Following ESM arrival at KSC, Orion kicks off final assembly for EM-1

[Chris Bergin]

Another superb feature from Philip Sloss on the Orion flow to EM-1 following the arrival of the ESM:
https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2018/11/following-esm-arrival-ksc-orion-final-assembly-em-1/


https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/1065328278343426049

[catdlr]

How Do You Assemble the Largest Rocket Ever Made?

NASA
Published on Dec 1, 2018

At the Vehicle Assembly Building at Kennedy Space Center, technicians practice and prepare to stack NASA's Space Launch System rocket. The SLS fueled-up core stage weighs around 2.3 million pounds and measures 212 feet long.

[Steven Pietrobon]

Great video, but why does NASA keep calling SLS the largest rocket ever made? The Saturn V has more payload into LEO, 118 t compared to 89 t for SLS and is taller, 111 m compared to 98 m. SLS is wider thanks to its boosters, but the core diameter is less at 8.4 m, compared to Saturn V at 10 m. SLS does have more initial thrust at 38.4 MN, compared to 33.85 MN for Saturn V. However, the N-1 which did get off the pad (although not to orbit) had even greater thrust at 45.4 MN. Energia was 35.1 MN. In terms of liftoff mass, SLS is only 2,657 t, compared to 2,914 t for Saturn V.

The only claim that SLS can make (if it is successful) is that it is the highest thrust launch vehicle to reach orbit.

[woods170]

Great video, but why does NASA keep calling SLS the largest rocket ever made? The Saturn V has more payload into LEO, 118 t compared to 89 t for SLS and is taller, 111 m compared to 98 m. SLS is wider thanks to its boosters, but the core diameter is less at 8.4 m, compared to Saturn V at 10 m. SLS does have more initial thrust at 38.4 MN, compared to 33.85 MN for Saturn V. However, the N-1 which did get off the pad (although not to orbit) had even greater thrust at 45.4 MN. Energia was 35.1 MN. In terms of liftoff mass, SLS is only 2,657 t, compared to 2,914 t for Saturn V.

The only claim that SLS can make (if it is successful) is that it is the highest thrust launch vehicle to reach orbit.

Agreed. The claim made in this video, that SLS is the largest rocket ever made, is ridiculous. Not based on any fact.

[hektor]

Maybe the largest in terms of highest exterior surface ?

[envy887]

Great video, but why does NASA keep calling SLS the largest rocket ever made? The Saturn V has more payload into LEO, 118 t compared to 89 t for SLS and is taller, 111 m compared to 98 m. SLS is wider thanks to its boosters, but the core diameter is less at 8.4 m, compared to Saturn V at 10 m. SLS does have more initial thrust at 38.4 MN, compared to 33.85 MN for Saturn V. However, the N-1 which did get off the pad (although not to orbit) had even greater thrust at 45.4 MN. Energia was 35.1 MN. In terms of liftoff mass, SLS is only 2,657 t, compared to 2,914 t for Saturn V.

The only claim that SLS can make (if it is successful) is that it is the highest thrust launch vehicle to reach orbit.

I think they are just assuming that Block 2 will be built.

[Hog]

How Do You Assemble the Largest Rocket Ever Made?

NASA
Published on Dec 1, 2018

At the Vehicle Assembly Building at Kennedy Space Center, technicians practice and prepare to stack NASA's Space Launch System rocket. The SLS fueled-up core stage weighs around 2.3 million pounds and measures 212 feet long.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ulr36BypZTU?t=001

At 1:50 Lauren Patrick states that "Now as you can see, it's going to be a huge rocket with a lot of huge lifts."

Her title is cranes, doors and platforms-Engineer which certainly doesnt sound very interesting to most. Then read on and the graphic shows her position is located at Kennedy Space Center.  When you consider that KSC has some very big doors, some heavy and unconventional hoisting needs and the fact that all these things involve hardware such as: SLS, MPCV, SRB, SSME, C/T, ML, EM-1 C/S  etc., working as a cranes, doors and platforms engineering redefines the meaning of interesting.

5 primary cranes
"Two of the cranes can lift 325 tons, another two are rated for 250-ton loads and the fifth one is designed to hold 175 tons. They will be crucial again in the future to stack the SLS components into a launch configuration."


pics
1) 175 ton crane used in the transfer aisle in 2014, used to stack the Saturn V for Apollo 11 and to erect Shuttle Orbiters from horizontal to vertical. Lowered down by 325 ton crane(installed in 1996) so that it can be updated for SLS/Orion usage
2) old platforms which were to be removed from VAB  refurbishment of the Vehicle Assembly Building will include removing seven Apollo-era platforms from High Bay 3 and replacing them with modern versions that can adapt to different kinds of rockets