sound that's Eric raiding his piggy bank

[jmorgan]

Simpo Two said:

jmorgan said:

Slightly OT, Jim Lovells "getting them out the brown stuff" notes for Apollo 13 are up for auction.

If you can hear a rattling sound that's Eric raiding his piggy bank

I just heard the smash.....

[Simpo Two]

The pig had no chance really.

I wonder if he has a column for 'Space Memorabilia'?

[BigS]

I was there on Tuesday last week, the day before they moved it out to the pad.
Here's a couple of pics of it with the crawler underneath ready to move it. They're taken from the bus so the quality is not too great.




And the redisigned Pad 39B


Got more pics from the NASA Then and Now tour that I'll upload once I've sorted through all my pics.

[RedLeicester]

jingars said:

count the number of flights of steps

Kin'ell!