MOMENTS IN SPACE HISTORY
Emblazoned with the American flag
and NASA logo, the Vehicle Assembly
Building looms suddenly into view as
visitors approach the Kennedy Space
Center. The landmark that helped put Brevard
County on the world map has more than earned
its distinction as a symbol of America’s space
program since its completion in 1966. It has
served as the hangar for 56 years of space flight
missions, from Apollo to the space shuttle and
now the ambitious Artemis program to sending
humans to the moon once again and beyond.
Spanning 8 acres, it is one of the largest buildings
in the world. The one-story hangar, 525 feet high
by 518 feet wide, was built with 65,000 cubic
yards of concrete and 98,590 tons of steel. It is
supported with 4,225 steel pilings driven 164 feet
into the bedrock, according to NASA.
The people involved with the Vehicle Assembly
Building regard it with a sense of awe.
To 98-year-old architect Philip Moyer, the Vehicle
Assembly Building meant meeting a seemingly >>
34: SPACE COAST LIVING | SPACECOASTLIVING.COM
NASA
In June 1965, the Vehicle Assembly Building nears completion. Architect Dick Bergmann drew the
first design of the hangar to withstand Florida's hurricane force winds.
NASA
During the Apollo moon landing 50th anniversary, Philip Moyer, third from right, project lead for the VAB, and Dick Bergmann, fourth from right, lead designer for the
VAB, tour the facility with the families of architect Max Urbahn and Kelvin Manning, KSC associate director.
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