Artemis II core stage positioned for integration
by Clarence Oxford
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Dec 13, 2024
NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) Moon rocket core stage is now vertical inside High Bay 2 of the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The maneuver was completed on Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024, marking a significant step in preparation for the Artemis II mission.
The core stage, which arrived at Kennedy Space Center on July 23, had previously been stored horizontally in the facility’s transfer aisle. Its transfer to High Bay 2 allows NASA and Boeing technicians full 360-degree access to the stage for detailed work both inside and out. This relocation also opens up space in the transfer aisle, enabling the continued integration of two solid rocket boosters onto Mobile Launcher 1 in High Bay 3.
Boeing, along with their sub-contractor Futuramic, undertook extensive refurbishments of High Bay 2, optimizing it to support the efficient processing of Artemis core stages, including Artemis II and future missions.
High Bay 2 has a storied history, having been used during the Apollo era for stacking Saturn V rockets and later supporting external tank checkout and storage during the Space Shuttle Program. For Artemis II, it now serves as a critical hub in the assembly of the SLS rocket.
Artemis II represents NASA’s first crewed mission under the Artemis program, featuring a 10-day journey around the Moon and back. The mission will carry NASA astronauts Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Reid Wiseman, along with Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen.
Image credit: NASA/Adeline Morgan
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