NASA WORLD RECORD LIFTING/WEIGHING PROJECT

The Revolving Service Structure (‘RSS’) portion of the launch pad swings in an arcing motion along a semicircle rail track and pivots about a large diameter hinge pin. This arcing motion is to allow the structure to couple to the Space Shuttle to allow the transfer of the pre-flight payload and satellites. After the Space Shuttle is in position at the launch pad, the entire structure pivots to meet the Shuttle.

At 295’ tall to the base of the lightning rod, the RSS is a massive tower of structural steel that can be see from miles away. Because of 30+ years of modifications,  NASA’s engineers had decided that the weight of the RSS needed to be documented so that they could analyze the weight distribution on the bearings that carry the load.

Buffalo Hydraulic has been awarded a contract to design and build a jacking system that would provide 21 jacking points and be capable of lifting and documenting the weight of the RSS. The load was estimated to be between 5,000,000 & 8,000,000 lbs.

With a designed capacity of 9,000,000 lbs. over 21 lifting points, our system lifted, documented and recorded a total weight of Launch Pad #39A @5,280,000 lbs. and 5,340,000 lbs. for Launch Pad #39B. During both lifts, a level accuracy of 0.020” over all points was maintained!

From NASA’s Kennedy Space Center to the mountains of the Pacific Northwest and from the Potomac River to Nicosia, Cypress and even to the extreme arctic conditions of Summit Greenland, Buffalo Hydraulic has the experience to make your most complex high tonnage project a success!

Please contact us today and we’ll be glad to make the safety and success of your upcoming project our top priority!