NASA Ares I-X Mobile Launch Platform

Carnahan, Proctor and Cross provided high-resolution 3D laser scanning services for NASA’s Mobile Launch Base (MLB) platform at Cape Canaveral, supporting Met-Con, Inc. in the fabrication of custom heat shield plates for future rocket launches.

Our survey team scanned the platform’s 24′ x 24′ blast hole walls using a high-definition laser scanner selected for its exceptional accuracy and data density. Hundreds of prefabricated bolt holes were captured during the scan, enabling the creation of precise 2D and 3D CAD drawings of all four walls.

These drawings allowed Met-Con to fabricate and drill stainless-steel insulation plates with pinpoint accuracy, aligning perfectly with the steel structure on-site. The data met NASA’s strict tolerance standards, requiring precision to three decimal places.

This project marked the first time NASA approved laser scanning for dimensional data collection at this scale. The innovative approach not only ensured quality control but also delivered significant cost savings to the client by reducing rework and fabrication errors.