Our Projects

NASA Mobile Launcher 2 (ML2)

Owner: NASA
Structural Engineer: Bechtel Corporation
General Contractor: Bechtel Corporation
Steel Fabricator: Paxton & Vierling Steel Co.
Fabricated Connection Engineer: CSD Structural Engineers
Steel Detailer: Dowco Consultants A DeSimone Company
Casting Design Engineer & Manufacturer: CAST CONNEX

Mobile Launcher 2 (ML2) is a highly complex aerospace infrastructure system designed to enable the assembly & launch of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Space Launch System rocket configurations and Orion spacecraft from Kennedy Space Center on Merritt Island, FL, USA.

Modular Construction

A Smarter, Safer Approach

ML2 was constructed using a modular construction strategy that allowed different sections of the tower to be built and outfitted in parallel. This approach improved safety by reducing the need for high-elevation work and streamlined the overall schedule by enabling simultaneous fabrication and assembly. Once completed, the modules were transported to the project site and stacked to form the final launch tower.

CAST CONNEX custom cast steel nodes were instrumental in enabling modular construction of the launch tower. The “corner nodes”, with precision-machined bolted connections, formed the primary module-to-module structural interface that ensured seamless alignment and fit-up of the modules and facilitated rapid and reliable field assembly.

Why Cast Steel Nodes?

Performance Meets Precision

CAST CONNEX custom cast steel nodes replaced intricate T-Y-K welds with precision-machined bolted and butt-welded connections, dramatically improving fabrication tolerances and eliminating weld distortion at ML2’s most critical joints. The cast nodes enabled:

• Simplified fabrication and rapid erection with integral module-to-module bolted connections at the nodes for precise alignment

• Connection tonnage reduction that was critical for ML2’s mobility

• Elevated stiffness and strength of the connections that withstand launch-induced, gravity, and hurricane loads

• Precision fit-up of modules through CNC-machined flange fittings and end plates of the custom cast steel nodes

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Tower-Wide Integration: Enabling Fabrication, Transport, and Assembly

The ML2 launch tower is comprised of three primary segments:

Base – interfaces with NASA’s crawler-transporter and manages flame deflection

Tower Chair – an asymmetric pyramidal space truss that supports the modules

Modules – seven stacked rectangular units forming the upper tower

‍CAST CONNEX custom cast steel nodes were fundamental to the structural design and construction of each segment. And the custom solution for each segment supported every construction phase, from shop fabrication to final field erection.

Our custom cast steel flange fittings ensured high dimensional accuracy and reliable bolt alignment in the field, while eliminating the cupping distortion and lamellar tearing risks associated with conventionally fabricated end plate connections. Custom cast steel nodes were deployed throughout the Chair and Module segments of the tower, including:

• Twenty cast steel nodes in the Chair that connected to pipe members, circular hollow structural shapes (HSS), and wide-flange beams
• Eight corner nodes and four X-nodes in each of the seven Modules that facilitated the ground assembly and sequential module stacking

Together, the cast steel nodes and flange fittings enabled the creation of large, shop-fabricated steel assemblies that were welded and assembled off-site with high precision. These assemblies were then transported to the construction sites and field-connected using bolted end-plate connections, streamlining the erection process and improving overall construction efficiency.

Advanced Engineering and Manufacturing‍

CAST CONNEX custom cast steel solutions for ML2 were engineered to meet the highest standards of structural performance, precision, and reliability. Each casting was custom-designed using a combination of traditional code-based calculations and advanced finite element analysis (FEA), ensuring optimal strength and stiffness under complex multi-axial loading conditions.

The custom steel castings were produced with exceptional dimensional accuracy and quality, enabling tight tolerances at critical connection points. This precision was essential for both welded and bolted interfaces that minimized fit-up issues and ensured consistent performance across all structural assemblies.

Rigorous quality assurance protocols, including destructive and non-destructive testing, validated the mechanical properties and integrity of each casting, confirming their readiness for use in one of the most demanding structural environments in aerospace infrastructure.

