Space Shuttle Launch Pad 39A with Challenger STS-6

[roma847]

Hello everybody,

 

a far trickier component is this pivoted Double angle holder onto which the Worm gear is mounted, which functions as the drive component of the Screw Jack which provides the vertical movement of the trapezoidal spindle.

 

Source: NASA (STS-135)

 

Tricky therefore, because this double angle is very small, as one can imagine from its dimensions (1,7mm x 1,5mm x 1,0mm) in this image. 

 

Source: NASA (STS-125)

 

Therefore it would be a clever solution if there was a suitable Styrene profile that would fall within this range.

 

Due to the width of 1,5 mm, I've immediately thought of my smallest Evergreen U or H Profiles, which are just as wide and after which I've been looking in my stock immediately.

 

 

From the H Profile (left) I've removed the upper webs and filed the inside a little thinner, which I like better than the U Profile (right), especially since the H Profile with 0,96 mm is also a bit higher, which would fit better into the overall picture.

 

For the protective tube of the Screw Jack spindle I will use a rod (Ø 0,5 mm). And for the black Folding bellows I could use this matching insulating tube Ø 1,3 mm,

 

 

which I have put onto the rod, and which I've tried out with the rod in a holder made of U Profile, what looks quite passable.

 

Most of all, with this solution I have something to touch, which will hopefully make it easier to glue the holder onto the fragile frame.

 

Let's wait and see ...

[roma847]

Hello everybody,

 

meanwhile I've been thinking about how I could scratch the tiny Worm Gear and the Folding Bellows as well as the encased Coupling Rod, sitting on top of it.

 

For clarity, this time I've left out the confusing scaling of dimensions and just given the final dimensions of the components, making it easier to see the details to scratch.

 

Source: NASA (STS-132)

 

Then I looked around for suitable materials and found some in my inventory, including a suitable black insulating tube Ø 1,4 mm for the slightly thicker lower area of the bellows, which is directly sitting on the Worm Gear (Ø 1,0 mm x 1,0 mm) and then up to the coated Coupling Rod (Ø 0,5 mm x 1,3 mm) becomes slightly tapered (Ø 0,7 mm x 1,0 mm), which I at least want to indicate.  

 

The following image shows the individual parts, whereby I put a black broom bristle (Ø 0,7 mm) into the insulating tube for the thinner bellows area. Next to it are the prepared Protective Tubes (Ø 0,5 mm x 9,5 mm), which are mounted under the double-angle bracket of the worm gear.

 

To the right the parts for the gear unit are to see, these are the punched-out small cylinders for the worm gears, and behind it the Housing of the output shaft, for which I'll use an Evergreen Strip (0,5 mm x 0,5 mm x 1,5 mm). 

 

 

However, as can be seen in this image, it has a prismatic design,

 

Source: NASA (STS-125)

 

in contrast to this cylindrical form shown earlier. 

 

Source: mechjacks.com

 

Then I thought of two more variants for the bellows, which can be seen here. 

 

In the variant above the cent coin, a rod (Ø 0,5 mm) is plugged into the insulating tube (Ø 1,4 mm x 1,5 mm) above the worm gear, of which I could paint the tapered part (1,0 mm) black, while the remaining end (1,3 mm) would represent the coupling rod.  

 

 

In the variant above it, a thin black insulating tube (Ø 0,5 mm) is attached to a pin for the tapering part (Ø 0,7 mm x 1,0 mm), which could be replaced by the white round rod, which would represent the coupling rod.

 

Let's see what I'll decide for, the variant with the broom bristle is eliminated anyway.

[roma847]

Hello everybody,

 

well then let's get to the tricky Double-angle holders, on which the Worm Gears are mounted, which I've cut with the Chisel cutter from my prepared H Profile to 1,7 mm length.

