Lunch Trip 4: Return to OPF and Inside the VAB

Today, Marty and I went to visit the OPF and the VAB. We went to see the Endeavour again because we wanted to get pictures of us in the pilot's seat...but we couldn't. They were just finishing the shuttle closeouts so we weren't allowed inside. We might try to get in the Discovery tomorrow...


I did take some more cool pics of the Endeavour:

Left is the Space Shuttle Main Engine room. On the right is looking forward over the wing of the Endeavour.








We were kinda bummed about not getting our cockpit pictures so we decided to mosey on over to the VAB. At the time of our visit, the VAB had the complete Atlantis stack and the Solid Rocket Boosters (SRBs) for the Endeavour. In case I haven't explained before, two shuttle stacks will be prepared for our mission: Atlantis is our primary and Endeavour is our back-up.

Also in case if haven't explained before, the VAB is huge. It has a big main hallway and four staging areas. The shuttle barely takes up any of the building. See the double doors at the bottom? Only those and two of the rising doors open for the shuttle. Its so big because the Saturn 5 was assembled there. The Saturn 5 had only 4 feet of clearance between the tip and the top of the doorway.

Anyway, Marty and I started at the 16th floor and worked our way down, taking tons of pictures. Here are some sweet shots:

Looking down at the shuttle from the 16th floor

Left: Looking at the external tank. You can see the nose of the shuttle to the left just sticking out of the floor.

Right: Shot of where Endeavour will go. You can see the SRBs on either side of the empty place where the ET will go.

Looking up at the shuttle. You can see the mobile launch platform at the bottom

I also got some cool pictures in the middle floors, like this one I took next to the Atlantis wing:





On the left is a picture of one of the bolts that attach the SRB to the ET. The bolt is actually the little vertical piece of metal near the orange tank. There four per SRB, they are 2 1/2 inches in diameter and they can withstand 3 million pounds of force!

Doesn't that just make you want an ice cream cone?

Picture taken just under the ET, looking at the bottom of the shuttle (black thing).

Marty and I could walk on the mobile launch platform right under the shuttle's tail. Here's a picture looking up at the shuttle from right next to the tail.



While we were walking out, i snapped a picture looking up at the ceiling of the VAB. The yellow things at the top are the giant cranes that pick up the SRBs, ET and shuttle. It has to pick up the pieces and lift them up and into the open spot you can see in the wall. The open spot is up higher than my apartment building.


Next blog update will be very exciting! I'm going to get up and watch the Atlantis roll out to the pad! Check back real soon!