Author Topic: Artemis II (EM-2) SLS UPDATES  (Read 101584 times)

Offline eeergo

Artemis II (EM-2) SLS UPDATES
« on: 07/08/2021 10:24 am »
Artemis I has a fully stacked vehicle (sans S/C for now) at KSC, and Artemis II's CS is coming along, with its forward join composite (LOX+intertank+upper flange) fully assembled, SRBs fabricated and in storage, and LH2 tank and LVSA structurally complete. A new DISCUSSION thread for the mission now exists: https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=58223.0 , for some reason in a separate subforum where this thread should also be located, but this is pending a very very slow moderation action that will for some reason just not come.

The threads for the Orion S/C are in the dedicated subforum (CM: https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=43770.25 / ESM: https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=46423.25).

Thought it'd be worthwhile to have a separated thread now that all elements for the first crewed Artemis / SLS / Orion mission are entering final construction ahead of transportation to KSC.

EDIT: Thread's title changed to reflect current NET (as of post-Artemis-I estimates).
« Last Edit: 08/20/2024 05:23 am by FutureSpaceTourist »
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Offline Vahe231991

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« Last Edit: 06/11/2022 02:54 am by zubenelgenubi »

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Offline Steven Pietrobon

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Re: Artemis II (EM-2) UPDATE thread - 2H 2023
« Reply #3 on: 08/08/2021 06:20 am »
I picked this image, since it shows the forward join in the background.

https://images.nasa.gov/details-MAF_2021%200708_CS2_ESBTlift016

Artemis II Engine Section and Boat-tail Joined

Technicians at NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility have joined the engine and boat-tail sections of NASA’s Space Launch System rocket for Artemis II in preparation for its next step in production. When complete, the engine section will house the four RS-25 engines and include vital systems for mounting, controlling and delivering fuel from the propellant tanks to the rocket’s engines. The boat-tail is designed to protect the bottom end of the core stage and the RS-25 engines and was joined with the engine section to comprise the lowest portion of the 212-foot-tall core stage. Together with its four RS-25 engines and its twin solid rocket boosters, it will produce 8.8 million pounds of thrust to send NASA’s Orion spacecraft, astronauts, and supplies beyond Earth’s orbit to the Moon and, ultimately, Mars. Offering more payload mass, volume capability, and energy to speed missions through space, the SLS rocket, along with NASA’s Gateway in lunar orbit, the Human Landing System, and Orion spacecraft, is part of NASA’s backbone for deep space exploration and the Artemis lunar program. No other rocket is capable of carrying astronauts in Orion around the Moon in a single mission.
« Last Edit: 06/11/2022 02:54 am by zubenelgenubi »
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Offline Khadgars

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Re: Artemis II (EM-2) UPDATE thread - 2H 2023
« Reply #4 on: 08/17/2021 08:03 pm »
The Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage for the second flight of NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket arrived in Florida on July 28 for the final phase of production. The stage and its single RL10 engine provide the in-space propulsion needed to send NASA’s Orion spacecraft and its crew on a precise trajectory to the Moon for Artemis II, the first crewed mission of NASA’s Artemis lunar missions. It is the first piece of the rocket for the Artemis II flight to arrive in Florida. Boeing and United Launch Alliance, the contractor team for the stage, shipped the Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage from ULA’s facilities in Decatur, Alabama, to its Delta IV Operation Center at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The stage will undergo final processing and checkout before it is transported to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center for launch preparations.

With Artemis, NASA will land the first woman and the first person of color on the lunar surface and establish long-term exploration at the Moon in preparation for human missions to Mars. SLS and NASA’s Orion spacecraft, along with the commercial human landing system and the Gateway in orbit around the Moon, are NASA’s backbone for deep space exploration. SLS is the only rocket that can send Orion, astronauts, and supplies to the Moon in a single mission.