 

 

However, since the shape of the sides of the angle is not an isosceles triangle, as can be seen in this image,

 

Source: NASA (STS-125)

 

I first had to attach these unequal slants to both sides of the tiny one, which was quite difficult because one can hardly fix the angle for it, but I managed to do this to some extent with the cutter and careful sanding. Then the Screw Jack protective tube (Ø 0,5 mm x 9,5 mm) could be glued at the underside of the angle, aligned and set aside to dry, 

 

 

which did complete the bottom half of the first Screw Jack.

 

 

 

And so to the Folding Bellows sitting on the top of the angle, which I had been racking my brains about for some time.

 

After careful consideration, I have now decided on the variant with insulating tubes of different thicknesses, with the lower part (Ø 1,4 mm x 1,5 mm and the part above (Ø 0,6 mm x 1,0 mm).

 

 

While pushing the thicker part onto the round rod (Ø 0,5 mm) did not cause any problems, I've first widened the thinner part with a pin (Ø 0,5 mm), although pushing it onto only succeeded  under hot water.

 

 

And this bellows with the coupling rod now still had to be glued to the tiny Worm Gear (Ø 1,0 mm x 1,0 mm), to which I before still had to attach the Shaft Housing ( 0,5 mm x 0,5 mm x 1,5 mm). 

 

 

This gear unit was then still glued to a small base plate (0,13 mm x 1,4 mm x 1,5 mm), 

 

 

which shows that it is meanwhile about tenths of a millimeter.

 

 

Before gluing both parts together, I still wanted to determine the exact position of the Screw Jack on the still to be built frame platform,  

 

 

since the position of the Shaft Housing must match that of the Bevel Gearbox of the door drive, between which the tubes of the Output Shaft are running, like one can see in this photo.

 

Source: NASA (STS-135)

 

For this purpose, I placed the gear unit with the bellows on the finished door drive in such a way that the center line of the Worm Gear and the Shaft Housing are matching, what was resulting in a distance from the wall of the canister of 2,7 mm, which I have to take into account when gluing the screw jack onto the frame pedestal so that both tubes are running aligned later.

 

 

 

Then I started scratching the upper frame by gluing the prepared struts (0,25 mm x 0,5 mm) together, what resulted to a frame  2 mm x 4 mm.

 

 

As one can see, the width of the screw jack base plate matches the width of the frame well.

 

 

 

Here is an image to illustrate the size of the parts from the normal viewer perspective of approx. 30 cm.

 

 

Next, however, the upper frame must first be completed with the remaining struts, because only then the complete Screw Jack can be glued onto it.

[roma847]

Hello friends,

 

so let's continue with the remaining struts on the frame for the Screw Jack.

 

 

After all four top frames were done,

 

 

the vertical struts were glued, for which the frame had to be fixed again in order not to be able to slip, which can otherwise happen very quickly,  

 

 

whereby had to be rechucked again and again.

 

 

 

The test fitting on the sketch fits quite well so far,

 

 

and the frame so far looks stable too.

 

 

 

So it could now continue with the gluing of the diagonal struts, which were cut on this sketch. 

 

 

 

While the first strut could still be glued in relatively well after the appropriate fixation, 

 

 

gluing the other strut was a bit more difficult, which is why the framework had to be fixed differently in order to have reasonably free access without the frame being able to slip. But I found a solution for that too.

 

 

Now only the slightly longer struts had to be glued onto both long sides of the frame. 

 

 

For this I have adjusted the stop on the ruler in such a way that there is an overhang of 1 mm at the top,

 

 

behind which I then glued the framework.

 

 

Then the strut was glued on the other side. 

 

 

This was followed by a fitting on the Payload Canister, which was okay so far.

 

 

For gluing the Worm gear on the Folding bellows I first have tested the clamping option of  the Protective tube with the Double angle holder and tested the seat of the gear. 

 

 

However, since I was not able to check the alignment of the protective tube with the upper spindle with this clamping and correct it if necessary, I decided to clamp into the scissor tweezers, which was clamped firmly on the table top.

