[Thread] Mobile Launch Platforms are some of my favourite pieces of ground support equipment, so here's a closer look at the Saturn V MLPs with some images from the archive.

The first MLP began construction in July of 1963. The first image here is from late 1963 shows the construction areas just north of the VAB site for MLPs 1 & 2. The second image is a closer look at one of the MLPs in early 1964.
These two images from early 1964 show part of the mount mechanisms that would support the MLPs as they were constructed. Just the size of these alone starts to put things in to perspective!
As the first tower began to grow taller in May of 1964, the first Crawler Transporter (Image 3 and foreground of image 2) began to take shape.
A view of the launch platform itself as it was still being built in July of 1964. The launch platform covered an area close to half an acre.
The umbilical tower would stand 121.5m (without crane) above the launch platform. These images from July and August 1964. (Check out the cool landscape of all the other launch pads and facilities in the first image!)
The first MLP was topped out in September of 1964.
MLP 2 & 3 were finished in December 1964 and March 1965.
2nd image: "Hundreds of construction workers, community leaders, and NASA and contractor employees were present on April 14, 1965 for a ceremony marking off the "topping off" of the Vehicle Assembly Building."
Crawler Transporter 1 picking up MLP 3 in mid 1965.
At their time the three MLPs were the heaviest portable structures known. I'm not sure what holds this title today, but I'm sure it's impressive!
MLP 3 made its way to LC-39A in March of 1966 for testing which included a water deluge test which can be seen in the last image here.
Service (swing) arm 9 in the transfer aisle of the VAB before and after receiving the White Room. This arm would then be attached to MLP 1.
Images 23 May 1966.
In late May of 1966 a MLP rolled out to LC-39A with the Saturn 500F test vehicle to conduct fit checks before the real Saturn V would take the trip.
If you don't feel small yet, maybe this will change that... I think this *may* be from the rollout of Apollo 4.
The Apollo 4 stack making its way to the launch pad in November 1967.
There is so much more history to these amazing structures post Apollo, but that's for another day. So I'll leave you with this shot from the rollout of Apollo 16 with people for scale 🤓

More from History

This is THEFT!

Indians had Algebra BEFORE Mμslim prophet & religion was even born.

Here is Bakhshali Manuscript dating back to 3rd century CE. It is an Algebraic treatise. Have you anything like this from the Arabian desert? No, you simply plagiarized Algebra from Indians! https://t.co/cWXRNYMgDt


The Bakhshali manuscript, which has been carbon dated to 3rd century CE, is an ancient Hindu treatise on Arithmetic and Algebra.

The Algebraic problems deal with simultaneous equations, quadratic equations, arithmetic
geometric progressions & quadratic indeterminate equations.


Bakhshali isn't earliest Indian Algebraic treatise. Early Algebra is found in Shulba Sutras dating back to at least 800 BC. Traditional Algebra reached its pinnacle in the works of Aryabhata & Bhaskara.

What makes Bakhshali special is it offers mathematical proof to its theories


It is surprising to see that even after the ancient Indian algebraic treatise has been carbon dated to 3rd century CE by Oxford, they persist with "oh we invented Algebra. It is Halal".

A brief examination of the origins of "Halal Algebra" follows

https://t.co/eFIZ98FDrI


The earliest work of "Arabic Algebra" is the "Al-Kitāb Al-Jabr wal-muqābala" by Al Khwarizmi. The term "Algebra" comes from this book ("Al Jabr").

Before writing his treatise, Al Khwarizmi visited India. His book is a plagiarism from Indian Mathematics and an obvious one at that

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शमशान में जब महर्षि दधीचि के मांसपिंड का दाह संस्कार हो रहा था तो उनकी पत्नी अपने पति का वियोग सहन नहीं कर पायी और पास में ही स्थित विशाल पीपल वृक्ष के कोटर में अपने तीन वर्ष के बालक को रख के स्वयं चिता पे बैठ कर सती हो गयी ।इस प्रकार ऋषी दधीचि और उनकी पत्नी की मुक्ति हो गयी।


परन्तु पीपल के कोटर में रखा बालक भूख प्यास से तड़पने लगा। जब कुछ नहीं मिला तो वो कोटर में पड़े पीपल के गोदों (फल) को खाकर बड़ा होने लगा। कालान्तर में पीपल के फलों और पत्तों को खाकर बालक का जीवन किसी प्रकार सुरक्षित रहा।

एक दिन देवर्षि नारद वहां से गुजर रहे थे ।नारद ने पीपल के कोटर में बालक को देख कर उसका परिचय मांगा -
नारद बोले - बालक तुम कौन हो?
बालक - यही तो मैं भी जानना चहता हूँ ।
नारद - तुम्हारे जनक कौन हैं?
बालक - यही तो मैं भी जानना चाहता हूँ ।

तब नारद ने आँखें बन्द कर ध्यान लगाया ।


तत्पश्चात आश्चर्यचकित हो कर बालक को बताया कि 'हे बालक! तुम महान दानी महर्षि दधीचि के पुत्र हो । तुम्हारे पिता की अस्थियों का वज्रास्त्र बनाकर ही देवताओं ने असुरों पर विजय पायी थी।तुम्हारे पिता की मृत्यु मात्र 31 वर्ष की वय में ही हो गयी थी'।

बालक - मेरे पिता की अकाल मृत्यु का क्या कारण था?
नारद - तुम्हारे पिता पर शनिदेव की महादशा थी।
बालक - मेरे उपर आयी विपत्ति का कारण क्या था?
नारद - शनिदेव की महादशा।
इतना बताकर देवर्षि नारद ने पीपल के पत्तों और गोदों को खाकर बड़े हुए उस बालक का नाम पिप्पलाद रखा और उसे दीक्षित किया।