The Flickr Merrittislandlauncharea Image Generatr

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This page simply reformats the Flickr public Atom feed for purposes of finding inspiration through random exploration. These images are not being copied or stored in any way by this website, nor are any links to them or any metadata about them. All images are © their owners unless otherwise specified.

This site is a busybee project and is supported by the generosity of viewers like you.

a/VAB_v_bw_o_n (100-KSC-64-15693) by Mike Acs

© Mike Acs, all rights reserved.

a/VAB_v_bw_o_n (100-KSC-64-15693)

"View of VAB from S. 50' tower."

An amazing view looking generally northward, through the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) Low Bay (nearest the camera), down the transfer aisle, through the cavernous temporary “breezeway” afforded by the enormity of the main structure.
Note of course the Launcher Umbilical Tower (LUT) (on its Mobile Launcher Platform (MLP)) under construction in the left background…along with the Launch Control Center (LCC) to the immediate right of the VAB, also under construction.
And finally, the framework of the squat & rarely acknowledged Utility Annex - under construction as well - is visible to the left of the VAB, partially obstructing some of the LUT MLP.

Probably the first/only time you've read anything about the Utility Annex:

www.nasa.gov/missions/artemis/utility-annex-facility-upgr...

Check out the vehicles…this is mid-1964. An engineering marvel to this day.

"South 50-ft. tower"...I vaguely recall coming across some obscure documentation regarding the various towers and their locations in the MILA. For points of elevated overhead illumination? Photographic vantage points? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Interesting & pertinent read. Some of it might even be correct:

public.ksc.nasa.gov/partnerships/wp-content/uploads/sites...

STS04_v_c_o_TPMBK (S82-33223) by Mike Acs

© Mike Acs, all rights reserved.

STS04_v_c_o_TPMBK (S82-33223)

A great oblique view eastward, across the Florida peninsula & Merritt Island, as seen during STS-4.

www.spaceline.org/spacelineorg/wp-content/uploads/2020/09...
Credit: Cliff Lethbridge/"Spaceline, Inc." website

Interesting reading. Hopefully, some of it may even be correct:

www.nasa.gov/history/40-years-ago-sts-4-columbias-final-o...

Particularly the following…I had no idea:

“Mission Control awakened the crew on flight day 6 with music from “Chariots of Fire.” The main activity for the day involved Mattingly putting on an Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU), the suit designed for spacewalks, in Columbia’s airlock. Although the STS-4 timeline did not include a spacewalk, Mattingly had trained on the ground for a contingency spacewalk, for example to manually close the payload bay doors if needed. With a spacewalk planned for STS-5, Mattingly believed testing the spacesuit on this flight seemed prudent. Although mission controllers had not rehearsed the activity before the flight, Mattingly completed the task successfully.”

Did you?

STSprog_v_bw_o_n (74-H-34, 74-HC-26) by Mike Acs

© Mike Acs, all rights reserved.

STSprog_v_bw_o_n (74-H-34, 74-HC-26)

“Artist’s concept of installation of space shuttle orbiter in Kennedy Space Center Vehicle Assembly Building.”

One of many wonderful depictions of the VAB & KSC environs by Don Mackey.

g(JFK)_v_c_o_AKP (NASA - USAF photo, 63C-3432) by Mike Acs

© Mike Acs, all rights reserved.

g(JFK)_v_c_o_AKP (NASA - USAF photo, 63C-3432)

“NASA/GEMINI: Reading clockwise from President Kennedy; Senator George Smathers (FLA. D); Mr. James Webb, NASA; Astro. L. Gordon Cooper; Astro. Gus Grissom; Mr. M. G Preston NASA-MSC Manager Florida Operations; in center George Lowe, NASA.”

Note the interesting McDonnell/Gemini capsule logo on the hardhat at the very bottom.
And quite the variety of cameras in the crowd.

George 'Lowe' & 'M. G.' Preston...incorrect spelling of the name of the Chief of Manned Space Flight & juxtaposed initials of the NASA-MSC Operations Manager, Florida. This is a NASA photograph.

See also:

www.sciencephoto.com/media/802070/view/president-kennedy-...

a/VAB_v_bw_o_n (ETR64-324-014/9820-891) by Mike Acs

© Mike Acs, all rights reserved.

a/VAB_v_bw_o_n (ETR64-324-014/9820-891)

“Aerial view of V.A.B. construction.”