 

And thanks to my steady hand, the gluing of both parts worked right away,

 

 

and the fit of both parts was also perfect.  

 

 

However, trying on the Screw Jack on the frame turned out to be a blatant number, since the clear opening of the frame and the width of the double angle holder with 1,5 mm are identical, causing the part kept slipping through.

 

But on the 10th attempt it worked and stayed stable for a photo, which made up for the effort.

 

 

And that's exactly why the two small lateral holders must now also be attached to the double angle, but which are only 0,13 mm x 0,4 mm x 0,5 mm in size.

 

Source: NASA (STS-135)

 

But I'm still trying to make it, for which I have already found a suitable thin strip in my hodgepodge.

 

 

Let's wait and see.

[roma847]

Hello everybody,

 

an exact re-measurement of the small angle holder on the double bracket of the Screw Jack resulted dimensions of 0,4 mm x 0,5 mm, which is why I did not use the initially selected 0,5 mm wide strip, as I would have had to cut 0,4 mm long strips from it, which is almost impossible to do it reproducibly.

 

So I've cut a new strip out of Evergreen Sheet Styrene (0,13 mm x 0,4 mm), although it was difficult to get the width (0,4 mm), which took me several attempts.  

 

This gave me the advantage that I could set the length (0,5 mm) on the ruler and only had to cut off the pieces.

 

 

And now please buckle up! These angle holders are by far the tiniest bits I've ever had in front of me to scratch, which I now somehow had to glue onto both sides of the double angle, which is why I was curious whether I would be able to do that at all.

 

 

Here one can see that the snippet just about fits on the tip of the tweezers, but then really grabbing it, holding it and sticking it to the angle is almost impossible.

 

 

If at all, this only works with one of my patented Tape tweezers, who have often helped me in similar cases, hopefully this time too.  

 

Here I have already tapped and picked up the snippet with the tip of a new tape tweezers, and the acupuncture needle lays already in place to dab a tiny droplet of Revell Contacta-Professional onto the underside of the double angle.

 

 

And here the first snippet is already glued, but you can hardly see it because these white plastic particles offer too little contrast, which is a well-known phenomenon with such macro shots.

 

 

Maybe one can see it a little better on this shot, although it always depends on the incidence of light. 

 

 

That's why I chose a lateral position here, where one can now see the midget relatively well.

 

 

Then the angle holder was also glued to the other side, which resulted in a width of the double angle with these holders of 1,8 mm, which is actually enough to stand on the frame, which has a clear opening of 1,5 mm.

 

 

And after drying, the Screw jack was put to the test on the frame, what can be seen in this image,

 

 

which has completely convinced me and so I could go to bed last night full of satisfaction ...

[roma847]

Dear friends,

 

on this memorable day in 1986 with the Challenger Mission STS-51-L took place the first launch from the just finished Launch Pad 39-B,

 

Source: wikimedia.org

 

which ended in a disaster 73 seconds after lift-off, in which the seven-person Challenger Crew lost their lives.

 

Front: Michael Smith, Francis Scobee, Ronald McNair; Back: Ellison Onizuka, Christa McAuliffe, Gregory Jarvis, Judith Resnik 
Source: wikimedia.org

 

Let us take pause in silence and keeping their legacy alive forever.  

[roma847]

Hello everybody,

 

for the remaining three Screw Jacks I came up with a different solution.  

 

In order not to have to glue the tiny Angle holders to the sides of the Double angle holder last, which was a pretty tricky affair, I have this step this time brought forward.  

 

That's why I first drilled the holes for the Spindle protective tubes in the brackets, first with Ø 0,3 mm pre-drilled, and then with Ø 0,5 mm re-drilled. 

 

Then the sides were beveled,

 

 

wherefore this time I fixed the holders between four rulers and then cut off the slants on both sides one after the other with a razor blade.

 

And in this position I also glued the tiny angle holders onto the front side.

 

 

To glue the angle holders to the back, however, they had to be carefully re-clamped and precisely aimed with the tiny one on the Tape tweezers.

