Kauai Test Facility (KTF) Motor Assembly Facilities

Kauai Test Facility Missile Assembly Facilities


Assembling and testing a small rocket in an Assembly Building (AB)

A variety of assembly areas are available for use, depending upon the size of the rocket system. For small systems, the two Assembly Buildings (AB-2 and AB-3) feature high bays, a grounding grid, and typical lab tools and work benches. For large systems, the Missile Assembly Building (MAB) houses an environmentally controlled explosives-rated assembly high bay, an electronics laboratory, and a guidance, navigation, and control (GNC) laboratory. Systems requiring a much larger assembly area may be built up in the Rocket Motor Staging Area (RMSA). Several "Air Log" wheeled cradles and two transporter erectors for vertical systems complete the complement of major assembly facilities.

MAB
Assembly bay: 35 ft x 70 ft

Electronics lab 15 ft x 30 ft
GNC lab 15 ft x 15 ft
Bridge cranes (2 in building)

Capacity: 10 and 20 ton
Hook height: 18 ft
Access doors (2 each):
15 ft x 15 ft

Outside the MAB

STARS assembly in the MAB

AB-2 and AB-3

Assembly bays: 35 ft x 29 ft
Grounding grid
Work benches
Scales and hand tools
Communications sets
Access doors (4 each bay):
8 ft x 9 ft
Monorail hoists: 2 in each building,
2 ton and 3 ton capacities

Outside AB-2

Rocket system testing
in AB-2

RMSA
Assembly area: 40 ft x 80 ft

Grounding grid
Bridge crane

Capacity: 4 ton
Hook height: 14 ft

Outside the RMSA

Assembling two Strypi
rockets in the RMSA