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Why is this part of the Space Shuttle launch pad suspended so high off the ground?
The Next CEO of Stack OverflowSpaceX launch site - why all the cables are needed around top of the rocketCould Orion repeat any of the Hubble Space Shuttle servicing missions?How often, if ever, was “software” updated in the shuttle orbiter?Who built the sparklers used by the Shuttle program during launch?Why did some early Shuttle missions launch to high inclinations?Why will SLS Block I bring less mass to LEO than the STS shuttle system did?Why didn't the space shuttle use non-foam-shedding external tanks?What is happening in this photo of a glowing plume behind STS-70 and how was it taken?What are these membranes at the aft end of the Shuttle that get torn off during lift off?Why would a space shuttle have flown a normal first-stage and early-second-stage ascent trajectory during an RTLS abort?
$begingroup$
http://science.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/missions/sts-107/images/high/KSC-02PD-1894.jpg
shows a large part of the launch pad suspended off the ground.
What is it for and why is there all that empty space underneath it?
space-shuttle launch-site identify-this-object
edited Mar 26 at 18:16
Community♦
1
asked Mar 25 at 11:15
GnubieGnubie
435159
$endgroup$
add a comment |
$begingroup$
http://science.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/missions/sts-107/images/high/KSC-02PD-1894.jpg
shows a large part of the launch pad suspended off the ground.
What is it for and why is there all that empty space underneath it?
space-shuttle launch-site identify-this-object
edited Mar 26 at 18:16
Community♦
1
asked Mar 25 at 11:15
GnubieGnubie
435159
$endgroup$
18
$begingroup$
I'm not sure "floating in air" is quite right for something with enormous towers at each end holding it up. ;)
$endgroup$
– Graham
Mar 25 at 22:01
3
$begingroup$
@Graham - Yeah I was thinking "Which part are you referring to?"
$endgroup$
– Kyle Delaney
Mar 25 at 22:49
add a comment |
$begingroup$
http://science.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/missions/sts-107/images/high/KSC-02PD-1894.jpg
shows a large part of the launch pad suspended off the ground.
What is it for and why is there all that empty space underneath it?
space-shuttle launch-site identify-this-object
edited Mar 26 at 18:16
Community♦
1
asked Mar 25 at 11:15
GnubieGnubie
435159
$endgroup$
http://science.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/missions/sts-107/images/high/KSC-02PD-1894.jpg
shows a large part of the launch pad suspended off the ground.
What is it for and why is there all that empty space underneath it?
space-shuttle launch-site identify-this-object
space-shuttle launch-site identify-this-object
edited Mar 26 at 18:16
Community♦
1
asked Mar 25 at 11:15
GnubieGnubie
435159
edited Mar 26 at 18:16
Community♦
1
asked Mar 25 at 11:15
GnubieGnubie
435159
edited Mar 26 at 18:16
Community♦
1
edited Mar 26 at 18:16
Community♦
1
edited Mar 26 at 18:16
Community♦
1
1
asked Mar 25 at 11:15
GnubieGnubie
435159
asked Mar 25 at 11:15
GnubieGnubie
435159
asked Mar 25 at 11:15
GnubieGnubie
435159
435159
18
$begingroup$
I'm not sure "floating in air" is quite right for something with enormous towers at each end holding it up. ;)
$endgroup$
– Graham
Mar 25 at 22:01
3
$begingroup$
@Graham - Yeah I was thinking "Which part are you referring to?"
$endgroup$
– Kyle Delaney
Mar 25 at 22:49
add a comment |
18
$begingroup$
I'm not sure "floating in air" is quite right for something with enormous towers at each end holding it up. ;)
$endgroup$
– Graham
Mar 25 at 22:01
3
$begingroup$
@Graham - Yeah I was thinking "Which part are you referring to?"
$endgroup$
– Kyle Delaney
Mar 25 at 22:49
18
18
$begingroup$
I'm not sure "floating in air" is quite right for something with enormous towers at each end holding it up. ;)
$endgroup$
– Graham
Mar 25 at 22:01
$begingroup$
I'm not sure "floating in air" is quite right for something with enormous towers at each end holding it up. ;)
$endgroup$
– Graham
Mar 25 at 22:01
3
3
$begingroup$
@Graham - Yeah I was thinking "Which part are you referring to?"