 

 

But now the Double angle holders are finished,

 

 

and I can glue in the protective tubes and then move on to the Worm gears and Folding bellows.

[roma847]

Hello everybody,

 

and thus to the Folding bellows, their assembly sequence I've quickly recapitulated in my former post (Posted January 21).  

 

First, I glued the Lifting spindle protective tubes into the holes in the Double-angle holders. In order not to break off the already glued tiny Angle holders on the sides, this time I clamped the holders at the front and back between the rulers,

 

 

as well as aligned their seat in scissor tweezers and let dry.

 

 

This was followed by the well-known tricky threading of the black rubber sleeves of the bellows onto the sharpened spindle rod (Ø 0,5 mm).  

 

After the tricky insertion of the tip into the 1,0 mm long thinner upper sleeve (Ø_o 0,6 mm), it was  pushed up to 1,5 mm in front of the rod end. 

 

 

Then the 1,5 mm long lower sleeve (Ø_o 1,4 mm) was pushed on, which was much easier.

 

 

After gluing, the round rod was cut off flush, with which the 2nd Folding bellows was finished.

 

 

In the same way the two remaining bellows followed. Once you know how it's done, it's only half as bad.

 

 

Then I've still scratched the three Worm gears in the known way.

 

 

As next step the assembly of the Screw jacks can follow now, 

 

 

and following this the gluing of the missing frame struts.

[roma847]

Hello everybody,

I can be honest, it is a new challenge every day to sit down at my craft table because I know what is waiting there again for me ...

 

A little fun on the side.

 

In our German forum, a friend was astonished at that my components are narrower than the protruding edge of the 1 Cent coin.

 

And if he really means the width of the protruding edge of my constant companion, then according to the current measurement it is 0,46 mm wide, which shows, that some of my parts are meanwhile smaller indeed.  

 

 

Today I was satisfied with gluing the vertical struts to the frame,

 

 

what was also the same stressful business as last time  

 

 

 

especially since immediately the first strut dropped out of the tweezers when dipping into the glue blob and was therefore scrap.

 

The squirrel laboriously feeds itself and is hopping from strut to strut...

[roma847]

Hello everybody,

 

this was followed by gluing the lower small cross struts (0,25 mm x 0,5 mm x 1,5 mm) at the end of the vertical frame struts.

 

 

For the gluing of the Diagonal struts I had to scroll back and look at the special arrangement of the steel rulers for fixing.

 

 

Due to the modest artificial light conditions, I've set up my improvised Object lighting with a Headband LED,

 

 

which, together with my Headset magnifying glass, gave me the perfect view.

 

 

 

For the gluing of the opposing diagonal struts, the frames had to be fixed non-slip as usual using the super magnets.

 

 

And then the frames were finally done.

 

 

Next, the Worm gears and Folding bellows can be glued to the Double angle holders. Always nice one thing at a time.

[uilleann]

Just so so so good!!  😁👍🏼

[roma847]

Welcome uilleann and thanks for looking in on me. 

[roma847]

Hello everyone,

 

today in a quick way some images of the gluing of the three remaining Screw Jacks without many words.

 

After gluing the Gear units onto the fixed Base plates (0,13 mm x 1,4 mm x 1,5 mm)

 

 

the Folding bellows were glued onto the Worm gears one after the other.

 

 

 

 

And here they are standing in rank and file like the tin soldiers,

 

 

and can next be glued onto the Double angle holders.

[roma847]

Hello friends,

 

and thus to the final gluing of the Gear units with the Folding bellows on the Double angle holders.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next the gluing of the vertical braces to the remaining frames will follow,  

 

 

and then the four Screw Jacks are glued to the frames, wherewith finally would be complete this complex subassembly.

[roma847]

Hello everybody,

 

as advertised, here is the brief overview of gluing the vertical struts to the three remained frames with 1 mm overhang at the top of the frames as I had described for the first frame.

