john f. kennedy space center brevard county, florida - Environmental ...

Space Shuttle Program Historic Properties 6-23
NASA Kennedy Space Center
level of integrity with regard to location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling,
and association.
6.2.11 SLF Runway (8BR1987)
Photo 6.13. SLF Runway, looking north.
(Source: Archaeological Consultants, Inc., 2006)
The SLF Runway was built between April 1974 and late 1976 by Morrison-Knudsen, Inc.
In the early years of the Space Shuttle Program, Edwards AFB was the preferred landing
site because of more stable weather conditions as well as a choice of concrete and dry
lake bed runways. However, KSC became the primary landing site because it saved
processing time to prepare for the next mission. The first landing at KSC was mission 41-
B on February 11, 1984. Of all the Shuttle missions from 1981 to 2006, more than 60
percent have landed at KSC. The SLF Runway also is used for astronaut training,
allowing them to practice landing the orbiter in a special Shuttle Training Aircraft.
The SLF Runway is one of the longest runways in the world, measuring 15,000 ft in
length, with an additional 1000-ft overrun at each end. It is constructed of concrete and
has a width of 300 ft and a thickness of 21 in. There is also a 50-ft asphalt shoulder along
each side. The surface slopes at 0.76 degrees from the center line to each edge for run-off
purposes. The runway, which follows a northwest to southeast axis, was designed to be
approached from either the northwest (Runway 15) or the southeast (Runway 33). At
2500 ft from each end, there is a pair of large, black rectangles to indicate the orbiter
touchdown positions. The peripheral placement of these rectangles allows the orbiter’s
commander to see where to land. The originally grooved runway ends were resurfaced in
1984, to prevent future damage to the orbiter’s wheels. In 1994 the entire runway surface
was abraded to a smoother surface to further reduce tire wear. Other enhancements
included resurfacing the runway overruns and rebuilding, strengthening and paving the
runway shoulders, and replacing runway edge lights.
October 2007
Archaeological Consultants, Inc.