$endgroup$
– Kyle Delaney
Mar 25 at 22:49
$begingroup$
@Graham - Yeah I was thinking "Which part are you referring to?"
$endgroup$
– Kyle Delaney
Mar 25 at 22:49
add a comment |
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
$begingroup$
That is the Rotating Service Structure.
It can be rotated to fit over the Shuttle while it is on the pad, giving access to the Shuttle cargo bay. The empty space allows the RSS to fit over the launch platform.
It's not floating, the leg on the left side of the photo is part of the RSS.
This is a detail of the leg:
You can see the cab and wheels used to move the RSS between its positions.
The rotating service structure provides protected access to the orbiter for installation and servicing of payloads at the pad, as well as servicing access to certain systems on the orbiter. The majority of payloads are installed in the vertical position at the pad, partly because of their design and partly because payload processing can thus take place further along in the launch processing schedule.
This photo shows the RSS in its rotated position:
answered Mar 25 at 11:30
HobbesHobbes
94.9k2267421
$endgroup$
1
$begingroup$
The last photograph still leaves me with the question of why the launch pad itself is off the ground. I would have expected a tremendous amount of downward force against it.
$endgroup$
– sondra.kinsey
Mar 25 at 18:48
11
$begingroup$
It had to be off the ground because it was carried by the crawler. The crawler set it down on a bunch of very sturdy pylons. The downward force went through holes in the launch pad.
$endgroup$
– Hobbes
Mar 25 at 18:52
1
$begingroup$
I always wondered why they needed a raised platform (the "mound") in the first place? A flame trench could have been dug into the ground. Then I remembered the water - millions of gallons that would have to be pumped out of the trench...
$endgroup$
– Mitch99
Mar 25 at 20:48
14
$begingroup$
@Mitch99, it's not just the water from the sound-suppression system. The entire state of Florida is basically a swamp, so any time you dig into the ground, you'll have to continuously pump water out.
$endgroup$
– Mark
Mar 25 at 21:45
1
$begingroup$
On top of that add rain season and you start getting real problems. Did the area acutally ever get flooded?
$endgroup$
– TomTom
Mar 26 at 13:30
add a comment |
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1 Answer
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1 Answer
1
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votes
$begingroup$
That is the Rotating Service Structure.
It can be rotated to fit over the Shuttle while it is on the pad, giving access to the Shuttle cargo bay. The empty space allows the RSS to fit over the launch platform.
It's not floating, the leg on the left side of the photo is part of the RSS.
This is a detail of the leg:
You can see the cab and wheels used to move the RSS between its positions.
The rotating service structure provides protected access to the orbiter for installation and servicing of payloads at the pad, as well as servicing access to certain systems on the orbiter. The majority of payloads are installed in the vertical position at the pad, partly because of their design and partly because payload processing can thus take place further along in the launch processing schedule.
This photo shows the RSS in its rotated position:
answered Mar 25 at 11:30
HobbesHobbes
94.9k2267421
$endgroup$
1
$begingroup$
The last photograph still leaves me with the question of why the launch pad itself is off the ground. I would have expected a tremendous amount of downward force against it.
$endgroup$
– sondra.kinsey
Mar 25 at 18:48
11
$begingroup$
It had to be off the ground because it was carried by the crawler. The crawler set it down on a bunch of very sturdy pylons. The downward force went through holes in the launch pad.
$endgroup$
– Hobbes
Mar 25 at 18:52
1
$begingroup$
I always wondered why they needed a raised platform (the "mound") in the first place? A flame trench could have been dug into the ground. Then I remembered the water - millions of gallons that would have to be pumped out of the trench...
$endgroup$
– Mitch99
Mar 25 at 20:48
14
$begingroup$
@Mitch99, it's not just the water from the sound-suppression system. The entire state of Florida is basically a swamp, so any time you dig into the ground, you'll have to continuously pump water out.
$endgroup$
– Mark
Mar 25 at 21:45
1
$begingroup$
On top of that add rain season and you start getting real problems. Did the area acutally ever get flooded?
$endgroup$
– TomTom
Mar 26 at 13:30
add a comment |
$begingroup$
That is the Rotating Service Structure.