 

 

 

 

 

The gluing of the Screw Jacks I'll do tomorrow in daylight.

[roma847]

Hello everybody,

 

and thus to the trickiest part of the exercise, gluing the Screw Jacks onto the fragile frames, where everything can still go wrong, but must not go wrong!

 

That's why I thought back and forth beforehand as to how the frames could be fixed best and as gently as possible in order to be able to glue the Screw Jacks as centrally and precisely as possible to the front edge.

 

Finally, I've fixed the frame with narrow tape strips on a steel ruler, the lower struts with 2 mm tape, and the upper short ends with 1 mm tape, which resulted in a sufficiently tight fit.

 

To try it on, I've clamped the ruler in a small vice and carefully laid down a spindle on it, which was quite a balancing act, but has held up.  

 

 

In order to be able to handle better when gluing the parts, I first held the ruler in my hand and dabbed the front ends of the struts lightly with Revell adhesive and put the ruler down for a moment. Then I grabbed the protective tube with the flat tweezers, picked up the ruler with the other hand and carefully placed the spindle with the tiny Angle holders on the adhesive points of the struts, which worked well, so that I could breathe a sigh of relief.

 

Then I inspected the vertical seat of the spindle from all sides and corrected it slightly, 

 

 

and let all dry for a while.

 

 

After I carefully removed the tape strips, I was glad that everything worked out and that my plan had worked again perfectly.

 

 

Gluing the remaining three Screw Jacks will become a bit easier already, I hope so.

[roma847]

Hello everybody,

 

and with that go right to the next Screw Jack, which was indeed easier to do, since the method of gluing has now proven itself.

 

 

After the tape strips were carefully removed, the seat of the spindle was slightly adjusted,

 

 

and finally found as perfect,

 

 

which already half of the Screw Jacks was done.

 

 

And so it was worth going for a test on the Port Side of the Payload Canister.

 

 

 

This was followed immediately by the third Screw Jack, 

 

 

and finally still the fourth one too. 

 

 

And I think they look pretty much alike, right?

 

 

And together with the two Door Actuator Pneumatic Drives, another small but very laborious and tricky milestone has been reached,

 

 

 

what more than only satisfies me.

[roma847]

Hello everybody,

 

but in addition to the Screw Jacks and Door Actuator Drives there are a few more details on the side walls that should not be missing.

 

And those are the Ladders right next to the Access Platforms and these Outriggers (folded) at the front end of the canister. 

 

Source: NASA (STS-135)

 

The outriggers can be folded or folded out as needed for the transfer of the canister to the Payload Changeout Room (PCR) of the RSS. In the extended position, the rotatably mounted PCR Guide Shoes slide in vertical guides on both sides of the RSS Payload Bay when the canister is hoisted and thus to keep the shuttle's payload as stable as possible.

 

Source: NASA (STS-129)

 

Here the guide shoes dip into the guide rails. 

 

Source: NASA (STS-129)

 

On this image I determined the dimensions of the ladders.

 

Source: NASA (STS-132)

 

For these ladders, I got already these PE Ladders from ABER (1:200-05) a long time ago,

 

 

which are offered there as Ships Ladders (wide) in three different widths, of which the middle width (3,5 mm) is well suited for my scale (1:160).

 

The Plastruct Styrene Ladders would have the required width, but they are 'rough wrought-iron work' that one can safely forget.

 

After cutting out from the PE circuit board, the narrow side bars still have to be bent by 90°,

 

 

 

for which a special Hold and Fold tool is needed.

 

 

 

And this ladder size fits well into the mould,

 

 

which I can also use for the ladders on the Forward Bulkhead of the canister.

 

Source: forum.nasaspaceflight.com (STS-9, Ares67)

 

And as one can see, there are still also some Railings there that can be folded or folded out as well.

[roma847]

Hello everybody,

 

but I want to start with the Outriggers, which, similar to the Door Actuators on the canister doors, consist of foldable linkages, at the end of them the PCR Guide Shoes are mounted, which can be seen in the folded state in these two images.

