Region Report
Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center height at its disposal.
“ 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 and constant wind speed variables at the tip height,” said Justin Lambert, general manager of Bragg Crane & Rigging.“ When flying priceless NASA artifacts such as the Endeavour and its ancillary support items, that kind of pinpoint accuracy is essential.”
To kick off the stack process, Bragg loaded and transported booster rocket aft skirts from Mojave, California, to Los Angeles and then utilized the Liebherr LR 1750 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 its final position.
The largest piece to maneuver was the Endeavour orbiter, which had to be 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 and LTM 1160 mobile cranes.
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 14 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 completed.
Overcoming Challenges
Bragg had to overcome multiple challenges for a project of this magnitude, which required precise lift planning months ahead of time. In the end, the company generated approximately 20 engineered plans and spent over 1,400-man hours on the lift.
During various lifts for picking and setting the Endeavour and its launch components into the new building, high winds and rain affected the Bragg team. Due to the sheer size of the components and their large surface areas, all lifting needed to occur in minimal wind conditions. The least amount of wind was during the early hours of the morning, so the company worked through many nights to complete the complex lifts. Throughout these challenges, the project was completed without incidents.
“ Bragg Companies has tremendous resources,” said Craig Lane, regional sales manager- West Coast for Liebherr.“ They have an engineering department as well as rigging, operating, iron working and a transportation division. What makes them stand out is they can handle everything for a job like this. Haul it, rig it, set it and engineer it, there is nothing they can’ t do.”
With the Endeavour and all the orbiter’ s launch flight components safely in place and protected by scaffolding, plywood and Kevlar fabric, construction of the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center continues around the
Bragg Companies used multiple Liebherr cranes over six months to complete the Endeavour shuttle project.
20-story shuttle display.
“ With the lift and setting of the Endeavour, we have successfully completed the last-ever space shuttle stack,” said Jeffrey Rudolph, president and CEO of the California Science Center.“ This is a dream over 30 years in the making, and a feat that has never before been accomplished outside of a NASA or Air Force facility.”
In the near future, it will be liftoff for the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center— a launchpad for creativity and innovation to inspire future generations of scientists, engineers and explorers. After a countdown 25 years in the making, with the expertise of the Bragg Companies and the capabilities of its Liebherr cranes, the final mission of the space shuttle Endeavour will be underway.
26 CRANE HOT LINE ® June 2024 • www. cranehotline. com