It can be rotated to fit over the Shuttle while it is on the pad, giving access to the Shuttle cargo bay. The empty space allows the RSS to fit over the launch platform.
It's not floating, the leg on the left side of the photo is part of the RSS.
This is a detail of the leg:
You can see the cab and wheels used to move the RSS between its positions.
The rotating service structure provides protected access to the orbiter for installation and servicing of payloads at the pad, as well as servicing access to certain systems on the orbiter. The majority of payloads are installed in the vertical position at the pad, partly because of their design and partly because payload processing can thus take place further along in the launch processing schedule.
This photo shows the RSS in its rotated position:
answered Mar 25 at 11:30
HobbesHobbes
94.9k2267421
$endgroup$
1
$begingroup$
The last photograph still leaves me with the question of why the launch pad itself is off the ground. I would have expected a tremendous amount of downward force against it.
$endgroup$
– sondra.kinsey
Mar 25 at 18:48
11
$begingroup$
It had to be off the ground because it was carried by the crawler. The crawler set it down on a bunch of very sturdy pylons. The downward force went through holes in the launch pad.
$endgroup$
– Hobbes
Mar 25 at 18:52
1
$begingroup$
I always wondered why they needed a raised platform (the "mound") in the first place? A flame trench could have been dug into the ground. Then I remembered the water - millions of gallons that would have to be pumped out of the trench...
$endgroup$
– Mitch99
Mar 25 at 20:48
14
$begingroup$
@Mitch99, it's not just the water from the sound-suppression system. The entire state of Florida is basically a swamp, so any time you dig into the ground, you'll have to continuously pump water out.
$endgroup$
– Mark
Mar 25 at 21:45
1
$begingroup$
On top of that add rain season and you start getting real problems. Did the area acutally ever get flooded?
$endgroup$
– TomTom
Mar 26 at 13:30
add a comment |
$begingroup$
That is the Rotating Service Structure.
It can be rotated to fit over the Shuttle while it is on the pad, giving access to the Shuttle cargo bay. The empty space allows the RSS to fit over the launch platform.
It's not floating, the leg on the left side of the photo is part of the RSS.
This is a detail of the leg:
You can see the cab and wheels used to move the RSS between its positions.
The rotating service structure provides protected access to the orbiter for installation and servicing of payloads at the pad, as well as servicing access to certain systems on the orbiter. The majority of payloads are installed in the vertical position at the pad, partly because of their design and partly because payload processing can thus take place further along in the launch processing schedule.
This photo shows the RSS in its rotated position:
answered Mar 25 at 11:30
HobbesHobbes
94.9k2267421
$endgroup$
That is the Rotating Service Structure.
It can be rotated to fit over the Shuttle while it is on the pad, giving access to the Shuttle cargo bay. The empty space allows the RSS to fit over the launch platform.
It's not floating, the leg on the left side of the photo is part of the RSS.
This is a detail of the leg:
You can see the cab and wheels used to move the RSS between its positions.
The rotating service structure provides protected access to the orbiter for installation and servicing of payloads at the pad, as well as servicing access to certain systems on the orbiter. The majority of payloads are installed in the vertical position at the pad, partly because of their design and partly because payload processing can thus take place further along in the launch processing schedule.
This photo shows the RSS in its rotated position:
answered Mar 25 at 11:30
HobbesHobbes
94.9k2267421
answered Mar 25 at 11:30
HobbesHobbes
94.9k2267421
answered Mar 25 at 11:30
HobbesHobbes
94.9k2267421
answered Mar 25 at 11:30
HobbesHobbes
94.9k2267421
94.9k2267421
1
$begingroup$
The last photograph still leaves me with the question of why the launch pad itself is off the ground. I would have expected a tremendous amount of downward force against it.
$endgroup$
– sondra.kinsey
Mar 25 at 18:48
11
$begingroup$
It had to be off the ground because it was carried by the crawler. The crawler set it down on a bunch of very sturdy pylons. The downward force went through holes in the launch pad.
$endgroup$
– Hobbes
Mar 25 at 18:52
1
$begingroup$
I always wondered why they needed a raised platform (the "mound") in the first place? A flame trench could have been dug into the ground. Then I remembered the water - millions of gallons that would have to be pumped out of the trench...
