New NASA transporter

Yes, this is trains related, just hang on...

I don't know when they made the switch but I noticed today while laying out a story on the latest NASA launch (which happened early this morning) that the "new" Atlas V rockets are transported to the launch pad by a train-powered MLP rather then the Crawler Transporter MLP that other rockets & the Space Shutter use. I don't know if this means the old Greasy Pigs are going to be retired soon, but it's an interesting development.

If you didn't know, Roscosmos (the Russian NASA) has always used trains to transport their rockets from the assembly area to the launch pad.

What little I can figure out about the train:

The train consists of a few cars, appearing to be flat cars with stuff mounted on top. In order the are:
Two Flat Car with a big white container thing, only on one track
Single Mobile Launch Platform (MLP), straddles 2 tracks
--After this point there are two trains mirrored to each other on the 2 tracks.--
Trackmobile (motive power)
Flat Car with white equipment taking up 2/3s and a grey generator-looking thing on the last 3rd.

Media:
http://www.wired4space.com/wp-content/uploads/AtlasV_MUOS1_MLP5.jpg
http://www.wired4space.com/wp-content/uploads/AtlasV_MUOS1_MLP2.jpg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZpPBxSajO80

peter

Hey ---

Yep, very cool stuff, indeed!!!! :udrool:

Ish

WoW that goes pretty fast ... I remember the old Saturn V rockets, and they crawled at nearly a bugs speed, taking a week to get to the launch pad ... They sure were monsterously huge, and put on a tremendous roar as they took off with 5 huge thrusters, burning at 20 tons of fuel per second ... the Saturn V rocket most powerful vehicle ever made.

I know that SpaceX, or some other third-party group, plans to do something similar. They plan on assembling the rocket on its side before transporting it to the launch pad in a similar style, then raising the rocket to the vertical position, then fueling and launching it. Pretty simple compared to NASA building the rocket vertically, which means large vertical buildings and huge cranes, and using the large Crawlers, which are really cool, to transport them to the launch pad. Did you know that the Crawlers use old ALCO engines? And that their nickname is 'The Greasy Pig'? Also, the route that the crawlers travel on is made of rock from the Tennessee River, which is the only object that can handle the massive weight of the crawlers with a launch pad on top of it.

cascaderailroad said:

WoW that goes pretty fast ... I remember the old Saturn V rockets, and they crawled at nearly a bugs speed, taking a week to get to the launch pad ... They sure were monsterously huge, and put on a tremendous roar as they took off with 5 huge thrusters, burning at 20 tons of fuel per second ... the Saturn V rocket most powerful vehicle ever made.

Click to expand...

Good Morning Cas!!!

Just in case you have missed this:
Saturne V - Nasa
https://www.auran.com/TRS2004/DLS_viewasset.php?AssetID=178363

Take care now, sir
Ishie

I wish that more rockets would be able to fly straight up, on near vertical invisatrack, but the Saturn V only drives sideways, standing up vertically ... i have been told to mount rockets on a helicopter elevator lift, to make them fly vertically.

I'll have to play around with that I would imagine that your could get a rocket to go almost straight up.

But also realistically rockets don't go straight up, they often curve bit during their ascent.

Here is an Atlas V rocket launch for example:


peter

Invisatrack doesn't go absolutely straight up anyway.

That would be really cool, and would bring Trainz into a whole new aspect, of flying rockets around at +3000m height

This is very cool as I remember watching the shuttle launches from my front yard. The Kennedy Space center was only about 40 miles north of my house. With any luck I will be returning to Florida later this year and my wife will be able to see the the US space program in person .

Dave

Thai1On said:

This is very cool as I remember watching the shuttle launches from my front yard. The Kennedy Space center was only about 40 miles north of my house. With any luck I will be returning to Florida later this year and my wife will be able to see the the US space program in person .

Dave

Click to expand...

That's great news! You retiring back in the states?

I saw the launch once from my aunt and uncle's house. They live in Deltona and used to watch the launches from their back yard. I had the opportunity to do the same back in 1978 when my bro and I took an Amtrak trip to Florida to stay with them for a couple of weeks. We also took a trip down to the space center and saw the exhibits. It was quite a trip I'll never forget.

John

PerRock said:

If you didn't know, Roscosmos (the Russian NASA) has always used trains to transport their rockets from the assembly area to the launch pad.

Click to expand...

For those interested in the location, check out here:
https://www.google.com/maps/@45.9642775,63.3044367,398m/data=!3m1!1e3
Baikonur, Kazakhstan. You can clearly see the double track leading to the platforms.

Here is a picture of a single track rocket on the move.

cascaderailroad said:

I wish that more rockets would be able to fly straight up, on near vertical invisatrack, but the Saturn V only drives sideways, standing up vertically ... i have been told to mount rockets on a helicopter elevator lift, to make them fly vertically.

Click to expand...

Hello Cas,

Check your PM, sir and also my Marsz blog! :wave:

Ishie

I have a question about this. How are just 2 trackmobiles able to move such a big load?

Because it is on smooth steel rails, level and straight, almost no friction, and the platform is most of the heavy weight, as the actual rocket is pretty light in weight

MeowRailroad said:

I have a question about this. How are just 2 trackmobiles able to move such a big load?

Click to expand...

Rockets are actually pretty light unfueled. The first + second stage of the Delta IV (similar size to an Atlas V) can be transported by truck, so it's not a surprise to see two trackmobiles being able to carry that load.

http://mediaarchive.ksc.nasa.gov/im...mr=m&w=758&h=517&fn=07pd3618&sn=KSC-07pd-3618

MeowRailroad said:

I have a question about this. How are just 2 trackmobiles able to move such a big load?

Click to expand...

I would imagine it only travels at about two to three mph.

It makes much more sense to transport rockets empty. For one they are lighter, but you also aren't transporting a big bomb around, "built by the lowest bidder" to quote Shepard.

So ya the rocket is moved to the pad and then filled. The SRBs on the space shuttle were transported loaded, as it's a lot harder to load solid rocket fuel (think like the stuff your model, Estes, rockets use) on site.

peter

jkinzel said:

I would imagine it only travels at about two to three mph.

Click to expand...

The max speed for the Hercules Wide-cab Trackmobile, which is what I believe they use, is only 13.6mph unloaded (and on flat ground). But then the max speed for the Greasy Pigs was only a few miles an hour.

peter