AUTONEWS

Before launching to the Moon, the following happens: the heaviest vehicle on the planet goes into action

The Artemis II mission takes off (probably) today towards the Moon… but first, a unique machine takes center stage, capable of moving more weight than any other vehicle ever built.

It's called Crawler Transporter 2… and it is, literally, a beast. A colossal and unique vehicle, capable of moving the 2,500-ton SLS rocket that will propel the Orion spacecraft, carrying four astronauts around the Moon 55 years later.

But before taking off, it needed to be transported from the assembly area to the launch pad at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. This task falls to the Crawler, a monster 40 meters long by 35 meters wide (to give you a better idea of ​​its size, three of them would fill an entire football stadium) and up to 8 meters high, weighing, believe it or not, 3,000 tons! (The equivalent of 15 times the weight of the Statue of Liberty, to continue with American icons) and with enough power to move more than 8,000 tons from the assembly area to the launch pad.

Numbers so immense that they are almost impossible to imagine... and which represent an unparalleled record on the entire planet. In fact, NASA's Crawler Transporter 2 is, according to the Guinness World Records, the heaviest self-propelled vehicle in the world.

16 engines, 1.6 km/h... and insane fuel consumption.

And how do they do it? Thanks to 16 locomotives (each with 375 horsepower), two 2,220 hp diesel engines each, and their two extremely powerful electric generators (capable of producing 1,500 kW each, enough energy to power 17 international space stations). Enough energy to transport not only rockets or spacecraft, but also the launch tower.

The speed at which this happens varies depending on the spacecraft being moved, as specific calculations are made for each one to ensure maximum safety. However, they are designed to roll at 3.2 kilometers per hour when unloaded and 1.6 km/h with their payload. In the case of the Artemis II launch, the operation took 12 hours... that is, much slower than if it had been done at a human pace.

Another curious fact is the Crawler's fuel consumption, which, as you can easily imagine, is superhuman. It has a diesel tank with a capacity of 19,000 liters, and with each liter it can barely travel 2.5 meters. In other words, compared to cars, its consumption would be almost 39,000 liters per 100 kilometers. A number that defies all automotive logic.

It has a variable-height hydraulic suspension system (between six and eight meters) that allows it to attach under the mobile launch platform where the rocket is located, raise it (leveling each corner precisely and independently), and move it the 6.8 kilometers that separate the assembly building from platform 39B, from where Artemis II will depart with the goal of orbiting the Moon.

More than 50 years moving rockets...The giant conveyor belts have been in operation for more than half a century. Their first mission was with the Saturn V rocket of the Apollo program in 1967, and today they continue to be fundamental to the new space age (in fact, they will also participate in future missions to Mars). During this period, they have traveled more than 8,000 kilometers, almost the distance from coast to coast of the United States.

And today this will happen again. Because before humanity returns to the Moon… someone needs to get the rocket to the launch line.

The Crawler-Transporter 2 (CT-2) is a giant self-propelled vehicle from NASA, weighing approximately 3,000 tons, used to transport the SLS rocket and the Orion spacecraft for the Artemis program. In operation since 1965, this 60-year-old behemoth carries payloads of up to 8 million kg at a maximum speed of 1.6 km/h from the VAB to the launch pad.

Key highlights of the Crawler-Transporter 2(below):

Payload capacity: The CT-2 has been reinforced to support payloads of up to 18 million pounds, essential for the Artemis program.

Dimensions and weight: Measuring approximately 30 x 35 meters, the CT-2 weighs approximately 6.6 million pounds (about 3,000 tons).

Steering and Movement System: It has eight tracks (two per corner), each with 57 shoes, weighing 1 ton each. It uses a hybrid diesel-electric engine system to move.

History: Used for the Apollo (Saturn V), Space Shuttle, and now Artemis programs.

Consumption: Consumes approximately 390 liters of diesel per kilometer.

The "Rock Path": Travels on a special gravel path at a maximum speed of about 1.6 km/h to 3.2 km/h.

Maintenance and longevity: The CT-2 has undergone significant overhauls, including engine replacement, to ensure its operation for years to come.

Operating team: A "rollover" (trip to the platform) requires a specialized technical team, with about 18 to 20 people monitoring the systems.

The CT-2, along with its twin CT-1, represents one of the largest self-propelled vehicles in the world.

Autonews and Mundoquatrorodas