An unassumingly exquisite photograph. The detail/resolution is phenomenal, let alone the subject matter. Just the overall enormity. Look at the massive girders laid out in front of the VAB - and the quantity - not to mention those already in place. The number, sizes & variety of cranes. The range of identifiable gorgeous vintage automobiles…everything from the Corvette front-and-center at the bottom, to Cadillacs, Nashes, Beetles & MORE. On the horizon to the left, you can even make out detail in the newly constructed Solid Motor Assembly Building (SMAB), part of the Integrate - Transfer - Launch (ITL) complex/facility, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS)! “COLBY CRANE” legible on the housing of the Launcher Umbilical Tower (LUT) hammerhead crane on the right. And more.
The body of water to the left of & behind the VAB will become the turning basin.
Pretty awesome. Nineteen Sixty-Four (1964).

a_v_bw_o_n (64-Complex 39-13) by Mike Acs

© Mike Acs, all rights reserved.

a_v_bw_o_n (64-Complex 39-13)

“Artist’s concept of the inside of the Vertical Assembly Building (VAB) at Merritt Island Launch Area, John F. Kennedy Space Center. Shown on the left is a Saturn V being assembled, on right is an assembled Saturn V on its Launcher Umbilical Tower (LUT) platform, ready to be moved by crawler to the launch complex.”

Project Apollo by eo5.code.blog

Available under a Creative Commons by-nc license

Project Apollo

A massive crawler transports the Saturn-Apollo vehicle and the umbilical tower from the vertical assembly building to the launch pad.

Project Apollo: Mission to the Moon

by Charles Coombs
Scholastic Books, Inc., 1965

----------

e05.code.blog/

g03_v_bw_o_n (65-H-417) by Mike Acs

© Mike Acs, all rights reserved.

g03_v_bw_o_n (65-H-417)

“The prime crew for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s GT-3 mission, Astronaut John W. Young, pilot, and Virgil I. (Gus) Grissom, command pilot, hold a discussion at the Gemini Launch Vehicle Review Meeting on March 20, with Astronaut Edward H. White II, (left), pilot for the GT-4 mission. The meeting was held in the Manned Spacecraft Operations Building, Merritt Island Launch Area.”

Also at:

www.apolloexplorer.co.uk/default.asp?libsrc=/photo/html/G...
Credit: Apollo Explorer website

Un-effing-believable:

www.alamy.com/20-march-1965-the-prime-crew-of-the-nasa-ge...
(Dis)credit: Alamy website

a_v_bw_o_n (LOC- 63PC-78, LOC-63-2645 eq) by Mike Acs

© Mike Acs, all rights reserved.

a_v_bw_o_n (LOC- 63PC-78, LOC-63-2645 eq)

"Artist's concept of Vertical Assembly Bldg, and area, Complex 39.
SHOT FOR: Joe Robertson"

Initially referred to as the "Vertical" Assembly Building. The labeled 'S-IVB' stage of the Advanced Saturn(?)/Saturn C-5(?) can be made out. The extended length between the Command Module & S-IVB probably indicates that Direct Ascent was still under consideration. Note also the stationary/static "Arming Tower", to the far right, just off the crawlerway, later to evolve into the "Mobile Service Structure":

www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/SP-4204/ch13-6.html

A beautiful work by the multifaceted and (I think) rather eclectic Don Mackey. The detail & 'character' of Mr. Mackey's works demands further browsing & the perusal of the subtle details & nuances...kinda like swishing wine around in your mouth - if you do that sort of thing. Even/especially(?) his postcards merit a closer look!

www.collectspace.com/ubb/Forum38/HTML/000530.html
Credit: collectSPACE website

naturetime.wordpress.com/2013/12/30/vintage-space-art-chr...
Credit: naturetime website

No idea who Joe Robertson was. Thought I'd find something, this photo apparently being earmarked as additionally/exclusively(?) for him.

VAB_v_bw_o_n (100-KSC-65C-4467) by Mike Acs

© Mike Acs, all rights reserved.

