NASA's Crawler Transporter: How Does the US Spaceship Get Set Up Before Blastoff?

[@louismyersjr6527]

I recently painted the water tower on launchpad 39a. I got to drive by the building and crawlers every day. It was awesome.

[@nx1941]

I got to see then , 3 years ago , words can not do them justice,

[@RS-ls7mm]

Spacex or NASA logo?

[@thetowndrunk988]

It’s something to behold.

[@DEVILTAZ35]

That is cool :)

[@louismyersjr6527]

@@RS-ls7mm SpaceX

[@AluminumOxide]

Next, do the Vehicle Assembly Building and the Space Station Processing Facility

[@Laura-wc5xt]

VAB is built to withstand category 5 Hurricanes.....there are some photos on internet when it was being built and the amount of piles driven and the structural steel is amazing.I was lucky enough to get an inside tour in 1969 ....it is awesome inside

[@lardlover3730]

@@Laura-wc5xt neat

[@thrillbilly41]

Space nerds

[@timpgod]

Seconded!!

[@thearchitecturalgamer6652]

Bro the VAB would be awesome to see

[@RichardMigneron]

Simon, 1) SLS stands for Space Launch System (not Shuttle). 2) the space vehicules are not carried loaded with fuel, they are fueled at destination (on the pad) since they are more often than not fueled with cryogenic liquids which would have time to boil off by the time they get to the pad. The only exception are the solid fuel boosters, which were on the Shuttle missions, and will be on the SLS missions too (and probably others too).

[@ryanf1425]

I bet you’re fun at parties

[@sammorgan31]

@@ryanf1425 Almost as much fun as being wrong in an informational video.

[@MySkybreaker]

@@sammorgan31 this is infotainment. It is t supposed to be 100% accurate all the time.

[@badgerello]

@@MySkybreaker but it helps considering Simon is increasing becoming a primary source of information 😁

[@tikityler1386]

@@MySkybreaker Its supposed to be accurate when stating facts. The tainment part is the funny comparisons and jokes but the facts should be correct when possible.

[@jamesoverholt878]

The VAB deserves it's own video. Heck, the FLOOR of the VAB deserves it's own video

[@DrDronez]

Even the elevator in the VAB could be it's own video..

[@roykdeboy]

And then there’s the big ass overhead crane

[@dascherofficial]

A reason for Simon to make an entire series of videos he can get sponsored? He's already whipping his slaves to write faster. 😂

[@jamesoverholt878]

@@dascherofficial hey, the floor is so big and so flat, they had to compensate for the curvature of the Earth.....its a cool floor

[@brianswille]

The VAB HVAC system deserves it own video... lol jokes

[@ghostindamachine]

This episode carries a lot of weight.

[@mattoshields7637]

Just like my knees

[@caseymiller3829]

Ha :) that's awesome.

[@0ldFrittenfett]

BADABUMBUM TSCHHHHH!!!!

[@briantologie]

Ugh.

[@Jay-wo9vk]

It's pretty heavy

[@StarScapesOG]

Seriously... do bagger 293. It is the largest land vehicle ever, a true monster. It is entirely electric, powered by the power plant it mines coal for. It is crazy!

[@ewaldikemann4142]

Agree!

[@SkylerB17]

yea lets get this comment noticed i wanna see that

[@Craftlngo]

the crawler with the Saturn 5 on top has a heigt of 118 m. The Bagger itself has a heigt of 96 m. Just to give you all a comparison. Two Saturn 5 Rockets lying successively are _5 meters shorter than the Bagger is in length._ The weight of this bagger is way higher than both Crawlers combined.

[@ewoodley82]

@@Craftlngo Lets face it, excavation machinery just cannot beat out NASA engineering. At almost 60 years old, this stuff is really built to last.

[@paoloviti6156]

Just saw Bagger 293 on Wikipedia, truly amazing....

[@colormedubious4747]

You said it was boring -- yet you held my interest for at least 12 minutes. I'll take that action any time!

[@AllanFolm]

The Apollo rockets and the Spaceshuttle didn't contain the fuel/oxygen when they were driven to the launch pad. Only SRBs were fueled.

[@yagwaw]

Thanks for clarifying.

[@simonrancourt7834]

Only on "Thunderbirds" did they move a fully fueled - and manned - rocket.

[@turbosix]

Kind of weird to call the SRBs fueled...

[@AllanFolm]

@@turbosix The fuel was poured in long before the SRBs were assembled and hooked up to an external tank.

[@turbosix]

@@AllanFolm yes, I know. They're solid fuel. They don't come unfueled. It's irrelevant.

