The U.S. space agency says it has switched Launch Pad 39B at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida from the space shuttle program to its Constellation program.
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration said the Sunday transfer represents the next step in preparing for the first flight test of the agency's next-generation spacecraft and launch system.
"The Constellation Program is developing new spacecraft — including the Ares I and Ares V launch vehicles, the Orion crew capsule, and the Altair lunar lander — to carry humans to the International Space Station, the moon and beyond," NASA said.
Launch Pad 39B has, since the late 1960s, been instrumental in the nation's human spaceflight projects, including the Apollo, Skylab and space shuttle programs. NASA said the pad originally was built for the Saturn V rockets to launch the Apollo capsules to the moon. In July 1975, the pad was modified to support space shuttle operations.
The handover occurred after space shuttle Endeavour was moved to Launch Pad 39A. The ground operations team will finish modifying pad B for the Ares I-X rocket, which is to be flight tested later this year. NASA said the modifications will include removing the orbiter access arm and part of the gaseous oxygen vent arm and installing access platforms and a vehicle stabilization system.
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