 

Then I've also marked the two Lifting Trunnions for hoisting the canister, which are also still to do.

 

Source: NASA (STS-135)

 

For hoisting the canister into the RSS Payload bay , the outrigger is folded out by locking the lower Support strut into the upper bracket marked here,

 

Source: NASA (STS-135)

 

which can also be seen in these drawings.

 

Source: Library of Congress, HAER FL-8-11-I

 

Source: Library of Congress, HAER FL-8-11-I

 

But before assembling the linkages, I've looked for NASA photos, on which one can see the structure of the outrigger better, and actually have made a find at STS-135, which is extensively photo-documented as the last Shuttle mission.

 

Source: NASA (STS-135)

 

On it one can see the structure of the triangular support frame, which is rotatably mounted at the base in brackets on the side wall and connected to the guide shoe at the other end. The swiveling support strut is rotatably mounted on the shoe's holder, which can be locked in the folded state or, as shown here, in the unfolded state, as required.  

 

Source: NASA (STS-135)

 

And to this size the outrigger must now be shrunk.

 

 

For the PCR Guide Shoe I used an Evergreen Strip (0,5 mm x 1,5 mm), which was sanded down to a width 1,3 mm. 

 

 

For the struts I will use an Evergreen rod (Ø 0,4 mm), I have provisionally laid out them here.

 

 
So much for today.

[roma847]

Hello everybody,

 

after the provisional fitting of the Outrigger, the parts were now glued together, first the two diagonal struts with the holding plate, which later is glued with the Guide shoe.

 

 

To do this, the two diagonal struts were fixed with tape, after what the upper cross strut and to it the lateral hinge plates could be glued, 

 

 

which are articulated in the holders on the side wall for folding and unfolding the outrigger.

 

And here at the latest, compared to the drawing, I noticed that the Guide shoes (8 mm) were a bit too long, which was confirmed by subsequent measurements using photos, what had also to be corrected, similar like the holding plate, which was also a bit too big.

 

 

The strips for the holdings (0,13 mm x 0,5 mm x 1 mm) have a small overhang so that they can still be held with tweezers when gluing them to both sides of the hinge strips.

 

 

Here first the gluing of the inner parts of the holders, the overhang parts of which were carefully separated with a razor blade.

 

 

And here the gluing of the outer strips,

 

 

whose overhangs were also separated. 

 

 

Then the strut linkage was glued to the shortened guide shoe. 

 

 

The length of the slanting support strut was determined using this small template to 7,5 mm. 

 

 

As one can see on this image, all mountings sit on small base plates (0,13 mm x 1 mm x 1,5 mm), which should not be missing either, 

 

Source: NASA (STS-135)

 

but had to be fixed again for gluing. 

 

 

 

The slanting support strut is also locked in both positions in a holder that I glued together with the base plate at the foot of the strut.

 

 

 

And then I've tried the outrigger on the canister only without the support strut, 

 

 

which looks pretty well.

 

All of these fragile structures are only glued onto the canister at the end so that they cannot be damaged beforehand.

[roma847]

Hello everybody,

 

today I took on the Lifting Trunnions for lifting and transporting the canister, which are located at different heights on both sides at its bulkheads.

 

Source: NASA (STS-135)

 

As one can see in this image, the Lifting trunnions consist of three parts, a cylindrical base on which the trunnion with a slightly smaller diameter sits, and an outer cover plate, 

 

Source: NASA (STS-125)

 

which is probably screwed to the trunnion to secure it after the crane's Lifting plate has been attached.

 

Source: NASA (STS-135)

 

And these are the prepared parts, the white base (Ø 1,2 mm x 0,5 mm), the gray trunnion (Ø 1 mm x 0,5 mm) and the black cover plate (Ø 1,2 mm x 0,25 mm) that I made with my Punch & Die Set.

