It’s always exciting to see a crane in action – but it is even more exciting to see a crane working together with a spaceship. On March 6th, NASA utilized a team of powerful hydraulic cranes to precisely place one of only four retired NASA Shuttle Training Aircrafts. The shuttle can now be viewed by the public at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama.
Since 2011, the aircraft has been stored nearby at the Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport. At the beginning of March 2017, a team of two hydraulic cranes were used to transport the spaceship in various pieces, and then reassemble it upon arrival to its final location for display in Huntsville. Each piece was carefully placed atop concrete piers.
A few hiccups happened along the way – the aircraft was dropped to the ground at one point when a crane lost its balance. Thankfully no significant damage was done and more counterweight and a bit of repositioning helped to ensure that the rest of the task was carried out accident free.
The new display is planned to include a platform, which will enable visitors to see both the interior and the outside of the NASA plane. This specific shuttle is a modified Grumman Gulfstream II aircraft and was utilized because of its precise controls and handling characteristics. Over fifty-six astronauts used this shuttle to train for landings at the Shuttle Landing Facility located in Florida. The shuttle also often flew at the White Planes Space Harbor in New Mexico.
The NASA Space Shuttle is a fine example of how cranes are used every day to help complete amazing tasks! It’s also a great example of the importance of machine safety and operation risks.
