Specialists from the American space agency NASA have begun sea trials of a unique tracked vehicle - the Crawler-transporter 2 (CT-2), designed to transport a huge Space Launch System (SLS) launch vehicle with the latest Orion spacecraft on board. Recently, this tracked carrier passed the first stage of testing at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASA engineers have tested the reliability of new traction motor roller bearings. It is reported that the new bearings, as well as other CT-2 systems, worked normally and were heated within acceptable values.
Today, NASA's tracked transporters, or crawlers as they are also called, are the largest tracked vehicles in the world. So far, the new tracked carrier has passed only the first phase of its tests. It should be ready for the first mission to launch NASA's new space launch system, the SLS rocket and Orion, which is slated for 2017. So far, the new roller bearings have been tested in sections A and C. After testing, the CT-2 was returned to the assembly shop at Kennedy Space Center, where they plan to install the same roller bearings in sections B and D.
The new tracked transporter is the result of a modification of the old CT-1 transporter, which has transported a huge number of the heaviest loads over 45 years of operation, including the Saturn-5 rockets intended for the Apollo, as well as numerous space shuttles. After the Space Shuttle's space program was curtailed in 2011, the tracked carrier was not sent for scrap, but it was decided to modernize it in order to use it to transport the promising American SLS rocket. This heavy rocket will be able to launch up to 130 tons of payload into low-earth orbit.
The ST-2 transporter is a deep modification of the previous version, which has lived a fairly long life, having worked at the American cosmodrome for more than 45 years. In addition to the new roller bearings (a total of 88 new roller bearing assemblies are used) that have been installed in the traction motors, it has an improved lubrication system, as well as a completely new temperature monitoring system.
It should be noted that the CT-2 transporter has great potential. This colossus is equipped with two 16-cylinder diesel engines with a capacity of 2200 hp. each. In addition, there are 2 more engines on the conveyor with a capacity of 2750 hp each. each, these motors are designed to operate the electrical system and the hydraulic pumps of the machine. The giant transporter is about 40 meters long. The maximum speed that the ST-2 transporter can reach is 3.2 km / h, but at maximum load it does not exceed 1.6 km / h. The transporter has a huge supply of diesel fuel - 18 930 liters, while the fuel consumption is about 4 liters for every 10 meters of travel. The tracked transporter is able to deliver a launcher and a rocket to the launch site, the total weight of which can exceed 8 thousand tons.
The net weight of the tracked conveyor itself is 2,400 tons, while it consists of a loading platform, which is located on 4 bogies, each of which has two tracks. The platform is held horizontally with high precision by a special hydraulic system. Each of the tracks of the conveyor includes 57 articulated tracks, with the weight of each track being about 900 kg. This colossus was controlled by 2 dispatchers, who are located at each end of the chassis (front and rear of the vehicle).
In the American space industry, these giants have been used for the past 45 years. Initially, these colossus were used to transport the Saturn rockets, which were designed to launch the Apollo spacecraft into orbit, later they were used to transport the Shuttle space shuttles. The modernization of the conveyor, which is now under the name "Hans and Franz", will practically not affect its shape and appearance, the overall dimensions of the machine will remain unchanged. Currently, the main work is aimed at replacing four sections of the conveyor tracked drives.
Currently, Crawler-transporter-2 is located on the territory of the Vehicle Assembly Building, where work has already been carried out to replace two of its tracked sections (we are talking about sections A and C, which are located on one side of the conveyor). Work on the replacement of these sections was completed on January 31, 2014, preparatory work is currently underway to replace the two remaining track sections - B and D, located on the other side of the conveyor. At the same time, engineers are working to strengthen the platform and chassis structure of the CT-2.