[@brianmiller1891]

Great Video Simon - I remember being on a NASA bus tour the day after a space shuttle launch. In the early 80’s, tour busses would drive you out to one of the pads for a view. Being quite young, i don't remember much of the launch tower part of the tour, but I have a clear recollection of driving past one of these crawlers as it made it’s empty return drive from the pad. It filled the entire view, darkening every window on one side of the bus as we passed by. I pressed my head against the glass trying to see up to the top, but it was too tall. I watched as workers high above walking back and forth on cat-walks in sheer amazement at the size of the massive moving giant. Like the assembly building, images and video cannot properly convey the true scale of some of NASAs big toys.

[@HermanVonPetri]

What a cool experience! If I got to be that close to it even today I'm sure it would make me feel just like a little kid again in awe and amazement.

[@petejackson5832]

Arrived in Orlando May 7 1992, watched the first launch of shuttle Endeavour, viewing from the parking lot of the hotel, just awesome. Couple of days later visited Kennedy Space Centre and took the bus tour to the launch pad. The crawler was on its way back, words can't describe the sheer scale of the thing. The tour guide gave details but the sheer scale of the numbers he gave were so big as to be almost unbelievable. Also at that time they had a Saturn 5 laid out beside the VAB. Again just mind boggling size, walking from the tip of the tower to the rocket exhausts at the rear,past all the different stages which were separated. And then realising that the only thing that came back was the weeny little re entry module. Rocket stages I believe either fell into the ocean or burned up,not like todays reusable tech.

[@302racing3]

At this rate, if Simon covers Kennedy Space Center on Goegraphics, he will have covered basically all of NASA’s adventures in Florida

[@GneissShorts]

I certainly hope so

[@brianmiller1891]

He just needed to sell NASA merch and he has it all covered!

[@AluminumOxide]

Maybe he’ll do my favorite building at Kennedy Space Center, the Space Station Processing Facility

[@collguyjoe99]

He can't get onto the old Apollo test sites, like Apollo 1 Memorial - Its on the Space Force Base

[@magnemoe1]

Kennedy Space Center definitely deserves and Geographic. With some of the more unknown stuff like how only two of the pads are NASA as I understand, the one spaceX uses for manned missions and falcon heavy. The old shuttle pad who is getting converted to SLS. Its an 3rd unused one who is now set up to launch small rockets who don't need permanent launch towers. The rest is air force and was used for ICBM back in the 50's. Now they are used for various rockets like Atlas and Delta, spaceX has an second pad here, and use another for landing first stages. Does Atlas and Delta use the crawler?

[@DanDan3663]

The ALCO engines on the crawlers were made by the same company that made the Big Boy steam locomotives. Another Megaprojects that was done due to an enormous number of requests.

[@msudawg1997]

at marshall space flight center there is a pumphouse that supplies water to test stand 4670 (originally built to test Saturn V first stage). That pumphouse has 13 ALCO engines, each driving a centrifugal pump. The underground line between the pumphouse and the stand is 96" diameter and system will supply around 300, 000 GPM of water flow.

[@steveskouson9620]

Both machines have earned MY respect. steve

[@mountainman0]

the crawler transporters were re engined with the alco 251's . they were originally powered by 4 of the avs-1790 engines. a supercharged v-12 petrol engine, fule consumption was measured by gallons to the foot travelled.

[@thesphinx336]

The AlCO engine would make a good mega project

[@jdgindustries2734]

@@thesphinx336 it's ALCo... American Locomotive Company

[@No1Linkfan]

Great video but a few points; SLS stands for space launch system, not shuttle, and vehicles aren’t fully fuelled in the VAB, liquid propellants are loaded at the pad for safety

[@Laura-wc5xt]

and weight reduction for sure....

[@KnightRanger38]

The space shuttle official nickname was STS (Space Transportation System).

[@John73John]

Questions I literally never thought to ask: "What's the diameter of the steering wheel on the CT?" Simon: "15 cm" "Fascinating! Tell me more!"

[@owenshebbeare2999]

Yes, 15 cm is using globally recocgnised SI units, not cave-man units, it is round with it's circumference related to its diameter via mulitplying the latter by Pi. It is black in colour and appears to be made to a thermoplastic related to urea-formalehyde/Bakelite.

[@leandrochavez6480]

And the steering wheel have marks every 18º

[@timmerner]

The fact that it doesn't have a massive ship wheel is disappointing

[@bigginsd1]

As a person in the comments all I can say is THIS IS NOT BORING!

[@emmata98]

10:39 Space Launch System! Don't get me wrong, I love Shuttles and Shuttle based lifters, but the SLS is the Space Launch System and no Shuttle...

[@emmata98]

@Captain Ron This is not the point^^ I also belive that the SLS will be the last NASA rocket and they maybe should considder switching their development system, since the concept of the SLS is as old as the STS and the development system isn't flexible for innovation or redesign.

[@GuntherRommel]

@Captain Ron he's correcting Simon, not arguing the merits of the system.

[@nolancain8792]

@@emmata98 it quite literally is a shuttle just with engine upgrades.

[@Condorito380]

@@nolancain8792 IF the starship system delivers as it says it will (I am an engineer, and some of their plans beyond "get it off the ground" sound quite dubious to me) there will still be a place for government-operated launch vehicles, specifically for trajectories that would be absolutely cost prohibitive for a reusable craft. Howard Taylor coined a new turn on an old phrase that I think applies: "any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from a Really Big Gun". It would be wise to keep that in mind as well before allowing certain technologies to be allowed to operate by private companies rather than government entities. But yeah, SLS is 10 gallons of compromise in a 5 gallon hat.

[@emmata98]

@@nolancain8792 it is more a sidegrade. Also the whole orbiter is missing and the cross range capability, the cargo capability back to earth is missing, ...

[@acctigers1981]

suggestion - moving the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, saving this thing was a pretty amazing feat of engineering. In the first 50-60 years after it was built the ocean eroded away the beach until the tower was in danger of collapsing into the ocean. People started trying to save it in the 1930s by attempting to curtail the erosion, but with little success. In 1999 they moved the 5000 ton, 200 ft (~61m) tall tower 2900 ft (~884m) away from the beach over a period of like 200 days. ALSO, they recreated the original site with ridiculous detail by placing the original buildings and the lighthouse in their same orientations and even relative elevations. The whole thing was somewhat controversial, with some locals fearing it would be destroyed or just complaining that it was somehow disrespecting the history of the lighthouse (although I think a pile of bricks in the Atlantic Ocean would be pretty disrespectful to it's history as well).

[@jayrod9979]

Unfortunately now that the lighthouse has been moved, the ground that were built in response to the erosion are no longer maintained, which will eventually lead to the famous surf break from being as magical.

[@BinkyBorky]

PBS Nova did it already.

[@acctigers1981]

@@BinkyBorky a lot of people have done a lot of the shit on this channel...

[@benn454]

I went up in 1997. So many steps... The view was worth it though.

[@jayrod9979]

My first time up the Lighthouse was in 1997. I used to go to the OBX every summer for the next 4 to 5 years. I saw it bring moved, however have yet to go up now that it is has moved. Kind of sad that it is no longer right on the beach, the view from up there along the beach was incredible.

[@bc-guy852]

Simon: "So if it's boring, I'm sorry, but it's the people in the comments' fault!" I like it already!

[@dancarrion5619]

While built by Marion, the original design came from the engineering team at Bucyrus Erie (same guys who built Big Muskie). When NASA asked for a design they didn't share that they would then take the design and share it with the other bidders. Bucyrus of course put the design cost into their bid and lost to Marion who didn't have to spend much to finalize the design.

[@bc1969214]

ironically, Marion's cost ended up to be over the amount of Bucyrus proposal. A second major factor in Marion's favor, besides its considerably lower bid, was its announced intention of choosing a project manager from its own personnel, thus saving considerable time in building a team. Bucyrus had said it would bring in one from outside. Having received the contract, Marion selected a competent manager, not from its own company, but from - of all firms - Bucyrus-Erie.

[@stevegilmore6011]

This story has been circulated for years and it's false. While Bucyrus was approached first by NASA, both Marion and BE had their own design proposals. Bucyrus would not have completed a design before being awarded the contract, they only had a concept which is typical for the quoting phase. After the contract was awarded to Marion the crawler was designed by Marion engineers. I worked with many of the engineers who worked on this at Marion and this was indeed a Marion design. Suggesting that the Marion Power Shovel shop would build a machine designed by Bucyrus is as crazy as suggesting the GM would build a Ford designed vehicle.

[@stevegilmore6011]

@@bc1969214 However, the Project Engineer was a longtime Marion employee. Years after the crawlers were deigned, NASA honored the Marion Project Engineer and the Marion Power Shovel company as the designers of these crawlers.

[@bc1969214]

@@stevegilmore6011 thanks Steve, I found some detail that I posted from the NASA pub titled Moonport (good read, free online).

[@jakenou7736]

A big thank you to Simon and megaprojects for finally covering the Crawler. I've learned quite a few new things from this episode so I couldn't be happier

[@rogueviking9268]

The VAB is its own Megaproject episode.

[@Pile_of_carbon]

This! Mentioning the VAB and not making a video about it would just be cruel.

[@cuttwice3905]

"Dirty Jobs" Season 3, Episode 5 where a lubricator for the Crawler-Transporter shows Mike Rowe his job. I was in hospital and saw this.

[@Laura-wc5xt]

Ironically, the original roller bearings suffered failure due to side loading and it was noticed by finding pieces of them on the road bed. Engineers then went to using Bronze bushings as they were able to handle the side load pressure better than a roller bearing. As far as the upgrade to new Roller Bearings, I am not aware of the current upgrade specifics. My information came from a NASA site I found in 2008 or so. hope this helps, Paul in Orlando Florida

[@claxdog]

My mom worked at nasa when I was a kid and they had one of these out at one of the employee picnics we went to so we could walk around and on it one of my favorite memories.

[@giftedchaosH8ful8]

Gg

[@rebasack21]

I remember years ago watching an episode of modern Marvels about grease and one of these crawlers was featured in a segment where they showed a crew literally digging out buckets worth of old dirty grease so they could replace it. The whole episode was amazing showing how even some of the most amazing things we have built still cant go anywhere without the right grease to keep it moving. I love learning about these amazing machines

[@barryjohnson4340]

I also got to see this up close as well. One fact that you can include is that it maintained the Saturn V and support tower to within 1/60 of a degree of perfectly vertical.

[@wmeemw994]

Your in-depth exploration & explanation of the crawlers was necessary to clarify for average viewers how much PAPER planning, SLIDE-RULE engineering & ANALOG operating equipment was needed before a launch and how incredibly integrated it is to balance & carry vertically standing Saturn & Shuttle assemblies for the two miles to launch pads and supporting & surviving the forces of liftoffs. Thank You, Simon, for producing these well explained videos and especially this one.

[@Leatherface123.]

You should cover the Marion 6360 “The Captain” Or Big Muskie Both were made in a race to build the biggest mining machine The Marion power shovel company helped build the NASA crawlers and while doing that they also built the largest power shovel ever built The Marion 6360 “The Captain” But they were in a rivalry with Bucyrus Erie and in 1969 Bucyrus won the race after the completion of the largest Walking Dragline ever built The largest single bucket digging machine ever built The largest walking machine ever built And the largest mobile machine at the time The Bucyrus Erie 4250W “Big Muskie” Both machines I think deserve to be covered on this channel Also at 4:14 that big Brutus the Bucyrus Erie 1850b He’s the last stripping shovel left on earth He’s on display in Kansas There were bigger ones built but none survived except Brutus I’ve been to the museum twice I love going inside the machine

[@NorfKhazad]

Absolutely, I've suggested these before. You could also include the Bagger 293/Bagger 288 if you want to get the memelords/Ghost Rider fans in on it.

[@ZAV1944]

It's a shame The Silver Spade wasn't preserved.

[@bigrob966]

BAGGER 288, BAGGER 288

[@Error_404-F.cks_Not_Found]

You can tell you really have a passion for those machines. I wish I was that passionate about anything! I have almost no idea what you are talking about, but you have made me want to go visit these machines my self now! Lol

[@Laura-wc5xt]

yes

[@mawnkey]

It's impossible to comprehend what an awesome machine this is without seeing it doing its job in person, and I have. Watched it roll the shuttle out when I was at Space Camp as a teenager. Such an amazingly cool piece of engineering.

[@sambaggins2798]

I don’t know why you thought this would be boring. It was pretty interesting.

[@joseluislowe1463]

Bro with your personality alone it'd be impossible to get a boring video out of you... KZbin is almost the only thing I watch & so are your bomb ass videos, literally. Thanks simon, life will never be boring as long as your still around my friend

[@RipcordHQ]

Came to hear Simon say "Beer Moth", was not disappointed.

[@ignitionfrn2223]

2:00 - Chapter 1 - Countdown to launch 3:45 - Chapter 2 - Reliable relics 6:05 - Chapter 3 - Size matters 7:25 - Chapter 4 - Moving the monster 10:05 - Chapter 5 - Crawling into the future - Chapter 6 -

[@borgman151]

Great video as always Simon. One correction - its the Space Launch System (SLS). Thank you for making these videos!!!

[@kellyadam8792]

It was a good basic rundown of the crawlers. What amazes me, is the hydraulic system can keep the pad level as it climbs up the 5% grade to the launch pad. When it did that with a Saturn V atop, the very top of the LES (launch escape system) did not deviate more than the circumference of a basketball.

[@Wootguy238]

I'm glad there are smart people to figure out these things. I feel so dumb watching these videos.

[@Dug6666666]

Equally impressive is how SpaceX have been able to design out so much of NASA's goliath infrastructure for assembly and transport down to bare bones essentials. Their rocket stage assembly is a tall tin shed, their transporter can be bought off the shelf now (or hired), their launch mount is as basic as it can be made. Yet the Starship will be bigger. Such is the advantage of progress, hindsight, lean management and a coherent in house design philosophy.

[@ooooneeee]

Yeah they have rethought every bit of engineering and infrastructure that goes into building and launching rockets. It's amazing how much they can do with so much less money when they strip away everything that's not needed.

[@aceg81]

They have indeed innovated enormously in lowering costs. But, I would note that a fully-loaded Superheavy/Starship simply can't be launched from the current Boca Chica facility. They're working on building a launch pad and fueling facility into a (completely rebuilt) oil platform. It'll be a respectable bit of large-scale engineering in its own right.

[@Dug6666666]

@@aceg81 But even that is an approach a NASA contracted builder of a sea launch platform would not do, it would be an over engineered clean sheet of paper build. Space X go, lets repurpose a drilling platform, gut it to the essentials retain its structural integrity, keep its stabilizing systems, any rooms that can be repurposed, and work within the envelope of its existing dimensions. It could back fire but I'm sure it was an approach that was taken after a study of potential time and money savings. A NASA contractor is going to make something that is a statement piece on their capability and would be over size I suspect to avoid painting themselves into a corner of space to work with and considerable margins of extra capacity to do what it intended to do.

[@Markus-zb5zd]

Tbh... SpaceX is not outdesigning anyone... They use quite old tech

[@Dug6666666]

@@Markus-zb5zd Simpler tech newer thinking.

[@carston101]

7:23 can I just say that the framing of the text in this shot is SO satisfying!

[@suedenim]

Before I took a tour of the Kennedy Space Center a few years ago, I'd never really given the crawlers much thought. But seeing one of these things up close in person, it's impossible not to think about what an astonishing feat of engineering they are. (What do/did the Russians use, by the way?)

[@GeneralBrae]

The Russians take a different approach. Instead of building the launch vehicle standing upright, they assemble it lying down and move it with a train to the launch site where it is then lifted upright and fueled ready for launch. At least, that's what they do for Soyuz, I believe their Buran shuttle was transported vertically like the US shuttle but of course it was never used as much as the STS. China uses a bit of a mix between the 2 btw, assembling the rockets in the upright position and moving them to launch position with a large transporter that looks a lot like the NASA ones, but again runs on rails instead of being a tracked vehicle

[@epremeaux]

@@GeneralBrae Soyuz rides a single track. Its a thin enough rocket that a single wide launcher was sufficient. But during the design of the N1, they knew that would just roll off the single wide track (if not completely crush the track under it's weight). So there are a couple (?) of launch pads with two parallel tracks. The N1 launch rail was super wide. More similar to the NASA mobile launch platforms. under 4 corners it had train bogies riding the parallel tracks. It was pulled by two engines, at the front corners. How they managed to synchronize and not bind up the platform is a mystery ;) Not a whole lot of info exists regarding the single Buran launch, but I'm pretty confident they reused the N1 transport, platforms and pad. Though Soyuz is on a single track, its not typical freight gauge. its still set quite wide. Soyuz: gklaunch.ru/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/03_vostochny.jpg N1: pbs.twimg.com/media/Eght3bzVkAEEYhw.jpg

[@epremeaux]

heres a much better view of the N1, both engines and tracks clear: i.pinimg.com/originals/f8/87/e4/f887e4db60f59dbadc535a034eff2e6c.jpg

[@epremeaux]

And here is Buran on the pad. Look between the towers, and follow back, you can just barely make out the parallel tracks. cdn.britannica.com/98/125698-050-8B18FBE5/space-shuttle-Soviet-booster-rocket-launch-Buran-November-1988.jpg

[@jonathanstancil8544]

I drive a tractor/ trailer in America. When NASA began upgrading CT2 the company I contracted to at that time was called to help move some of the geartrain components of the crawler. I got to go into the VAB and load some of those parts. It took 3 trucks to load the parts for each corner of the crawler. I still have my ID badges from that day and over 7 years after, it's still the coolest load I've ever hauled.

[@brett4264]

It's the "Space Launch SYSTEM", not "Space Launch shuttle".

[@aikimark1955]

The original console is currently in the hands of a local (Titusville) space history museum. The original console used a joy stick, rather than a wheel. When they upgraded the console, introducing the steering wheel, they gave the original to the crawler designer Donald "Buck" Buchannan (Senior Design Engineer for KSC). One of my cousins married Don and I was thrilled to walk through his memorabilia room, with the crawler console. As a space fan, it was a very special treat to put my hands on the console and 'steer' it.

[@zachhodgdon8492]

Do SpaceX's Starship rocket

[@Mr.Cerera69]

Up!!

[@blitzzer24]

Is it too new? I know SpaceX is literally changing and refining it daily right now. Perhaps he should wait until at least the Artemis ready configuration is built? Or at the very least its super heavy booster is. But I'm right there with you!!

[@Laura-wc5xt]

I love those Crawlers, I live about 40 miles away and viewed them up Close in 1969 right before the Apollo 11 Launch, they are massive to say the least.....and probably the best bargain ever gotten by NASA other than the VAB building or the 39A and 39B pads.....cheers from Florida....

[@u0aol1]

I know you called it Space Launch Shuttle to piss everyone off. Well played sir.

[@clanktank]

Comments go wild, interaction stats increase, monetisation through the roof. Good, I like this channel.

[@Beryllahawk]

Fabulous video! These crawlers are just plain AMAZING. I remember reading about them for the first time, in a sci fi novel; the narrator in the book stated that CT-1 had paid for itself a hundred-fold just over the three decades of service involving the old Space Shuttles. Obviously that's the author's opinion and not hard fact, but it surely seems accurate enough to ME. I was most certainly NOT bored by this, I never am when Simon is geeking out about space stuff, it's wonderful! I really would watch a whole channel of just space projects and so forth.

[@tefkas1357]

You don't get an idea of the scale of the VAB until you either get close enough to see how small the normal size door appear, or far enough away to really compare it to other (large) buildings

[@Ihrgoth]

It has been a decade or more since I saw the building, but I still remember how insanely large it is.

[@SimplePhill]

I visited a few years ago and remember first seeing the VAB while driving over the A1A bridge to Cocoa Beach, 14 miles away.

[@nastystang113]

The funniest thing is comparing photos of the Saturn V and Shuttle leaving the VAB. You can tell that the VAB was made for the Saturn V with maybe a little room to grow. It almost looks like you could stack two space shuttles ontop of each other and it would still fit in the VAB.

[@kevinbarnard3502]

While SpaceX is busy lately and their night launches are great to see [especially the one that launched into the sunrise giving an incredible glow to the plume], nothing will beat the way an STS launch lit up the night sky. The main engine start causing the sky around it to glow. Watching the huge flame as it went up into the starry sky. And, with right conditions, seeing the glow of the spent SRBs as they fell all the way back to the ocean. Always an amazing event. Not old enough to ever see a Saturn V launch--wasn't even 2yrs old when the last one happened in '72--but my dad once told me the ground shake could be felt at our home 60 miles north of KSC when one of those behemoths launched. The weight was so great that the gravel was pulverized and after every four trips had to be replaced along the entire road. And, you're right, you have to see it in person to be properly awed by its size. A video showing workers and normal vehicles around just doesn't cause the same feeling.

[@roycsinclair]

Mega projects in progress (not competed yet): Starlink Race to the moon - Redux

[@jedrzejjakielski1258]

How about Star Ship and Super Heavy too

[@Condorito380]

I would personally love to see a Megaproject about some of the successful countries switch to renewable energy sources

[@ZAELish]

The way Starship is progressing they may have a orbital launch by early august everything going perfect and if they complete a number of successful launches and manage to land one or two i don't see any long term use of SLS it just wont make any financial sense but this is government we are talking about lol.

[@roycsinclair]

@@ZAELish SLS makes a backup for Starship in the off chance that Starship fails (not likely IMO) albeit an obscenely expensive one.

[@katieell4084]

Another good one. I was a little disappointed that he didn't go into how the cargo is loaded onto and off of the crawlers, though I suppose that is another story. In short, they use specialized cranes to load the craft onto the crawler and the crawler is unloaded by aligning the payload with mounts built into the launch platform, then it drives out from under and retreats to a safe distance.

[@TimMeep]

Yup, I thought that was a huge omission as without a solution it's useless

[@anarchyantz1564]

Simon, if we found this boring we would not either ask for it, nor watch it. Oh can you now do the VAB, the Vehicle Assembly Building please?

[@YZ250W1]

I think it's great that you actually read comments. Thanks for all you do mate. Much appreciated!

[@Rack979]

The crawler, even with its massive fuel consumption, is still 4x more efficient than Grandpa Simpson's car. Instead of 40 rods, it gets 160 rods to the hogshead. :)

[@thedungeondelver]

I worked out at NASA for a short time and did get to see one of these bad boys up close. My God what a real Titan! Hope they get many more years of service out of them.

[@bradhobbs6196]

Simon: This thing is indispensable! Elon: Nah, brah. We got this.

[@Sjh1138]

thats pretty easy when a Falcon 9 weighs nearly a quarter as much as a Space Shuttle

[@magnemoe1]

@@Sjh1138 And that is full, empty they transport first stage with an truck, second stage is much lighter think its 4 ton, its only issue is the diameter. The space shuttle has the heavy solid fuel boosters, Saturn 5 had the heavy tower on the crawler.

[@ethannorton564]

They actually use the same thing that moved the space shuttle after a landing to bring a fully stacked falcon 9 to the pad

[@StealthyJim]

20-ish years ago, I was at Kennedy Space Center as part of a school trip. There was a shuttle launch that morning, that for some reason we didn't go to see as originally planned. We ended up at KSC later in the day. Part of our tour had a bus drive along the crawlerway, which still had the CT parked on it waiting on a return trip to the VAB. Getting an up close view of that beast more than made up for missing the shuttle launch. Even already knowing all about it from an interest in space exploration, the scale was still surprising. It's something you really have to see in person.

[@flyswryan]

You didn’t mention how it keeps the deck of the MLP perfectly level, especially when going up the inclines of Pads 39A & 39B and setting the MLP down on its columns. I’m sorry your researchers found this so boring, they gave it such short shrift.

[@beautifulportland9592]

Job well done, Simon, thanks for making this educational video . . . . you are one the best channels on KZbin . . . . have a great weekend!

[@MarkPillow]

people wh have been to the SPace Center and taken the tour and lecture understand the interest in this. NASA hired a Florida Bombshell to tell the story and point at things.

[@HikaruKatayamma]

I was working at NASA at the time when there were 2 shuttles passing by each other outside the VAB. One was coming back from the pad due to multiple launch failures (I forget which), and the other was leaving to be launched. Standing around 200M away, you could feel the ground tremble as the crawler moved forward. I was in the VAB in 77 when they opened it to the public for the Bicentennial, and that thing is FREAKING MASSIVE! You can get vertigo just looking up at the roof. You DEFINITELY need to do a video about the VAB now. After that, maybe document the Canaveral side of the cape where the military and civilian launches take off.

[@rastersoft]

Mmm... But I think that the rockets are moved without fuel... AFAIK they are filled in the launch pad...

[@battlesheep2552]

I think it depends, I know some rockets require internal pressure in their fuel tank in order to support their own weight, so while not fully fueled, they are at least fuelled enough to keep them from collapsing

[@rastersoft]

@@battlesheep2552 Mmm... also not sure... rockets like the Atlas, with balloon fuel tanks, were pressurized with gas when not fueled to avoid collapsing. The only ones that, AFAIK, were fueled, for obvious reasons, are the solid fuel rockets...

[@nolancain8792]

I remember seeing launches from LC-39 when I was a kid, STS-124 and 135, such an incredible area and needs to be preserved at all costs once retirement hits.

[@L4r5man]

A few errors here and there, but overall an OK video about the CTs.

[@freddymarcel-marcum6831]

As a kid from East Germany in 1980-83 living in Miami Florida, my father drove us in middle of the night to Cape Kennedy several times to catch the launch of the Shuttle. We never had much to say between us, but I'll never forget him saying, "this is America, be an American man and be loyal".

[@Blubb5000]

This was the most interesting boring educational video ever!

[@guntherpiedmont4529]

I didn't ask for it, but I certainly enjoyed it. Thank you to the commentators and of course the host and bts people!

[@TheRealCaptainFreedom]

This thing reminds me of a G.I. Joe playset that only kids whose wealthy parents were going through an acrimonious divorce would own.

[@ClamBake7525]

Dude, no joke, in 1984 my friend had a birthday party, his dad managed a hotel, one of the rooms was for the party and when we were let in it was literally covered with every single G.I. Joe toy/gadget you could think of at that time, EVERYTHING!

[@skyden24195]

It'd be that or the F.L.A.G.

[@gooner72]

I ABSOLUTELY LOVED THIS VIDEO SIMON, MORE LIKE THIS PLEASE!!!!

[@dougbotimer8005]

Another great and informative video, sir. I got up close and personal with the crawler 1970ish on a tour as a CAP Cadet. Video doesn’t convey its, nor the VABs, enormity. Had another brush with NASA and the Apollo program in 1975 during the Apollo-Soyuz Apollo recovery. Deke Slayton, ever gracious, took the time to shake the hands of a couple young Marines standing guard. I even found myself in one of NASA’s official photos for that mission. I will forever be a fan and supporter of the space program for those experiences.

[@jayrod9979]

I have been onboard one of the crawlers as a child During a NASA open house for NASA employees families, one was accidentally left open next to the VAB. This led to several dozen families boarding and taking an unauthorized self guided tour thinking it was part of the open house. I was one of the lucky few who got to walk around inside it. It was not long before security figured out the mistake and kicked everyone out...and they were not too happy about it. This was in the early 1990s.

