At the end of May 2009 I was invited, together with other engineering educators to a meeting at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASA is looking for ways to introduce teaching Systems Engineering in different engineering programs and wanted to talk with some educators. As part of our trip, we got to visit several of their facilities that are normally not open to the public.
First we stopped at the Vehicle Assembly Building. This is the second largest building -in volumen- in the world. It was originally built for the Apollo program and now is used to get the Shuttle ready for flight.
These are the nose cones for the solid rocket boosters ready to be assembled into the rest of the rockets.
The cones of the next generation of exploration vehicles: the ARES-X
Only inside the building you realize how big this building is:
We went to the Orbiter Processing Facility, where the Orbiter gets ready before being sent to the Vehicle Assembly Building in order to have the external fuel tank and the solid rocket boosters connected.
We went to the Orbiter Processing Facility, where the Orbiter gets ready before being sent to the Vehicle Assembly Building in order to have the external fuel tank and the solid rocket boosters connected.
We had the opportunity to stand just few feet below the Orbiter Discovery as the workers were busy inspecting and replacing the thermal tiles before its next mission in mid August. Yes, this is one of the 3 remaining Orbiters.
Did you know that the name Orbiter is used for the black and white vehicle that returns to Earth. When the Orbiter has the external fuel talk and the two solid rocket boosters attached, it becomes the Space Transporstation System or Shuttle.
Close up of the thermal tiles. They are extremely light and fragile. And absorb water very easily.
One of the places in which the external fuel tank attaches to the Orbiter to provide the fuel for its main engines. After separation the door closes.
A spot for a damaged tile to be replaced:
The front of the Orbiter from below:
The tail of the orbiter:
Side of the orbiter and its wings:
Storage tank for the liquid hydrogen. The storage tank for the liquid oxygen is far away from this one. You don't want to mix them until it is the right time.
One of the two launcing pads for the Shuttle waiting to be occupied. The VAB is at the right. The water tower releases water just before main ignition as a sound supression system.
A spot for a damaged tile to be replaced:
The front of the Orbiter from below:
The tail of the orbiter:
Side of the orbiter and its wings:
Storage tank for the liquid hydrogen. The storage tank for the liquid oxygen is far away from this one. You don't want to mix them until it is the right time.
One of the two launcing pads for the Shuttle waiting to be occupied. The VAB is at the right. The water tower releases water just before main ignition as a sound supression system.
Payload ready to be loaded into the Shuttle for delivery!
Wow! Great pictures. That building is enormous. It's amazing that those delicate heat tiles can get through the atmosphere. Are they planning any more shuttle missions? Or are they phasing out the shuttles?
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