Crawler Lifts Mobile Launcher

A construction worker monitors the progress as crawler-transporter 2 (CT-2) lifts the mobile launcher up a few inches from its support posts June 1, 2018, at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Three lifts were performed to practice lifting procedures, validate interface locations, confirm the weight of the mobile launcher, and develop a baseline for modal analysis. The mobile launcher is equipped with a number of lines, called umbilicals, which will connect to NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) and Orion. The lift helped to test the capability of the upgraded CT-2 to handle the weight of the mobile launcher with SLS and Orion atop. Exploration Ground Systems is preparing the ground systems necessary to support the SLS and Orion spacecraft for Exploration Mission-1 and deep space missions.