Inside the Vehicle Assembly Building, or VAB, at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, a portion of the catwalk on the west side of Level 16 has been removed by crane and is being moved over the east side for storage. The catwalk was removed to allow room for the removal of the 175-ton crane that is situated above the transfer aisle. The crane will be lowered to the floor to perform upgrades to its 45-year-old controls in order to improve reliability, precision and safety.
The Ground Systems Development and Operations Program is overseeing upgrades and modifications to the VAB. The crane will be upgraded so that it can support lifting needs for NASA and other exploration vehicles, including the agency's Space Launch System and Orion spacecraft. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann