Atlantis STS-135 Rollover: the last in Space Shuttle history! 17 May 2011

The final flight of the Space Shuttle program is just months away and Atlantis is the final vehicle to soar into the sky from pad 39A. As part of the pre-launch prep, the orbiter (Atlantis) is wheeled from the Orbiter Processing Facility (OPF) - it lives in OPF-1 - to the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) in a procedure called the 'rollover'. After it arrives it will be lifted and mated with the External Tank (ET) and two Solid Rocket Boosters (SRB). High resolution photos are available from this angle (twitter: RyInSpace). Enjoy the video!

www.RyInSpace.com

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• Atlantis
• STS-135
• Rollover
• last
• Space
• Shuttle
• history
• space
• exploration
• STS135
• kobrick
• astronauts
• nasa
• usa
• launch

[v12tommy]

I have learned a lot about the shuttle over the years, but I am curious. Since the orbiter has it's own landing gear, what is the benefit of using the crawler, rather than towing it over on it's own wheels? Is it maybe that the landing gear can only be retracted in the Orbiter Processing Facility?

[Rykoby]

@v12tommy The orbiter needs to be integrated to the external tank and solid rocket boosters. In order to do that they need a giant crane (inside the VAB). The VAB provides protection against bad weather as well. It would be to much equipment on the launch pad if they integrated there and they would have to protect the equipment against the launch energy output.

[v12tommy]

@Rykoby Oh yeah, I got that part, I just meant why do they retract the landing gear in the OPF, rather than pulling it over to the VAB on it's own wheels and retracting the gear in the VAB before rotating the orbiter and mating it to the rest of the stack?

[Rykoby]

@v12tommy Oh! Sorry! I think so they can check the integrity of the bottom surface and tiles for launch and entry. Make sure it's smooth and I'm guessing most of the tile refurbishing equipment is in the OPF. I can ask a friend at USA to verify, but that might not happen until July!

[NickBAnKiD]

toooooooooooo slow==

[aimhigh59]

@v12tommy Most of the roll overs were on its own landing gear for many many yrs. But to protect the tires and the process of closing the gear doors its now done like you see. The door interface with the tiles and seals are very critical and is best done in the OPF. Another benefit is no one has to get below a suspended load ( the orbiter) in the VAB anymore.

[v12tommy]

@Rykoby Oh, no worries.  You don't have to go through that much trouble, I just thought you or someone else might know off hand. I can ask my dad too. He used to build the bipods that connect the tank to the orbiter before he retired, so he might have some insight too.

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[dannystx]

Great video! Thanks for posting!