DALLAS, Sept. 25, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Jacobs
Engineering Group Inc. (NYSE:JEC), and NASA, recently achieved a
major milestone at Kennedy Space Center (KSC) as the modified
mobile launcher (ML), sitting atop a refurbished Crawler
Transporter (CT-2), took its maiden voyage to Launch Pad
39B and then to the Vehicle Assembly
Building for fit checks and testing. The ML will support NASA's new
Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and the Orion spacecraft during
processing and launch.
This milestone represents a critical step in NASA's preparations
for Exploration Mission-1, the first in a series of increasingly
complex missions that will extend the frontiers of human deep space
exploration. Scheduled to launch in 2020, Exploration Mission-1
will be the first launch of SLS and Orion, the backbone of
America's deep space exploration program.
"Delivering full lifecycle aerospace capability enables Jacobs
to support NASA in their continued success of deep space
exploration and next generation of launch vehicles," said Jacobs
Aerospace, Technology, Environmental and Nuclear Senior Vice
President Steve Arnette. "The ML
passage to the launch pad atop Crawler Transporter-2 is a major
milestone, as the last time a crawler-transporter and mobile
launcher rolled out together was in 2011."
As the operations support contractor for the NASA Exploration
Ground Systems (EGS) program at KSC, Jacobs transported the ML to
Launch Pad 39B where the company
joined contractors in connecting ML systems with pad systems to
perform interface fit checks. The crawler then carried the ML back
to the Vehicle Assembly Building on Sept.
8, where Jacobs, in partnership with NASA, will spend
several months completing multi-element verification and validation
testing of systems from the ground all the way to the control room
in the Launch Control Center.
According to NASA EGS Program Manager Mike Bolger, "This milestone represents the
completion of construction and ground support equipment
installation on the ML and the culmination of years of hard work by
a team that has the capability, resilience and 'can do' attitude
that exemplifies KSC and makes it such a special place to
work."
Rolling at an average pace of 0.7 mph, the 6.6-million-pound
crawler is operated by a team of 30 people, including drivers in
the cab, along with engineers and technicians operating the engine
rooms, jacking and leveling systems, pump and control rooms. In
addition, observers on the ground monitor the giant rolling tracks
and associated gears and hydraulics.
The 380-foot-tall ML consists of a two-story base that is the
platform for a tower equipped with connection structures, called
umbilicals, and launch accessories that will provide SLS and Orion
with power, communications, coolant, fuel and stabilization prior
to launch.
As NASA's largest services contractor, Jacobs is a provider and
integrator of full lifecycle aerospace capability including design
and construction; base, mission and launch operations; sustaining
capital maintenance; and secure and intelligent asset management,
development, modification, and testing processes for fixed assets
supporting national government, military, defense and NASA, as well
as commercial space companies.
Jacobs leads the global professional services sector delivering
solutions for a more connected, sustainable world. With
$15 billion in fiscal 2017 revenue
when combined with full-year CH2M revenues and a talent force of
more than 77,000, Jacobs provides a full spectrum of services
including scientific, technical, professional and construction- and
program-management for business, industrial, commercial, government
and infrastructure sectors. For more information, visit
www.jacobs.com, and connect with Jacobs on LinkedIn, Twitter,
Facebook and Instagram.
Statements made in this release that are not based on historical
fact are forward-looking statements. We base these forward-looking
statements on management's current estimates and expectations as
well as currently available competitive, financial and economic
data. Forward-looking statements, however, are inherently
uncertain. There are a variety of factors that could cause business
results to differ materially from our forward-looking statements.
For a description of some of the factors which may occur that could
cause actual results to differ from our forward-looking statements
please refer to our Form 10-K for the year ended September 29, 2017, and in particular the
discussions contained under Items 1 - Business, 1A - Risk Factors,
3 - Legal Proceedings, and 7 - Management's Discussion and Analysis
of Financial Condition and Results of Operations. We do not
undertake to update any forward-looking statements made herein.
For press/media inquiries:
Kerrie Sparks
214.583.8433
Brian Morandi
720.286.0719
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SOURCE Jacobs Engineering Group Inc.