Huge cranes are employed in building the mobile launcher behind NASA Kennedy Space Center's Vehicle Assembly Building for the Constellation Program's Ares rockets.

Huge cranes are employed in building the new mobile launcher behind NASA Kennedy Space Center's Vehicle Assembly Building for the Constellation Program's Ares rockets. The ML will be the base to launch the Orion crew exploration vehicle and the cargo vehicle. The base is being made lighter than space shuttle mobile launcher platforms so the crawler-transporter can pick up the added load of the 345-foot tower and taller rocket. When the structural portion of the new mobile launcher is complete, umbilicals, access arms, communications equipment and command/control equipment will be installed. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann