These vehicle (there are two) has been used for all the Apollo launches as well as all the shuttle launches and each has covered ‘only’ 1,500 miles in the process.
Transporter Statistics
- Weight: 2,721 metric tons (6 million pounds)
- Length: 40 meters (131 ft) wide, 35 meters (114ft) long
- Miles: 2,526 miles (1,243 miles since 1977)
NASA has 2 crawler-transporters. Each vehicle consists of four double-tracked crawlers, each 3 meters (10 ft) high and 12 meters (41 ft) long. Each of the 8 tracks on a vehicle contains 57 shoes per track and each tread shoe weighs about .9 metric tons (one ton).
The Crawler/Transporter is powered by 16 traction motors powered by four 1,000 kw generators, driven by two 2,750hp diesel engines. Two 750 kw generators, driven by two 1,065 hp diesel engines are used for jacking, steering, lighting, and ventilating.
When they were built, the crawlers were the largest tracked vehicles ever made. (now suppassed by the Bagger 288 excavator). They move the Mobile Launcher Platform into the Vehicle Assembly Building and then to the Launch Pad with the assembled space vehicle. Maximum speed is 1.6km (one mile) per hour loaded, about 3.2 km (2 miles) per hour unloaded. The trip time fully loaded is about 5 hours. The crawler burns 568 liters (150 gallons) of diesel oil per mile.
The top of the orbiter is kept vertical within plus or minus 10 minutes of arc, about the diameter of a basketball during the journey. Leveling systems within the crawler keeps the platform level while negotiating the 5% ramp leading up to the pad surface.
The height of the crawler is 6 meters (20ft) to 8 meters (26 feet) adjustable. The top deck is flat and square, about the size of a baseball infield, 27 meters (90 feet) on a side. Two operator control cabs, one at each end of the chassis, are used to control all crawler systems.
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