A Legacy of Innovation

CAST CONNEX is proud to have contributed to one of the most iconic and ambitious engineering projects of our time. Our custom cast steel solutions not only met the rigorous demands of NASA’s ML2 but also exemplify how precision casting technology can solve complex geometric and structural challenges efficiently, economically, and reliably.

Hanford DOE/DOD Lab and PT Buildings

Client: Bechtel National
Hanford, WA
Over 10,000 tons delivered since 2002, all NQA-1 compliant

Department of Energy Integrated Water Treatment Unit

Client: URS
Idaho Falls, ID
Supplied 350 tons of NQA-1 safety related 4 pack roof steel for the IWTU.

Vogtle Units 3 and 4

Client: Chicago Bridge and Iron
Georgia
Supplied 1,600 tons of Appendix B safety related steel for the Auxiliary and Containment buildings.

 VC Summer Units 2 and 3

Client: Chicago Bridge and Iron
South Carolina
Supplied 1,600 tons of Appendix B safety related steel for the Auxiliary and Containment buildings.

Department of Energy Central Process Plant

Client: Parsons
Savannah River, SC
Supplied 850 tons of NQA-1 safety related steel.

National Renewable Energy Laboratory Research Support Facility

Client: Haselden Construction
Golden, CO
500+ tons shipped to Haselden Construction at NREL Research office complex.

Wyoming Medical Center

Client: Haselden Construction
Cheyenne, WY
Supplied and installed 850 tons of structural and miscellaneous steel for the center’s expansion.

Sky Ute Casino

Client: Haselden Construction
Durango, CO
Supplied and installed 1,400 tons of structural and miscellaneous steel.

Sioux Falls Event Center

Client: Mortenson Construction
Sioux Falls, SD
Supplied and installed 3,800 tons of structural steel for the 14,000 seat multi-purpose facility.

 Aksarben Village Zone 6 South HDR Headquarters

Client: HDR
Omaha, NE
Supplied 5 tiers of columns and 10 floors of beam framing as well as a penthouse level. For more information, see our blog post.

TXI Hunter Cement Plant

Client: Zachry & AMEC joint venture
New Braunfels, TX
6,000 tons shipped in 2008 to TXI Hunter Cement plant located in New Braunfels, TX.

Contra Costa

Client: Black & Veatch
Pittsburg/Antioch, CA
700 tons pipe rack for Black & Veatch in Pittsburg/Antioch, CA. Job was awarded in 2001 but suspended until 2007.

Cerro Verde Mining Project

Arequipa, Peru
In 2013, we provided various beams and columns (36x802x62’ weighing up to 34 Tons each).

Syncrude Upgrader

Client: Central Texas Iron Works
Fort McMurray, AB
Supplied 3,000 tons of welded skid beams for the transportation of modules to the Syncrude Refinery project.

Moss Landing Units 6 & 7

Client: Sacramento Municipal Utility District
Moss Landing, CA
Approximately 2,000 tons.

Dabhol Power

Dabhol, India
5,500 tons

Los Angeles Department of Water & Power Scattergood Unit 3

Client: Kiewit Power
El Segundo, CA
Supplied 1,500 tons of soldier pile for the re-powering project.

MidAmerican Energy Unit #3

Client: Hitachi Power
Council Bluffs, IA
Supplied 8,500 tons of structural and miscellaneous steel for the MidAmerican Energy 795 MW boiler building.

High Desert Power

Client: Kiewit Power
Victorville, CA
Supplied 900 tons of structural and miscellaneous steel for the 3-on-1 combined cycle gas fired power plant.

Tower 55

Client: Union Pacific Railroad
Choctaw, TX
Supplied 2 – 125’ TPG spans

Clinton Sub

Client: Union Pacific Railroad
Clinton, IA
Supplied 8 – 69’ beam spans

Boone High Bridge

Client: Union Pacific Railroad
Boone, IA
2,000 tons for the Union Pacific Railroad replacement bridge.

Angleton Sub

Client: Union Pacific Railroad
Angleton, TX
Supplied 2 – 105’ DPG spans and 1 – 170′ field bolted span

Raccoon River

Client: Iowa Interstate Railroad
Raccoon River
Des Moines, IA

See our blog for pictures of shipping this oversized load!