Photographed from the base of the former emergency egress system is the skeleton of steel that was Launch Pad 39B.

Photographed from the base of the former emergency egress system at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, is the skeleton of steel that once was Launch Pad 39B after significant deconstruction. The system included seven baskets suspended from seven slidewires that extended from the pad to a landing zone 1,200 feet west of the pad. The bunkers at the base also are being dismantled.

In 2009, the pad was no longer needed for the shuttle program, so it is being restructured for future use. Its new design will feature a "clean pad" for rockets to come with their own launcher, making it more versatile for a number of vehicles. The new lightning protection system, which was in place for the October 2009 launch of Ares I-X, will remain. For information on NASA's future plans, visit www.nasa.gov. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller