Author
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Topic: KSC Vehicle Assembly Building: External paint idea
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dabolton Member Posts: 419 From: Seneca, IL, US Registered: Jan 2009
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posted 04-09-2014 01:36 PM
After looking at a picture of the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) today, it occurred to me that maybe they should paint a life-sized Saturn V and/or space shuttle on the non-baydoor sides. Has this ever been considered? |
p51 Member Posts: 1642 From: Olympia, WA Registered: Sep 2011
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posted 04-09-2014 06:12 PM
Man, what a great idea for space fans like us!That said, I don't see them doing it. Like most government agencies, NASA has always been about the now and the future, not the past. |
Robert Pearlman Editor Posts: 42988 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 04-09-2014 06:42 PM
The U.S. flag on the side of the building, which is about 20,000 square feet, required 6,000 gallons of paint (for comparison, a typical living room takes about half a gallon to paint). Based on the rates published online, that's more than $200,000 worth of paint — and that doesn't include the cost of labor. (Nor does it take into account the cost of touch ups and having to be repainted after significant storms.) Logistics aside, I'm not sure you'd want to change the appearance of an iconic building. |
Jim Behling Member Posts: 1463 From: Cape Canaveral, FL Registered: Mar 2010
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posted 04-09-2014 06:43 PM
The north side is the least seen and wouldn't really be good candidate. |
hotdog Member Posts: 41 From: Chattanooga, TN Registered: Dec 2011
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posted 04-09-2014 06:49 PM
Better yet, that massive building would be a GREAT canvas for 3D projection mapping.KSC could have nightly shows for the public (weather and launch ops permitting, of course). Imagine Saturn V's, Shuttles and SLS rockets projected onto the side of the building showing them being stacked, rolling out, and launching into space scenes showcasing past, present and future of NASA. Having seen one of these shows first hand, they are quite impressive and it would be a great marketing tool for the program. Charge $5 a head for admission and it would eventually pay for itself. |
dabolton Member Posts: 419 From: Seneca, IL, US Registered: Jan 2009
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posted 04-09-2014 10:07 PM
Wow. Can you imagine a 400' tall version of the Apollo 11 walkout? These are mind blowing visuals. Someone should contact LG and get them on it. |
Fra Mauro Member Posts: 1587 From: Bethpage, N.Y. Registered: Jul 2002
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posted 04-10-2014 08:08 AM
Can't see that appropriation request getting through Congress or the press. |
Jim Behling Member Posts: 1463 From: Cape Canaveral, FL Registered: Mar 2010
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posted 04-10-2014 08:24 AM
quote: Originally posted by hotdog: Having seen one of these shows first hand, they are quite impressive and it would be a great marketing tool for the program.
Not really. - Marketing for what program? NASA? SLS?
- It still would be a limited audience.
- KSCVC closes before dark.
- The logistics would cost more than $5 (keeping the KSCVC open, buses, extra workers, etc)
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cspg Member Posts: 6210 From: Geneva, Switzerland Registered: May 2006
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posted 04-10-2014 09:28 AM
quote: Originally posted by dabolton: After looking at a picture of the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) today, it occurred to me that maybe they should paint a life-sized Saturn V and/or space shuttle on the non-baydoor sides.
To remind us once and for all that those days are gone? (I know, I know there's SLS which is a mix of the two but still...). |
Jim Behling Member Posts: 1463 From: Cape Canaveral, FL Registered: Mar 2010
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posted 04-10-2014 11:03 AM
What is the point of reminding us that "those days are gone"? What is "those days"?Spaceflight isn't gone. Space exploration isn't gone. Is it days of taxpayer funded, gov't operated systems? |
cspg Member Posts: 6210 From: Geneva, Switzerland Registered: May 2006
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posted 04-10-2014 03:17 PM
I was simply stating the fact that if you paint a Saturn V or a shuttle on the VAB, it's just a way to remind (if you're an optimist) people that this building was used to assemble those space vehicles (and there are no guarantees that another one will come out, unless you can predict the future) and that those vehicles are now in museum. Moon missions are gone and so is "routine" access to space. Those days are gone. |
Jim Behling Member Posts: 1463 From: Cape Canaveral, FL Registered: Mar 2010
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posted 04-10-2014 10:13 PM
quote: Originally posted by cspg: ...so is "routine" access to space.
Actually, access is more routine now. More missions launch into space now. |
cspg Member Posts: 6210 From: Geneva, Switzerland Registered: May 2006
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posted 04-11-2014 04:02 AM
quote: Originally posted by Jim Behling: Actually, access is more routine now. More missions launch into space now.
The Space Shuttle was built on the promise of a routine access to space, like flying every week. This is not the case today. And I don't see more manned missions today than when the shuttle was flying. There are only Soyuz flights with occasional Shenzhou flights. The Russians flights could be considered "routine". |
garymilgrom Member Posts: 1966 From: Atlanta, GA Registered: Feb 2007
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posted 04-11-2014 07:49 AM
At one time a building at JSC had a Saturn V graphic on it's side. |
Robert Pearlman Editor Posts: 42988 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 04-11-2014 08:10 AM
quote: Originally posted by garymilgrom: At one time a building at JSC had a Saturn V graphic on it's side.
It is still there, and the reason for the painting on that particular building is that inside is a Saturn V... |
Jim Behling Member Posts: 1463 From: Cape Canaveral, FL Registered: Mar 2010
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posted 04-11-2014 08:17 AM
quote: Originally posted by cspg: The Space Shuttle was built on the promise of a routine access to space, like flying every week. This is not the case today.
That never was the case for the shuttle. Also, access to space doesn't need to manned. And despite the hype, manned space is the smaller of the two. The Cape pads (37, 40, 41) are always launching. |
cspg Member Posts: 6210 From: Geneva, Switzerland Registered: May 2006
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posted 04-11-2014 08:23 AM
What do pads 37, 40 and 41 have to do with the VAB?Nobody's saying that Cape Canaveral has been mothballed! |
Jim Behling Member Posts: 1463 From: Cape Canaveral, FL Registered: Mar 2010
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posted 04-11-2014 11:46 AM
quote: Originally posted by cspg: What do pads 37, 40 and 41 have to do with the VAB?
They have to do with the nonsense that stated that routine access is gone. |
Robert Pearlman Editor Posts: 42988 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 04-11-2014 12:31 PM
Neither the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station or the Kennedy Space Center (or any other spaceport in the world) supports "routine access to space." "Routine access" implies airport-like operations, which is certainly a goal but has yet to be achieved. But that said, this is not a topic about routine access to space; this is a discussion about the Vehicle Assembly Building, and its exterior appearance... |
dabolton Member Posts: 419 From: Seneca, IL, US Registered: Jan 2009
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posted 04-11-2014 01:38 PM
It's possible someone like LG would sponsor the projection equipment themselves simply as a promotion of their product. How many canvases that big exist. |