X-Nico

2 unusual facts about Vehicle Assembly Building


Shuttle-Derived Heavy Lift Launch Vehicle

Virtually no change to the current Space Shuttle infrastructure, from the Vehicle Assembly Building to the External Tank barge to the launch pads is required.

VAB

Vehicle Assembly Building, a large building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center where vehicles are prepared for launch


MV Freedom Star

As well as recovering the Space Shuttle SRB's Freedom Star has since 1998 been used to tow the Space Shuttle external fuel tanks from their assembly plant at Michoud Assembly Facility near New Orleans, Louisiana, to the Vehicle Assembly Building at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

MV Liberty Star

As well as recovering the Space Shuttle SRB's Liberty Star has since 1998 been used to tow the Space Shuttle external fuel tanks from their assembly plant at Michoud Assembly Facility near New Orleans, Louisiana, to the Vehicle Assembly Building at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

NASA recovery ship

Starting in 1998, the ships began making use of their downtime between Shuttle launches by towing the Space Shuttle external fuel tanks from their assembly plant at Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans, Louisiana to the Vehicle Assembly Building at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.


see also