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Vehicle Assembly Building facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

The Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) is a giant building at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, USA. It's one of the biggest buildings in the world! NASA uses it to put together huge rockets and spacecraft before they launch into space. Imagine building a skyscraper lying down, then standing it up – that's kind of what happens here!

Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA Kennedy Space Center
The VAB viewed from the NASA parkway

Building Giant Rockets and Spacecraft

The VAB is designed to assemble rocket parts and spacecraft vertically. This means the rockets are built standing straight up. Once assembled, they are placed onto a special platform. This platform then carries them to the launch pad.

Rockets Built Inside the VAB

Many famous rockets have been put together in the VAB. These include the mighty Saturn V rocket, which took astronauts to the Moon. The Space Shuttle orbiters were also prepared here. More recently, the Ares-I rocket was assembled. The new Space Launch System (SLS) rocket will also be built here in the future.

How Big is the VAB?

The Vehicle Assembly Building is incredibly large. It is 160 metres (525 feet) tall. That's taller than many skyscrapers! It is also 218.2 metres (716 feet) long and 157.9 metres (518 feet) wide.

What is the VAB Made Of?

This massive building is made from about 100,000 tons of steel. It has a huge amount of space inside, about 3,665,000 cubic metres. That's enough room to fit several football fields!

Inside the VAB: High Bays

The VAB has four large areas called "high bays." These are like giant garages where the rockets are assembled. There's also a huge central aisle. This aisle is where the large rocket parts are brought in.

The VAB and Launch Control

Right next to the VAB is the Launch Control Center. This is where engineers and scientists monitor the rockets. They also control the countdown to launch. A walkway connects the two buildings.

Iconic NASA Logos

The VAB has huge NASA logos and American flags painted on its sides. These are some of the largest painted designs in the world! They are easily seen from far away.

Images for kids

  • VABConstruction

    VAB during construction (1965) with the three Mobile Launchers for the Saturn V rocket.

  • Space Shuttle Discovery lowered toward external tank and solid rocket boosters (STS-124)

    A crane lowers Discovery toward the ET and SRBs in high bay 3 of the Vehicle Assembly Building for STS-124.

  • VAB aerial 1977

    VAB in 1977, with the Bicentennial Star opposite the flag. The Bicentennial Star was painted over with the NASA insignia in 1998. Note the Space Shuttle Landing Facility at upper left.

  • Vehicle Assembly Building damage from Hurricane Frances night view

    Repair work after Hurricane Frances.

  • Space Shuttle Discovery in NASA's VAB

    Discovery in the Vehicle Assembly Building waiting for a ferry flight to Dulles, Virginia, for permanent display at the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum.

  • 2019VAB

    The VAB in 2019.

  • Aerial View of Launch Complex 39

    Overview of the VAB and LCC industrial area.

  • VAB transfer aisle

    Endeavour on its way into the VAB. At the top of the doorway is the slot for the vertical stabilizer.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Edificio de ensamblaje de vehículos para niños

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