NASA has taken an enormous step ahead in how engineers will assemble and stack future SLS (Space Launch System) rockets for Artemis Moon missions contained in the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) on the company’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
The VAB’s High Bay 2 has been outfitted with new tooling to facilitate the vertical integration of the SLS core stage. That progress was on full show in mid-December when groups suspended the absolutely assembled core stage 225 ft within the air contained in the excessive bay to finish vertical work earlier than it’s stacked on cell launcher 1, permitting groups to proceed strong rocket booster stacking concurrently inside High Bay 3 for Artemis II.
With the transfer to High Bay 2, technicians with NASA and Boeing now have 360-degree tip to tail entry to the core stage, each internally and externally. Michigan-based provider Futuramic Tool and Engineering led the design and construct of the Core Stage Vertical Integration Center instrument that can maintain the core stage in a vertical place.
“High Bay 2 tooling was initially scheduled to be full for Artemis III. We had a possibility to get it executed earlier and that can put us in posture to finish work sooner than deliberate previous to transferring the core stage for Artemis II into the complete built-in stack over into in High Bay 3,” mentioned Chad Bryant, deputy supervisor of the NASA SLS Stages Office. “This offers us a possibility to go in and learn to rotate, elevate, and transfer the core stage into the excessive bay.”
This transfer additionally doubles the footprint of useable area inside the VAB, giving engineers entry to each High Bay 2 and High Bay 3 concurrently, whereas additionally liberating up area at NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans to proceed work on the person components for future SLS core levels.
High Bay 2 has an extended historical past of supporting NASA exploration packages: throughout Apollo, High Bay 2, certainly one of 4 excessive bays contained in the VAB, was used to stack the Saturn V rocket. During the Space Shuttle Program, the excessive bay was used for exterior tank checkout and storage and as an additional storage space for the shuttle.
Under the brand new meeting mannequin starting with Artemis III, all the main constructions for the SLS core stage will proceed to be absolutely produced and manufactured at NASA Michoud. Upon completion of producing and thermal safety system software, the engine part might be shipped to Kennedy for remaining outfitting.
“Core stage 3 marks a major change in the way in which we construct core levels,” mentioned Steve Wofford, supervisor of the SLS Stages Office. “The vertical functionality in High Bay 2 permits us to carry out parallel processing from the highest to backside of the stage. It’s a way more environment friendly option to construct core levels. This new functionality will streamline remaining manufacturing efforts, permitting our crew to have 360-degree entry to the stage, each internally and externally.”
The absolutely assembled core stage for Artemis II arrived July 23, 2024, at Kennedy, the place it remained horizontal contained in the VAB switch aisle till its current elevate into the newly outfitted excessive bay.
Teams at NASA Michoud are outfitting the remaining core stage components for Artemis III and making ready to horizontally be part of them. The 4 RS-25 engines for the Artemis III mission are full at NASA’s Stennis Space Center in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, and might be transported to NASA Kennedy in 2025. Major core stage and exploration higher stage constructions are in work at NASA Michoud for Artemis IV and past.
NASA is working to land the primary lady, first individual of shade, and its first worldwide accomplice astronaut on the Moon below Artemis. SLS is a part of NASA’s spine for deep area exploration, together with the Orion spacecraft, supporting floor programs, superior spacesuits and rovers, the Gateway in orbit across the Moon, and industrial human touchdown programs. SLS is the one rocket that may ship Orion, astronauts, and provides to the Moon in a single launch.
Jonathan Deal
Marshall Space Flight Center
Huntsville, Ala.
256-544-0034
