The handover of Mobile Launcher Platform-1 from NASA’s Space Shuttle Program to the Constellation Program at a Kennedy Space Center ceremony on March 25 is the next step in returning people to the moon and exploring beyond.
The 4,625-ton, two-story steel structure will be modified for the first test flight of NASA’s next-generation spacecraft and launch vehicle system. The Ares I-X rocket test, which is targeted for launch this summer, will provide important data for developing Ares I and support a critical design review next year.
“It truly is a historic day to be turning over a major piece of hardware from one manned spaceflight program to another,” Shuttle Launch Director Mike Leinbach said. “It really doesn’t happen very often.”
MLP-1 holds special memories for Leinbach, considering it has taken part in 51 shuttle launches — more than NASA’s other two launch platforms. Its rich history also includes three Apollo launches, including Apollo 11 that put humans on the moon; and three Skylab missions, making it the first mobile launcher platform to support space station, Apollo, space shuttle and Constellation programs.
The launch platform had just been used on March 15 to launch space shuttle Discovery on its STS-119 mission to the International Space Station.
After Leinbach shared some history of the launcher, the banner that read “Go Discovery” was changed to “Go Ares I-X” to reflect its new mission with the Constellation Program.
“We are excited to have this mobile launcher platform turned over to us,” said Pepper Phillips, director of the Constellation Project office. “This is a real enabler for us.”
Constructed in 1964, Mobile Launcher-1, or ML-1, originally was used for transporting and launching the Saturn V rocket for Apollo lunar landing missions. For Skylab and Apollo-Soyuz, ML-1 was modified with a “milkstool” pedestal that allowed the shorter Saturn IB rocket to use the Saturn V tower and service arms. ML-1 was modified in 1975 for use in shuttle operations and was renamed Mobile Launcher Platform-1, or MLP-1.
In support of the transition, United Space Alliance, Lockheed Martin and NASA collaborated to simplify design plans and capitalize on previous shuttle upgrades and existing infrastructure.
The first modifications for MLP-1 began in May 2008, with the installation of 20 water bag cleats to the platform’s right-hand solid rocket booster hole, which will prevent any possible acoustic damage to the rocket during liftoff.
In December 2008, the ground control system hardware, which controls the ground equipment for checkout and launch, was installed onto MLP-1.
Next, MLP-1 will undergo ground control hardware testing at Kennedy’s Launch Pad 39B. Upon completion, the platform will move to the Vehicle Assembly Building’s High Bay 3 to begin its stacking with Ares I-X.
During the handover ceremony, Brett Raulerson, United Space Alliance manager for MLP operations, received a commemorative plaque that will be hung in the MLP shop. An identical plaque also will hang in Kennedy’s Launch Control Center.
“This MLP is the workhorse of the fleet,” Raulerson said. “It’s exciting to know it’s going to support three (space) programs before it is finished.”
Following the Ares I-X flight test, MLP-1 will be disassembled.
By Frank Ochoa-Gonzales
Why can’t it be used in the operational phase of Constellation? It should already be well-suited for Ares V launches, and the Ares 1-X launch should demonstrate that it can also handle Ares I if the unused SRB hole is capped. There’s no point in building all new launch platforms if the existing ones can be modified to work. When you’re on a shoestring budget, that seems like a waste of money. If this platform could undergo the drastic conversion from Saturn to Shuttle, it can surely be modified again for permanent use with Constellation.
What a shame to waste a historical item such as this platform. I know we cannot keep everything, yet destroying this piece of history removes us even further from our spaceflight heritage. I hope there is some consideration given to doing something for the future with this important instrument?
I’m curious why MLP-1 will be disassembled after Ares I-X? Why will it not be useful for the full Ares program? Are new MLPs being built/modified for later in the program?
Why will MLP-1 be disassembled? Seems like a waste. I’d really like to have a reason.
Thank you for this weblog posting. I enjoyed read it. Does anyone know why Mobile Launcher Platform-1 will be disassembled after the Ares I-X flight test? Does anyone know what NASA plans to do with the disassembled components of MLP-1? Will any components be reused or donated to museums?
The report says “Following the Ares I-X flight test, MLP-1 will be disassembled.” Does this mean it will be scraped, rebuilt for future launches or or put on display where it belongs so people can enjoy it for generations to come?
Thank You
Steve
What happened to the Vandenburg site? Is Ares going to be launched from that site later ?
I think some of you don’t realize how old this thing is. If NASA was still using government vehicles from 1965 and paying for the maintenance, everyone would throw a fit. Also, Saturn V was nothing in size and weight compared to the planned Ares V, so I wonder just how far they can be pushed. For all we know, MLP-1 is so worn out it can barely launch another shuttle or Ares I-X and the risk or cost is just too great, and the only reason they didn’t design new ones for the Shuttle is because Nixon slashed the budget to pay for the Vietnam war.
I do agree that a static display would be more appropriate than just chucking it into a garbage dump, but I would guess that there are plans and the post is just incomplete on the topic of the launcher’s final resting place.
Also, Vandenburg is only used for launches into a polar orbit. To my knowledge, we have rarely, if ever, needed to put people into a polar orbit.
MLP-1 should be kept intact for use with extended flight dates and missions of the shuttle fleet.
this is a waste of equipment that was supposed to be reused under the 2005 mandate to reuse up to 60-80% of shuttle hardware.
this thing would cost millions if built new. for now its best to be kept in ready to use storage for Shuttle and Direct 2.0 Jupiter rockets