Mobile launcher platform vibration tests scheduled for next week

John F. Kennedy Space Center

Kennedy Space Center, Florida 32899

AC 321 867-2468

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For Release: Nov. 14, 2003



Bruce Buckingham

Kennedy Space Center, Fla.

321/867-2468



KSC Release No: 95 - 03



NOTE TO EDITORS:

MOBILE LAUNCHER PLATFORM VIBRATION TESTS SCHEDULED FOR NEXT WEEK



The first in a series of engineering data gathering tests will be performed
next week involving the Space Shuttle's crawler transporter and the Mobile
Launcher Platform (MLP) at Kennedy Space Center.



Scheduled to begin Monday, Nov. 17, the crawler transporter will move the
MLP, carrying a set of twin solid rocket boosters slowly out of the Vehicle
Assembly Building (VAB) in support of engineering analysis vibration tests
on the crawler and MLP. The crawler will be moving at various speeds up to 1
mph in an effort to achieve vibration data gathering goals as it leaves the
VAB and then returns.



The primary purpose of these rollout tests are to gather data that will be
used to develop future maintenance requirements on the transport equipment
and the flight hardware. Various parts of the MLP and crawler transporter
have been instrumented with vibration data collection equipment.



Additional rollout tests will be performed in the following months without
the booster set for the purposes of gathering data in various hardware
configurations.



Media interested in viewing the rollout are invited to arrive at the KSC
press site at 10:30 a.m. Monday. For additional photo opportunities through
the week, contact the KSC News Center at 321-867-2468 for updated
information.





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Jacques :-)

Editor: www.spacepatches.info