VAB_v_bw_o_n (100-KSC-65C-4467)

VAB construction.

sa500F_v_bw_o_n (66-H-521) by Mike Acs

© Mike Acs, all rights reserved.

sa500F_v_bw_o_n (66-H-521)

“Merritt Island Launch Area, Fla., -- The National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s Apollo/Saturn V, 500 F facilities vehicle is being erected in the Hi Bay area of the Vehicle Assembly Building. The NASA Apollo/Saturn 500 F facilities vehicle and the Apollo verification spacecraft will be used to check out the Vehicle Assembly Building, transporting the full scale vehicle on the Mobile Launcher to Complex 39 and complete checkout at the launch pad.”

a/VAB_v_bw_o_n (65-H-213) by Mike Acs

© Mike Acs, all rights reserved.

a/VAB_v_bw_o_n (65-H-213)

“The National Aeronautics and Space Administration six-million pound crawler-transporter, the vehicle that will carry Saturn V moon rockets to the launch pad on a specially built roadway, is shown during a demonstration run for space officials and the press at Launch Complex 39 of the Kennedy Space Center, Merritt Island, Fla. In the background is the Vertical Assembly Building where the 350-foot Saturn V and Apollo will be assembled and checked prior to the 3 mile trip to the launch pad. The crawler, one of the two being built for KSC by Marion Power Shovel Co., Marion, Ohio, will undergo extensive testing before it becomes operational next September.”

a_v_bw_o_n (LOC 63C-3610, 17 DEC 63) by Mike Acs

© Mike Acs, all rights reserved.

a_v_bw_o_n (LOC 63C-3610, 17 DEC 63)

"Artist's concept of VAB.
SHOT FOR: Hendley"

Note the empty crawler transporter at the threshold of the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) and an Advanced Saturn(?)/MLP/LUT stack on the other side of it. The contrails of the two high altitude jets near the upper left are a nice subtle touch.

Despite the obvious expectation that this is by Don Mackey...idk...maybe Loren R. Fisher. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

a_v_bw_o_n (100-KSC-64C-5738) by Mike Acs

© Mike Acs, all rights reserved.

a_v_bw_o_n (100-KSC-64C-5738)

"Mobile launchers no. 1, 2, & 3."
Some time during 1964.

a_v_bw_o_n (66-H-508) by Mike Acs

© Mike Acs, all rights reserved.

a_v_bw_o_n (66-H-508)

“Merritt Island Launch Area, Fla., -- At Complex 39 the Apollo-Saturn Vehicles will be assembled on the mobile launchers (right) inside the fifty-two story Vehicle Assembly Building. After assembly each complete A/S system will be transferred to the launch area over a roadway designed to support loads of approximately 18,000,000 pounds. Each mobile launcher will tower over 420 feet above the surface.”

Also, delivered December 1965, the 300,000-pound S-IC simulator can be seen laying on its side, on its transporter, in front of the VAB.

LCC (STS?)_v_c_o_TPMBK (layout, artist's concept) by Mike Acs

© Mike Acs, all rights reserved.

LCC (STS?)_v_c_o_TPMBK (layout, artist's concept)

Mid-70's artist's concept of what I believe was a/the planned KSC Launch Control Center (LCC) Firing Room configuration/layout in support of future space shuttle operations.

Maybe by Don Mackey?

Pretty much looks like it:

www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=2433441546852206&set=gm....
Credit: Stephen Isherwood/Facebook

Also:

upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ea/KSCFiri...
Credit: National Aeronautics and Space Administration Wiki

a_v_bw_o_n (100-KSC-65C-2657) by Mike Acs

© Mike Acs, all rights reserved.

a_v_bw_o_n (100-KSC-65C-2657)

Got me, other than a line-up of Great Americans, possibly contractors(?) - then not so Great ;-) posing(?) in front of a Crawler-Transporter. Note how the supervisory personnel (just my guess) are easily distinguishable...on either side of the formation and just slightly distanced from the subordinates, staff, worker bees, minions, etc, and of course (although not always), the dour/serious/constipated facial expressions. Granted, a LOT was 'riding' on pulling this off successfully - by the end of the decade - with one's job security most likely on the line, especially as a contractor.

a_v_bw_o_n (65-H-808) by Mike Acs

© Mike Acs, all rights reserved.

a_v_bw_o_n (65-H-808)

The three Apollo Program Launcher Umbilical Tower (LUT)/Mobile Launch Platform combos under construction IVO the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB), June 1965.