 

 

The tiny parts were glued with UHU CA in the tried and tested locking mechanism between the rulers. 

 

 

 

 

 

This was followed by the gluing of the lifting trunnions, first on the Port Side of the canister,

 

 

 

and then on the Starboard Side. 

 

 

 

 

 

In the meantime, the vertical support strut has also been glued at the Outrigger,

 

 

and here the complete outrigger has been positioned on the Port side for a test, which looks quite neat. 

 

 

 

Now all that's missing is the outrigger for the Starboard Side, which will now follow.

[roma847]

Hello everybody,

 

for the sake of completeness, here is the lower Support strut bracket of the Outrigger required when folded,

 

 

and here its later position on the Port Side of the canister.

 

 

Although my size comparison using the Eurocent is always very impressive, the comparison of the outrigger with a Can Crew worker shows the actual relation in the model scale 1:160, which is otherwise difficult to imagine.  

 

 

Even more impressive are original photos like this one, on which workers dismantle the Guide Shoe on an Outrigger. On it one can even see the handle for locking the support strut in the various positions, which I do without because with Ø 0,1 mm x 0,5 mm x 1 mm it would really be too tiny.

 

Source: NASA (Jim Grossmann)

 

But then I still have to correct my assumption from the last post about the screwing of the Cover disk on the Lifting trunnion.

 

I came across this because I remembered a picture my friend James MacLaren took of the Payload Canister just before it was attached to the lifting block of the 90-ton Payload Hoist with its Spreader beam, contained in his documentation Space Shuttle Launch Complex 39-B Construction Photos - Page 9 wherefore I've asked him regarding the red-lettered parts.

 

In addition to the parts that are already known, you can see the Spreader beam with the lifting plates and on the left in the image one of the two Guide Rails for guiding the Guide Shoes when lifting the canister up to the Payload Changeout Room (PCR). 

 

Source: James MacLaren

 

And if anyone is familiar with these things, then it's him who worked 5 years during building the Launch Pad 39-B and knows the RSS inside out. He also has a large pool of detailed NASA drawings, which he is linking to in his documentation and explains down to the last detail.

 

Thereupon he has sent me this drawing, on which he highlighted the Lifting Plate, which has a slotted hole with two different-sized openings, which is a simple but ingenious solution for accommodating the Lifting trunnion.

 

Source: James MacLaren

 

This holds the spreader-beam in such a position to allow the lifting plates hanging from the lifting cables to be passed through the larger opening over the lifting trunnions and the beam then can carefully be lifted, fixing the trunnions in the smaller opening of the plates.

 

This special lifting plate I had also noticed in a photo sent by my friend Richard Chamberlain, who was a member of a Can Crew, cause I still haven't tinkered with these details more closely that time.

 

 

The Canister hoisting system and its entire handling is so complex and demanding, but at the same time very interesting, so I can commend all interested guys highly the Page 52: A Lighter Moment in a Heavy Place, and a Deep Dive into the Canister Hoisting System in James MacLaren's documentation The Construction of Space Shuttle Launch Complex 39-B.

 

With that you always have to keep in mind that the canister is approx. 20 m long and with its weight of approx. 64 t represents an enormous free hanging load, and hoisting it to the PCR is a high sensitive matter that is not harmless and must therefore be secured by various vertical and horizontal Tag Lines.

[roma847]

Hello together,

 

the second Outrigger is waiting for me, let's go.

 

The twin should at least look similar to its brother.

 

 

 

Only the Vertical Support Strut has to point to the other side, which I took into account in good time.

 

 

The way they both are standing there now, I think I've done quite well with them.

 

 

And here is the test fitting on the Starboard Side.

 

 

 

Next I'll probably turn to these Railings on the Forward Bulkhead of the canister,

 

Source: forum.nasaspaceflight.com (STS-9, Ares67)

 

which can also be folded in or out.

[uilleann]

Just WOW!!!  🤯🤯🤯

[roma847]

Then I'm  satisfied if you like it.