Location: Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, AL
Client: NASA
These structures were associated with the Turbopump Testing Facility, (aka the Cold Calibration Test Stands). Turbopump research, development and acceptance tests were performed at these locations to ensure that both propellant tanks emptied simultaneously during rocket flight. The structures to be deconstructed included Building 4588, part of the Redstone/Jupiter Facilities (c. 1956-1959); Building 4548, part of the Saturn V Facilities (c. 1963-1967); building 4588 consisting of three (3) attached towers with the tallest portion rising approximately nine (9) stories; and building 4548 consisting of one large tower that extended over fourteen stories (179 feet). The towers were situated adjacent to the currently active Hot Gas Testing Facility, a one of a kind test facility used to simulate the extreme heat and adverse conditions space vehicles anticipate leaving and entering the earth’s atmosphere. Due to the height and location of the Cold Calibration Test Stands, and proximity to the Hot Gas Testing Facility, the towers had to be deconstructed by torch, cutting the steel supports at predetermined locations, and crane lifting those cut portions (picks) to a designated staging area. In addition, there were six (6) storage tanks and two (2) turbopumps associated with the towers that were designated for salvage by NASA and had to be removed without damaging or making any modifications to the tanks and turned over for reuse. A total of 753 tons of steel was removed, resulting in recycling 100% of materials.