$endgroup$
– Mitch99
Mar 25 at 20:48
14
$begingroup$
@Mitch99, it's not just the water from the sound-suppression system. The entire state of Florida is basically a swamp, so any time you dig into the ground, you'll have to continuously pump water out.
$endgroup$
– Mark
Mar 25 at 21:45
1
$begingroup$
On top of that add rain season and you start getting real problems. Did the area acutally ever get flooded?
$endgroup$
– TomTom
Mar 26 at 13:30
add a comment |
1
$begingroup$
The last photograph still leaves me with the question of why the launch pad itself is off the ground. I would have expected a tremendous amount of downward force against it.
$endgroup$
– sondra.kinsey
Mar 25 at 18:48
11
$begingroup$
It had to be off the ground because it was carried by the crawler. The crawler set it down on a bunch of very sturdy pylons. The downward force went through holes in the launch pad.
$endgroup$
– Hobbes
Mar 25 at 18:52
1
$begingroup$
I always wondered why they needed a raised platform (the "mound") in the first place? A flame trench could have been dug into the ground. Then I remembered the water - millions of gallons that would have to be pumped out of the trench...
$endgroup$
– Mitch99
Mar 25 at 20:48
14
$begingroup$
@Mitch99, it's not just the water from the sound-suppression system. The entire state of Florida is basically a swamp, so any time you dig into the ground, you'll have to continuously pump water out.
$endgroup$
– Mark
Mar 25 at 21:45
1
$begingroup$
On top of that add rain season and you start getting real problems. Did the area acutally ever get flooded?
$endgroup$
– TomTom
Mar 26 at 13:30
1
1
$begingroup$
The last photograph still leaves me with the question of why the launch pad itself is off the ground. I would have expected a tremendous amount of downward force against it.
$endgroup$
– sondra.kinsey
Mar 25 at 18:48
$begingroup$
The last photograph still leaves me with the question of why the launch pad itself is off the ground. I would have expected a tremendous amount of downward force against it.
$endgroup$
– sondra.kinsey
Mar 25 at 18:48
11
11
$begingroup$
It had to be off the ground because it was carried by the crawler. The crawler set it down on a bunch of very sturdy pylons. The downward force went through holes in the launch pad.
$endgroup$
– Hobbes
Mar 25 at 18:52
$begingroup$
It had to be off the ground because it was carried by the crawler. The crawler set it down on a bunch of very sturdy pylons. The downward force went through holes in the launch pad.
$endgroup$
– Hobbes
Mar 25 at 18:52
1
1
$begingroup$
I always wondered why they needed a raised platform (the "mound") in the first place? A flame trench could have been dug into the ground. Then I remembered the water - millions of gallons that would have to be pumped out of the trench...
$endgroup$
– Mitch99
Mar 25 at 20:48
$begingroup$
I always wondered why they needed a raised platform (the "mound") in the first place? A flame trench could have been dug into the ground. Then I remembered the water - millions of gallons that would have to be pumped out of the trench...
$endgroup$
– Mitch99
Mar 25 at 20:48
14
14
$begingroup$
@Mitch99, it's not just the water from the sound-suppression system. The entire state of Florida is basically a swamp, so any time you dig into the ground, you'll have to continuously pump water out.
$endgroup$
– Mark
Mar 25 at 21:45
$begingroup$
@Mitch99, it's not just the water from the sound-suppression system. The entire state of Florida is basically a swamp, so any time you dig into the ground, you'll have to continuously pump water out.
$endgroup$
– Mark
Mar 25 at 21:45
1
1
$begingroup$
On top of that add rain season and you start getting real problems. Did the area acutally ever get flooded?
$endgroup$
– TomTom
Mar 26 at 13:30
$begingroup$
On top of that add rain season and you start getting real problems. Did the area acutally ever get flooded?
$endgroup$
– TomTom
Mar 26 at 13:30
add a comment |
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18
$begingroup$
I'm not sure "floating in air" is quite right for something with enormous towers at each end holding it up. ;)
$endgroup$
– Graham
Mar 25 at 22:01
3
$begingroup$
@Graham - Yeah I was thinking "Which part are you referring to?"
$endgroup$
– Kyle Delaney
Mar 25 at 22:49