Bechtel Completes Jacking, Setting Process for New Mobile Launcher

Bechtel has announced the completion of the jacking and setting process for the Mobile Launcher 2 at the NASA Kennedy Space Center in Florida, a critical step in designing, building and commissioning the new launcher.

The Bechtel-NASA project team performed the maneuver by assembling and aligning 43 primary steel assemblies to form the mobile launcher base. Self-propelled motor transporters later raised the base to remove the temporary mount mechanisms. Finally, the jacks raised the base and delivered it to its permanent mount mechanisms.

Conducted between August 2023 and March 2024, the jack and set involved 43 complex lifts, Bechtel said.

Mike Costas, general manager of defense and space, said the completion is a significant achievement that showcases the dedication, innovation and collaborative culture of the Bechtel-NASA team.

NASA awarded Bechtel the Mobile Launcher 2 contract in 2019. The 44-month, $38 million deal includes designing, constructing, testing and commissioning the new launcher.