Boeing And ULA To Break Ground On New Commercial Crew Access Tower

In this artist’s rendering, Boeing’s CST-100 sits atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket at Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. A commercial crew access tower will include an elevator and provide a means for quick evacuation in the event of an emergency. Image Credit: Boeing

In this artist’s rendering, Boeing’s CST-100 sits atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket at Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. A commercial crew access tower will include an elevator and provide a means for quick evacuation in the event of an emergency. Image Credit: Boeing

February 13, 2015 – Boeing and United Launch Alliance (ULA) will mark the start of construction of the Commercial Crew access tower at Space Launch Complex 41 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida at 2:30 p.m. EST Friday, February 20.

Groundbreaking participants include:

  • John Mulholland, vice president of Boeing commercial programs
  • Jim Sponnick, vice president of Atlas and Delta Programs at ULA
  • Kathy Lueders, manager of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program
  • Robert Cabana, director of NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida
  • Col. Shawn Fairhurst, vice commander of the U.S. Air Force’s 45th Space Wing
  • Jim Kuzma, chief operating officer for Space Florida
  • Lynda Weatherman, president and chief executive officer of the Economic Development Commission of Florida’s Space Coast

    • The new crew access tower at SLC-41 will reach 200 feet in height and include an elevator, as well as means for quick evacuation from the structure in the event of an emergency. SLC-41 is one of the most active launch complexes on the Space Coast, so construction of this tower is scheduled to take place between launches, with segments of the structure being built off-site then assembled at the pad.

    Under a Commercial Crew Transportation Capability (CCtCap) contract with NASA, Boeing’s Crew Space Transportation (CST)-100 spacecraft, currently in development, will be certified by NASA’s Commercial Crew Program to fly crews to and from the International Space Station. The spacecraft will launch on a ULA Atlas V rocket from SLC-41.