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Science Forum Index » Space - History Forum » Historic Cape Launch Tower Demolished (With Video Clip)
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| spacearium |
 Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2008 4:10 pm |
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Here's a short video I took of the SLC-40 launch tower demolition:
http://www.spaceflightvideos.com/special/042708/slc40_demolition_short_042708.wmv
(copy/paste to your browser if the link displays on two lines)
CAPE CANAVERAL AFS, FL - It took just 200 pounds of high explosives to
topple 6,500 tons of space history this morning at Cape Canaveral as
the Air Force demolished the abandoned mobile launch tower at Space
Launch Complex-40. Today's controlled demolition sets the stage for a
dramatic reconstruction of the launch site in support of a new rocket,
SpaceX's Falcon 9, which will rise from a reborn SLC-40 early next
year.
Specially formed explosive charges were placed at strategic support
locations on the 1st and 9th levels of the mobile service tower to
break it into three sections upon detonation. The explosions were
timed to cause the twoer to fall down and then topple toward the
north, away from the concrete launch pad and construction work
currently underway by SpaceX.
The explosions alone didn't cause the tower to fall. Rather, they
destroyed key support locations within the MST and then the force of
gravity caused the 265 foot tall gantry to collapse.
45th Space Wing commanding officer, Brig. General Susan Helms, herself
a former space shuttle and station astronaut, called out the final ten
seconds before the charges were detonated on schedule at 9 a.m. EDT,
sending an Earth-shaking thunderclap rolling across the Canaveral
landscape.
Read the full story with photos and video clips here:
http://www.spacearium.com/article.php?story=20080428192140573 |
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| Alan Erskine |
| Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2008 11:07 pm |
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"spacearium" <matt@aresinstitute.org> wrote in message
news:5a4aaaff-9a4e-43e8-8213-497d016b341c@e39g2000hsf.googlegroups.com...
Quote: Here's a short video I took of the SLC-40 launch tower demolition:
http://www.spaceflightvideos.com/special/042708/slc40_demolition_short_042708.wmv
(copy/paste to your browser if the link displays on two lines)
CAPE CANAVERAL AFS, FL - It took just 200 pounds of high explosives to
topple 6,500 tons of space history this morning at Cape Canaveral as
the Air Force demolished the abandoned mobile launch tower at Space
Launch Complex-40. Today's controlled demolition sets the stage for a
dramatic reconstruction of the launch site in support of a new rocket,
SpaceX's Falcon 9, which will rise from a reborn SLC-40 early next
year.
Funny thing about that demolition... While it was spectacular, would it have
been easier and faster to dismantle the structure by having a tower crane
(like the one's used to build city buildings) assembled next to the
structure? Now, the workers have to be careful of loosened steel and other
items, whereas if the structure were dismantled, it may have been quicker,
easier and much safer. |
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| Rick Jones |
| Posted: Thu May 01, 2008 8:13 am |
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Alan Erskine <alan.erskine@bigpond.com> wrote:
Quote: Funny thing about that demolition... While it was spectacular, would
it have been easier and faster to dismantle the structure by having
a tower crane (like the one's used to build city buildings)
assembled next to the structure? Now, the workers have to be
careful of loosened steel and other items, whereas if the structure
were dismantled, it may have been quicker, easier and much safer.
When you detonate/implode you can then come-in with large machines to
more or less bite apart the steel etc into smaller peices.
Deconstruction requires more people, operating with torches (not the
flashlight kind  for longer lengths of time. It generally takes
longer and has greater risk of injuries.
At least that is my impression after watching all those US cable TV
shows about demolition :)
rick jones
--
portable adj, code that compiles under more than one compiler
these opinions are mine, all mine; HP might not want them anyway...
feel free to post, OR email to rick.jones2 in hp.com but NOT BOTH... |
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| Dale Carlson |
| Posted: Thu May 01, 2008 7:56 pm |
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On Wed, 30 Apr 2008 19:10:49 -0700 (PDT), spacearium
<matt@aresinstitute.org> wrote:
Quote: The explosions alone didn't cause the tower to fall. Rather, they
destroyed key support locations within the MST and then the force of
gravity caused the 265 foot tall gantry to collapse.
I never realized that things tend to fall in part due to gravity... :)
Dale |
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