[@davegoldspink5354]

Absolutely brilliant video Simon and honestly far from boring. Still think the crawlers like the flying guppies shows you sometimes old technology can’t be beaten.

[@lgmartinez38]

Far from boring. Good one Simon. Thanks.

[@andreaskification]

This is amazing! I’ve been hoping for this video to come!

[@lorensims4846]

Thank you. When I think of Megaprojects I think of the Crawler and associated Vertical Assembly Building at the top of my list. We visited these in the early '70s during the Apollo program, and while you discuss and show a lot about the Crawler moving the Shuttle, I think when it is transporting the mighty Saturn V that it really all looks so majestic and impressive. Fun fact, I got my first COVID vaccination shot in Marion.

[@primusjerez1383]

Do more NASA or space related megaprojects plz. 👍🏽

[@basspraiser6835]

Got to see this in 1971.... It is massive! I got a picture of myself next to one... Can't do that today! We were supposed to watch a launch but it rained.. So we watched it on TV a week later!

[@mikewj94]

dude, these videos are the exact opposite of boring. please keep making them, I’ll keep watching them

[@Carstuff111]

This was not boring, these beasts are glorious works of engineering art!!!!

[@AutoBrawn]

I traveled to Florida a few years back and me and my dad went to the KSC. It was so cool to see everything there including the VAB and one of the Crawlers. Quick fact, the VAB has the largest American flag painted on the side

[@Naviss]

Happy to see this video finally come. Seeing CT-1 on my tour there, It was eye opening. Such a epic piece of engineering.

[@daniellilly7591]

I've been waiting a long time for this one! Thanks!

[@thearchitecturalgamer6652]

Ya, this made me happy to see. Lot of people don’t get to see this side of the world. Gives a bit more appreciation if you know what I mean lol

[@prjroberts]

Best, most interesting of Simon's video yet

[@drewrubtheMando]

Thanks for this video Simon. Been a fan of our space program since I was a kid. The CTs have always fascinated me.

[@RobSchofield]

Heavy, maaaann... That was really enjoyable - wish I'd seen that back during the Apollo launches. Excellent, keep it up!

[@Wootguy238]

Thank you for finally making this!!!!

[@carlstanland5333]

Not boring at all Simon. It was great!

[@jordanlewis3790]

Its a bloody engineering projects channel. You might find it boring but this is the kind of shit we love. Id (and do) happily watch a 1hr long deep dive into this (or anything spacey)

[@potatoarms]

Always love the work! You have a great way of keeping me coming back for more, with good narration and information as always.

[@PopPop1Leg]

Its nice to see you doing videos on the things people want and not just you. Even though the stuff you pick is always good. Thank you for the work you all put in to entertain and educate us.

[@timbrwolf1121]

Really puts into perspective how efficient SpaceX starship is going to be, and in many ways already is. The parts are assembled near the launchpad and moved empty to the launchpad to be loaded with fuel on site. A simple semi trailer can move the parts.

[@01cumminsho26]

I was at Kennedy Space Center last Friday! Was such a cool experience. The entrance where you pay to park is mounted on what look like crawler tracks. I wish i would have been able to see one of these up close.

[@afh7689]

8:45 "A fully fuelled space shuttle..." Do you really think they'd transport it fully fuelled!?!? No! It is fuelled on the launch pad.

[@douglassempovich8445]

Thank you for your explanation of the crawler / mobile launch platform inter connection. Extremely appreciated!!

[@mcgarryplace]

I did not ask for this topic, but thank you never the less for making a video on it.

[@Rubrickety]

It's always good to use units that everyone can easily grasp and relate to, such as fifths of the Brooklyn Bridge.

[@bondisteve3617]

Not boring. Thanks Simon.

[@SergiuD.]

clicked on this before the blaze, and you know I love me some blaze! quite interesting, I'd love more megaprojects like this!

[@joshentingh2046]

Simon, YOU make subjects like these more interesting than they actually are

[@bassmith448bassist5]

Not boring!!!!! Love these shows about machine tech.

[@F14TomCat1231]

Hi Simon. New to the channel but love your work. As a future Megaproject, project, I highly recommend looking into Hinckley Point C. The BBC have done a four part documentary on it and its insane. But for the international viewers of your channel who can't get the BBC, please consider it.

[@ydid687]

yeah am an international viewer, plus side would be proliferation through awareness and might even reduce the stigma and fear about Nuclear Power.

[@alanhelton]

Thank you for this video. You didn’t sound most pleased to be presenting it however I am most pleased that you did!