SpaceX Modifying The Historic Site For Its Falcon Heavy Rocket

Modifications of launch Pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center are underway, as SpaceX prepares for the first launch of a Falcon Heavy rocket from the historic facility.

The pad was mothballed by NASA and the Kennedy Space Center after the shuttle program ended in 2011. It was one of the last visible reminders of that era of space travel.

With all SLS launches planned for pad 39B, NASA awarded the right to repurpose 39A to SpaceX, and the private company hopes to be able to launch the first of its new heavy rockets next summer.

NASASpaceflight.com reports that most of the work currently underway seems to be on the perimeter of the launch site, and a SpaceX says that the pad will retain much of its current appearance. For Instance, according to SpaceX spokesman John Taylor, the Rotating Service Structure (RSS) that had been an integral part of the payload installation process for the Shuttle will remain in place. There had been speculation that SpaceX would also add to the Fixed Service Structure (FSS) at the pad, but Taylor said that for now, it will remain at its current height, but with some structural reinforcements.

A date of July 1, 2015 has been set for a "Wet Dress Rehearsal" (WDR) for the Falcon Heavy to validate the rocket and launch systems. The next steps would be a Static Fire test and a Launch Readiness Review before the actual first flight test is conducted.

(NASA image of Discovery at Pad 39A)

FMI: www.spacex.com