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Regarding KSC and the LC39 mods...

I'm going off memory which may be faulty... Snopercod and other KSC vets would know better than I...

I recall going to the cape around 1977. Apollo hardware was still in existance and located on the crawlerway between the VAB and the pad. It gave a good indication of the size of the Saturn V vehicle when standing at the pad.

Those mobile launch platforms were still in existance in 1979 but began being torn down in 1980.

If I recall, Carter could have reversed the Nixon Admin decision to halt Apollo missions. Boeing was stalling on disassembly of their facility and Rockwell Downey was in production on STS. So, both lines could have been reactivated with less cost than building an entirely new booster.

Instead, Carter chose to scrap Saturn in favor of rapid flight rates on one reusable vehicle, STS/orbiter. When Carter made that decision around 78-79, it lead to the disassembly of the MLPs and mods at 39A/B in prep for a 1979 first STS flight.

STS wasn't ready to fly in 1979 due to the TPS problems, but the cape was ready. So, by 1980, I think I recall that the MLP for Saturn was lying behind the ONC area as a giant scrap heap of rusting metal in the Floridian sea air.

It was a bummer to see the heap in the late 80's still lying there rusting.

Re your #185:

All three Apollo Mobile Launchers were reused. They needed extensive mechanical modifications, of course, to change them from "one-holers" to "three-holers".

I was involved in the final 6 months of the refurbishment on the last of the three. We did all the electrical/HVAC/tubing/cryo lines/pneumatics/cameras, etc. My particular responsibility was installing the TSMs [Tail Service Masts] on either side of the orbiter hole, and connecting all the "stuff" inside. Those TSMs were 30' tall, weighed 67 tons apiece, and were set within +/- .01" in all three dimensions at the opening up top.

That "junk" out behind the HQ building that you saw was probably the LETF (Launch Equipment Test Facility), where they tested the Tail Service Masts for the Shuttles.

Just getting those to work right - safely retracting the T-0 umbilicals - took a crew of hundreds several years to accomplish. There are huge dropweights in there, pyro thrusters, snubbers, etc. Getting the umbilical plugs pulled out of the shuttle, retracted (without damaging them or the shuttle), and the clamshell doors closed in the few seconds before they get burned up by the plume was an engineering achievement in itself. Keep in mind that the stack is in mid-"twang" from the main engines firing while this retraction is going on. Lots of shaking and wobbling...

These people who think going back to the moon will be easy if we can only find "the blueprints" don't have a clue. No offence to any FReepers, but it just isn't that simple.

191 - Interesting info bones, but not what I was after. There was a story floating around, years ago, that they actually began building a new pad and facilities for the 'bigger than saturn5' launch facility at KSC. Some concrete was actually poured. And then there was a quietus, it suddenly stopped, and even the poured concrete had to be destroyed and literally dug up.

Long time ago, around Carter's time, and just a story, but I was hoping someone would know about it.