Take a walk down history at Kennedy Space Centre's Vehicle Assembly Building

Vehicle Assembly Building

The Kennedy Space Center in Florida houses the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB), the largest single-story building in the world. This iconic structure was originally constructed as a platform for the vertical assembly of the Apollo–Saturn V space vehicles. Thereafter, it has been used to assemble the parts of many other spacecraft, such as the Space Shuttle, the Space Launch System and others. It also acts like a rocket garage to store the components of a number of space vehicles. Let’s learn more about this spectacular building that has become symbolic of mankind's voyage into space.

A brief history of the VAB

The Vehicle Assembly Building is an engineering marvel whose origins lie in the space race to put humans on the moon. Its construction started in 1963 and was completed in 1966. The VAB was created to store and assemble the parts of the Saturn V rockets and make them flight-ready. The Max O. Urbahn architectural firm was commissioned by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to design the VAB. The initial planning of the VAB included five launch pads and six bays, but ultimately two launch pads and four bays were made.

After the Apollo program ended, including Skylab and the Apollo–Soyuz Test Project, the VAB building configurations were remodeled to suit the Space Shuttle program. The space vehicles under the program were assembled here — the Solid Rocket Boosters (SRB) were put together and attached to the external tank on the mobile launcher platform (MLP), the orbiter vehicle was also vertically attached to the external tank then the fully stacked MLP was taken to Launch Complex 39 from the VAB by a crawler-transporter.

NASA planned to use the VAB for the Constellation program next. However, the program was cancelled in 2010. The current project at the VAB is the preparation and assembly of the Space Launch System (SLS) and the Orion spacecraft, which are set to help take humans back to the Moon under the Artemis program. Commercial use of the VAB is also underway to transform it into a global spaceport.

Design & architecture

Kennedy Space Center's Vehicle Assembly Building is one of the most significantlargest buildings in the world. In 2020, it was honored as a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark by the American Society of Civil Engineers. Here are some of its unique architectural and design features that make it a remarkable feat of modern engineering:
The VAB measures 526 feet in height, 716 feet in length and 518 feet in width. It occupies 8 acres and encloses 129,428,000 cubic feet of space.
65,000 cubic yards of concrete were needed for its construction, and 98,590 tons of steel was used for the frame. It has 4,225 steel pilings beneath it that have been secured 164 feet into the bedrock.
Being situated on the east coast of Florida, the Vehicle Assembly Building has a very sophisticated protection system against hurricanes and tropical storms. It can withstand wind speeds up to 125 miles per hour. It uses 480V 3-phase power electrical service and has uninterruptible power and generator backup.
The VAB has four high bays that are used for stacking the rockets. Each has a door that is 456 feet high and takes about 45 minutes to close fully. There are also eight low bays that are primarily used for storage and preparations before assembly.
The building has five overhead cranes and 136 additional lifting devices. These enable the VAB to be extremely precise when handling and stacking massive weights like the rocket components. A couple of the cranes can carry up to 325 tons.
Moisture control is a grave matter at the VAB due to its coastal location and sophisticated equipment. For this, it has a massive air circulation system that consists of 125 ventilators on the roof and four large air handlers. In total, 10,000 tons of refrigeration (120,000,000 BTU/hr, 35 MW) occurs, which helps control moisture.
The facility has one of the largest American flags painted on its side, which measures 209 feet in length and 110 feet in width. There is also a 12,300-square-foot NASA logo beside it.

What you’ll find inside

High bays

The Vehicle Assembly Building at Kennedy Space Center has four massive high bays, each with doors that are 456 feet high. These bays are used for stacking the space vehicles upright and assembling them in place. Bays 1 and 3 face east, and are most frequently used for assembly because of their proximity to the launch pads while bays 2 and 4 face west and are used more for storage.

Low bays

The low bays are about 210 feet tall,and are usually used to store pre-manufactured rocket parts till they can be assembled at the high bays. They also serve as a holding area and have maintenance and overhaul shops. The retractable doors on the south side of the building open into the low bays. Currently, there are eight low bays inside the building.

Transfer aisle

The transfer aisle is a massive corridor that runs the length of the VAB from north to south. This central aisle connects the low bays and the high bays, letting the shuttle components be rolled in and lifted up so that they can be assembled vertically in the high bays. Both sides of the transfer aisle have retractable doors. A 175-ton capacity crane runs along the aisle.

Space shuttles that have been built here

Fun facts about where all the rocket building happens

The VAB high bay telescoping doors are the largest doors in the world at 456 feet. These consist of 4 door panels that move left-right and 7 door panels that move up and down. It takes about 45 minutes to completely open or close them.
The air inside the building can be completely replaced every hour. However, most of the complex does not have air conditioning. Instead, it has a complex air flow system consisting of 125 ventilators and air handlers. The high bay doors are also used for ventilation.
Initially, the VAB had the American flag and the United States Bicentennial celebrations logo painted on it in 1976. It took 6000 gallons of paint. Later, the Bicentennial logo was changed to NASA insignia in 1998.
The north side of the VAB has extra foundation laid so that the building can accommodate two more high bays if needed in the future. In fact, the roof of the building has also been built in such a way that the height of the building can be increased later if there is a need.
The size of the VAB is so massive that the entire Statue of Liberty can be accommodated inside while still leaving some room. By volume, the Vehicle Assembly Building can fit in 3 and a half Empire State Buildings!

A look at the Vehicle Assembly Building tour

The Kennedy Space Center Explore Tour tickets give guests a chance to visit the Vehicle Assembly Building alongside an expert guide who will tell you all about the history and the features of the site. While you walk down the transfer aisle, you'll get to know all about the original building elements and the structural changes that have been made over time. Don't be shy, as the guides encourage the guests to ask questions and engage in the discussion.

Usually, you'll also be taken up the elevator to a higher floor to see the overhead cranes a little closer. Get ready to truly experience the majesty of the building when you look down from one of the walkways: it is sure to leave you a little breathless. This is a spectacular experience, so make sure that you take a lot of pictures!

Frequently asked questions about the Vehicle Assembly Building

How do I reach the Vehicle Assembly Building?

The tour of the VAB is part of the larger Kennedy Space Center tour so you'll need to board the KSC guided tour bus to reach the VAB. This will take you to the VAB complex.

Are photography and videography allowed inside the VAB?

Photography and videography is widely allowed when you're touring the VAB. However, under special circumstances, you may be asked to refrain from recording certain areas of the complex.

Can I tour the entire Vehicle Assembly Building?

Visitors are allowed to tour most of the Vehicle Assembly Building but certain areas where active work is taking place may be restricted to the public.

Does the Vehicle Assembly Building really have its own weather?

Although there is a popular myth that the VAB is so large it creates its own weather, this is not true. Due to the massive space and the amount of steel used in its construction, the temperature within the building fluctuates a lot, which is the origin of this myth. Sometimes, fog may enter the complex as well and may be mistaken for clouds.

What else can I see at the Kennedy Space Center when I visit the VAB?

Apart from the VAB, you can also see other KSC attractions like Launch Complex 39, Deep Space Launch Complex, Rocket Garden, Heroes and Legends Complex, etc.