Launch Pad 39-A Gets Facelift

When Atlantis lifts off from Launch Pad 39-A this summer, it will do so from a completely refurbished and upgraded structure.

During a four-year break from launch duty, Pad A has undergone more than 70 significant modifications to its Fixed Service Structure (FSS), Rotating Service Structure (RSS), concrete pad base and operating systems. United Space Alliance coordinated the upgrade and refurbishment work for NASA.

The work began with the removal of old and unused structures and hardware, some dating to the Apollo era, from the pad towers.

Once that task was complete, the FSS and RSS underwent a complete corrosion control refurbishment. Standing at the edge of the Atlantic Ocean in one of the most corrosive environments in the world, the 247-foot steel structure is under constant siege from rust formation. In addition to the salt air exposure, the structure is blasted with water and residue from the Solid Rocket Booster (SRB) exhaust during every launch. To combat this, Pad A was stripped down to bare metal, ridding the surfaces of all the old coating. The structure was then re-coated, first with a base of inorganic zinc, then with a topcoat that is a mixture of mostly Portland cement.

The RSS is the tower that is attached to the FSS by a large hinge column; it is rotated around the Orbiter to allow access to and protection of the vehicle. The tower received a major structural overhaul, which included the removal and rebuilding of the metal wheels on the drive trucks. In addition, the main framing members of the RSS were reinforced to better carry the load of the structure, as the weight of the RSS had grown over the years by more than a million pounds.

The flame trench, located in the concrete pad base, received a new heat-resistant coating. The trench allows flames from the Orbiter main engines and SRBs to escape during liftoff. On the main level of the pad base, cracked, broken and eroded concrete was removed and re-poured.

At the top of the pad, the entire lightning protection system, including a new 80-foot lightning mast, was replaced.

The pad communication system, which was upgraded from an analog system to a digital system, was also replaced. This Integrated Network Control System, or INCS, is used for communication between the consoles in the firing room and the ground systems at the pad. As part of this upgrade, much of the pad structure was rewired.

Finally, the Orbiter Access White Room, which is the portal used to access the crew compartment of the Orbiter, was cleaned, painted and outfitted with new light fixtures and phones.

“This was a huge, complicated effort, and we’re very proud of all the USA and subcontractor personnel who worked together to get the job done,” said Mike Orr, USA’s Director of Launch Operations. “Launch Pad 39-A is in the best shape ever, and we’re all looking forward to getting this pad back in business with the Atlantis launch this summer.”

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