NASA has reached a major milestone in its Artemis program with the successful rollout of the second core stage for the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, which will be used for the Artemis 2 mission.
This core stage, meticulously constructed at the Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans, was loaded onto the Pegasus barge on July 16. This stage will now be transported to the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Florida, where it will undergo final preparations for the mission slated for no earlier than September 2025.
Rollout and Preparation
The core stage's journey from the Michoud Assembly Facility to the awaiting barge was a significant event, symbolizing the transition from manufacturing to launch readiness. According to John Honeycutt, NASA SLS program manager, “The delivery of the SLS core stage for Artemis 2 to Kennedy Space Center signals a shift from manufacturing to launch readiness as teams continue to make progress on hardware for all major elements for future SLS rockets.”
Once at KSC, the core stage will receive additional outfitting and will then be assembled with its two solid rocket boosters and the interim cryogenic upper stage in the Vehicle Assembly Building. This meticulous process ensures that all components are seamlessly integrated, readying the rocket for its crucial mission to launch astronauts around the moon.
Manufacturing Improvements and Future Plans
The assembly of the second core stage has benefited significantly from lessons learned during the construction of the first stage. Dave Dutcher, SLS program manager at Boeing, the vehicle’s prime contractor, noted, “This is our second one and there are a lot of lessons learned. It’s a much cleaner vehicle throughout the build and test than the first one.”
Boeing has fully implemented lean manufacturing techniques, optimizing production processes and supply chain management. These improvements include eliminating redundant tests and streamlining tasks performed in clean rooms. Dutcher explained, “We’ve also learned along the way that the most effective way to build this vehicle is doing as much as we can in the vertical,” emphasizing the efficiency of 360-degree access.
Final Assembly at Kennedy Space Center
Looking forward, Boeing and NASA plan to carry out more final assembly work for the core stages at the Kennedy Space Center, starting with Artemis 3.
This approach includes constructing the engine section in a clean room and conducting more vertical assembly work, which is expected to save a considerable amount of time.
Dutcher highlighted, “That’s a tremendous amount of time savings with just those two examples,” reflecting the continuous efforts to enhance the efficiency of the SLS assembly process.
Insights from the Rollout Event
The ceremonial rollout event in New Orleans was attended by hundreds of Michoud workers and their guests, celebrating the significant progress made in the Artemis program.
Joseph Pelfrey, director of NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center, addressed the crowd, stating, “For more than six decades, Marshall and Michoud have been a part of leading some of this nation's greatest achievements in space exploration, from the amazing accomplishments of the Apollo missions, through 135 shuttle missions, to the milestone that we're here today to celebrate.”
Pelfrey emphasized the collaborative effort and dedication of the teams involved, acknowledging the hard work of the engineers and technicians who have contributed to the construction of the SLS booster.
Next Steps for Artemis 2
As the core stage arrives at the Kennedy Space Center, it will undergo further checks and integration with other mission components, including the Orion spacecraft.
The Artemis 2 mission, featuring astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen, will mark the first time humans travel around the moon since the Apollo missions of the 1970s.
Wiseman, who witnessed the core stage rollout, expressed his excitement, stating, “We talk a lot about Artemis, about flying to the moon, and I think it gets lost sometimes that the hardware is here. The Orion spacecraft is at Kennedy Space Center.
Our boosters are at Kennedy Space Center, we just watched the core stage roll by. Its next stop is Kennedy Space Center, all the parts are coming together.”
This stage marks a crucial step toward the successful launch of Artemis 2, which aims to pave the way for future missions, including Artemis 3, intended to land astronauts on the lunar surface. The Artemis program represents a bold vision for the future of human space exploration, with plans to establish a permanent presence on the moon and eventually prepare for missions to Mars.
As Wiseman aptly put it, “When you actually look at the rocket, and you think about all the people here in Mississippi, in Louisiana, in Alabama, and then across the U.S. that have put this thing together, from dreaming it up to actually building it; it's what America is all about. I love it. It's wonderful.”
