With all the development in Florida, you would think that one of Florida’s most storied paths would have been paved by now. Throughout its history, it probably has transported billions of dollars of valuable government and corporate items, and you never have heard about it. If they paved the road, it would have been a rather uneventful since it is just under 3.5 miles long.
What path is this?
It is none other than the NASA’s “crawlerway”. The one and only path that connects the Vehicle Assembly Building with the Launch Complex. It was custom made for $7.5 million and the exclusive use for the 6-million-pound crawler which was built by the Marion Power Shovel Company. Fun fact, the crawler burns 165 gallons of fuel per mile while it transports rockets up to 18 million pounds to the launch pad at a speed of less than 1 mile an hour.
But the focus here is on the road itself.
NASA explored several options before deciding on the crawlerway. The final choice came after several alternatives such as canals and rail proved impractical. To understand some of the issues you first need to think about the terrane which is East Central Florida. This is flat swamp country. Think Florida Everglades and yes with gators. The first idea was to just dig a canal and put the rockets on a barge. The biggest issue was that it was going to be terribly unstable because the rockets were preassembled and could not be put on its side. This would make it top heavy and considering the size of the rockets a little wind may have tipped the 40 story rockets over. Other idea was to construct an asphalt road or even a rail system. Each had issues and it was not until 1967 that a crawler hauled the first Saturn rocket for the Apollo 4 mission on a mountain of river rock.
But this path wasn’t filled with any rock. The decision was made to use Alabama River Rock. You rightly would ask why? The answer is really two parts. First is that Alabama River Rock won’t crumble and it helped cushion the crawler and the massive rockets it would carry. The river rocks were rounder and smoother much like a ball bearing. The reason why this worked so well was the stones would move around rather than compact. This was the stones special sauce. The second was a practical one. Alabama was the closest place they could get such rock.
I grew up in Florda and as a kid we could go out our back door of the house and watch the NASA rockets takeoff if it was a clear day, but it was the night liftoffs that were much more spectacular. I also remember reading about this story of the crawler and the rive river rock. It has always intrigued me how this 18,159-foot river rock road became such an integral part of the NASA space program.
Remarkably, the rocks' movement rather than compacting ensures longevity; engineers anticipated that conventional roads would eventually crack and degrade. Alabama River Rock mitigates catastrophic failures through countless small movements, effectively supporting the crawler and its payload. It gives but doesn’t break. 50 years on and it still is being used.
The crawlerway can be best described as a “bend but don’t break” design. This approach aligns with financial planning principles.
Just as NASA engineers implemented a reliable system for rocket transport, individuals must develop robust financial plans to support their long-term goals. Diversified investments mirror the river rock's stabilizing effect. Each investment contributes to a resilient financial foundation, like how individual river stones support rockets. A diversified portfolio—comprising stocks, corporate and government bonds, and other assets—offers steady growth, mitigating risks akin to weathering financial storms. And storms do happen with investments. According to Yardeni Research, since 1950, there have been 39 S&P 500 corrections. That’s an average of one correction every 1.9 years. But through proper diiversification balanced across sectors, consistent progress toward retirement, educational funding, and other financial objectives can be achieved. The downside is that diversification will guarantee that you will never outperform any one sector or the market. But that isn’t the point, is it? The point is to align your personal capital and wealth so you can reach your launch pad.
Many people save money for unexpected needs or retirement yet often lack clarity on specific savings targets. According to Schwab, only 36% of Americans have a financial plan, likely fewer if we considered plans less than 5 years old. A well-defined financial strategy—akin to NASA's carefully designed road—ensures purposeful direction and adaptability across various circumstances. In financial planning a well-defined purpose which aligns one's values with their wealth gives you focus on the big picture of where you want to go and is backed by solid numbers. This is something that almost any NASA engineer would appreciate.
Be well.
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