Setting the shuttle
Bragg used approximately five cranes across each of the lifts. The Liebherr LR 1750/2 crawler crane was onsite full time with frequent occurrences from various hydraulic truck cranes working concurrently throughout the duration of the project to perform various tasks. The Liebherr LR 1750 crawler crane had 1,466,000.00 lbs. of counterweight, a tip height of approximately 395 ft and a max radius of approximately 151 ft.
“The Liebherr LR 1750's capability of electronically limiting the hoist and swing speed was vital to the success of the lifts due to the extremely tight tolerances in the pit and constant wind speed variables at the tip height,” notes Justin Lambert, General Manager of Bragg Crane & Rigging. “When flying priceless NASA artifacts such as the Endeavour and its ancillary support items, it is comforting knowing you have the quality, efficiency and pinpoint accuracy of a Liebherr built product behind you.”
To kick off the stack process, Bragg loaded and transported the aft skirts from Mojave, CA to Los Angeles, CA, and then utilized the Liebherr LR 1750 crawler crane to lift and set the skirts. The company then used the crawler crane and the Liebherr LTM 1160 mobile crane to lift, upend and set the solid rocket motors as well as upend and set the external tank into final position.
The largest piece to maneuver was the Endeavour orbiter. After a difficult transport process, the Endeavour was lifted, upended, and set inside the new Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center building using the Liebherr LR 1750 crawler crane with the support of the Liebherr LTM 1400 mobile crane and LTM 1160 mobile crane.
The most challenging part of the stack was attaching the external tank to Endeavour. Placing the tank was arduous as it had to be threaded down through the scaffolding without contacting anything else due to its entire outer layer being foam. Additionally, the tight tolerances of the mating points to the solid rocket boosters made the lift and set difficult.
After almost fourteen hours of work the Endeavour was fully detached from the crane and sling, and the final mating of the space shuttle to the external tank and two solid rocket boosters was complete.