Editing Vehicle Assembly Building (section)

== Construction ==
[[File:VABConstruction.jpg|thumbnail|left|VAB during construction (1965) with the three [[mobile launcher platform#Saturn V and Space Shuttle|Mobile Launchers]] for the [[Saturn V]] rocket.]]
In 1963, NASA contracted Urbahn Architects to design and build the VAB as part of NASA's effort to send astronauts to the Moon for the [[Apollo program]]. Construction began with driving the first steel foundation piles on Aug. 2, 1963. Altogether, 4,225 pilings were driven down {{convert|164|feet}} to bedrock with a foundation consisting of {{convert|30,000|yd3}} of concrete. Construction of the VAB required {{convert|98,590|ST|lb kg}} of steel.<ref name="nasa-20130718">{{Cite press release |last=Granath |first=Bob |date=July 18, 2013 |title=Vehicle Assembly Building Prepared for Another 50 Years of Service |url=https://www.nasa.gov/content/vehicle-assembly-building-prepared-for-another-50-years-of-service |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160929213425/http://www.nasa.gov/content/vehicle-assembly-building-prepared-for-another-50-years-of-service/ |archive-date=September 29, 2016 |access-date=February 4, 2018}}</ref> The building was completed in 1966.<ref name="nasa-vab">{{Cite web |year=2012 |title=Vehicle Assembly Building |url=https://www.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/718659main_vab.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240203233553/https://www.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/718659main_vab.pdf |archive-date=February 3, 2024 |website=[[NASA]] |id=FS-2012-06-121-KSC}}</ref> The VAB is {{convert|526|ft|m|1|}} tall, {{convert|716|ft|m|1}} long and {{convert|518|ft|m|1}} wide. It covers {{convert|8|acre|m2}}, and encloses {{convert|129428000|cuft|m3}} of space.<ref name="futurism-vab">{{Cite web |last=Marquardt |first=Sarah |date=August 14, 2017 |title=An Exclusive Look Inside The Secretive Building Where NASA Makes Rockets |url=https://futurism.com/an-exclusive-look-inside-the-secretive-building-where-nasa-makes-rockets |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230924214057/https://futurism.com/an-exclusive-look-inside-the-secretive-building-where-nasa-makes-rockets |archive-date=September 24, 2023 |access-date=January 28, 2023 |website=futurism.com}}</ref> Located on Florida's Atlantic coast, the building was constructed to withstand [[hurricane]]s and [[tropical storm]]s. Despite this, it has received damage from several hurricanes (see [[#Hurricane|below]]).