Image Credit: ULA

Last Updated: Aug 17, 2021
Editor: Jennifer Harbaugh

https://www.nasa.gov/exploration/systems/sls/first-piece-of-artemis-ii-flight-hardware-arrives-in-florida.html
« Last Edit: 08/17/2021 08:05 pm by Khadgars »
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Offline Overwatchfan123

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Re: Artemis II (EM-2) UPDATE thread - 2H 2023
« Reply #5 on: 08/18/2021 06:27 am »
That is amazing!
I've been a space aficionado since 2008. I love space.
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Offline FutureSpaceTourist

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Re: Artemis II (EM-2) UPDATE thread - 2H 2023
« Reply #6 on: 08/19/2021 05:33 pm »
https://twitter.com/torybruno/status/1428406490918887429

Quote
#unboxing Thursday… At the HIF, ICPS-2 is removed from its protective shipping container before moving to the Delta Operations Center (DOC) for processing.  #ToryTimelapse

Offline eeergo

Re: Artemis II (EM-2) UPDATE thread - 2H 2023
« Reply #7 on: 11/15/2021 02:58 pm »
From today's published OIG report: https://oig.nasa.gov/docs/IG-22-003.pdf

Quote
Artemis II is currently scheduled to launch in late 2023, though NASA is likely to face schedule delays due to the reuse and installation of Orion components following Artemis Iand a tight delivery schedule of the Orion service module. This avionics reuse, which is driven entirely by when the Orion capsule returns from its first mission, is considered the primary critical path for Artemis II. [...] [However], NASA has attempted to mitigate Artemis II’s schedule risk by initiating the purchase of an additional set of avionics should the Artemis I launch schedule continue to slip, thereby decoupling the Artemis II launch schedule from Artemis I.

As could be deduced already weeks ago:

Artemis 2 mission delayed to May 2024 and Artemis 3 to 2025. The latter is blamed on the protests and lawsuits, but the manner in which both 2 and 3 could have gone in 2024 is left unstated ...

[...]Artemis II is NET Nov '23 and NLT May '24, which is quite different to NET May 2024!
[...]
« Last Edit: 06/11/2022 02:57 am by zubenelgenubi »
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Offline Vahe231991

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Re: Artemis II (EM-2) UPDATE thread - 2H 2023
« Reply #8 on: 11/19/2021 02:34 am »
An update on production of the components for the Artemis 2 mission:
https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2021/11/orion-spacecraft-production/

Offline eeergo

Re: Artemis II (EM-2) UPDATE thread - 2H 2023
« Reply #9 on: 12/17/2021 03:33 pm »
The upper build (LOX tank, interstage and forward skirt) is complete for Artemis-II's SLS core. Next up is joining the LH2 tank, before the engine section completes the stage.

https://www.nasa.gov/exploration/systems/sls/completed-upper-part-of-artemis-ii-core-stage.html
-DaviD-

Offline Vahe231991

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Re: Artemis II (EM-2) UPDATE thread - 2H 2023
« Reply #10 on: 12/31/2021 01:00 am »
Construction of the rocket hardware for Artemis 2 is thankfully picking up the pace, and it's possible that by the time that the Artemis 1 mission launches, then construction of the Artemis 2 rocket hardware could reach 75 percent completion.

Offline Yiosie

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Re: Artemis II (EM-2) UPDATE thread - 2H 2023
« Reply #11 on: 01/19/2022 09:31 pm »
https://twitter.com/genejm29/status/1483868176735735815

Quote
#NASA #NAC #HEO - These are the milestones remaining for Artemis 2, looking forward to the deliveries of the ICPS, we have upgrades on the pad we need to do, then at that point that will complete the hardware end of it. Won't have to do some of the Mods we did in Artemis 1

Offline whitelancer64

Re: Artemis II (EM-2) UPDATE thread - 2H 2023
« Reply #12 on: 01/20/2022 06:02 am »
*yeet tweet*

Quote
#NASA #NAC #HEO - These are the milestones remaining for Artemis 2, looking forward to the deliveries of the ICPS, we have upgrades on the pad we need to do, then at that point that will complete the hardware end of it. Won't have to do some of the Mods we did in Artemis 1

That whole twitter thread is fantastic!!!
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Offline cplchanb

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Re: Artemis II (EM-2) UPDATE thread - 2H 2023
« Reply #13 on: 01/20/2022 04:19 pm »
Wasnt there a photo of the ICPS for A2 already delivered? Is it still incomplete?

Offline Conexion Espacial

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Re: Artemis II (EM-2) UPDATE thread - 2H 2023
« Reply #14 on: 02/03/2022 01:44 pm »
Artemis II Service Module in O&C Highbay Clean Room

The European-built Service Module (ESM) for NASA’s Artemis II mission is on a work stand inside a clean room inside the high bay of the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Jan. 12, 2022. Teams from NASA, Lockheed Martin, the European Space Agency and Airbus will prepare the service module to be integrated with the Orion crew module adapter and crew module, already housed in the facility. The powerhouse that will fuel and propel Orion in space, the ESM for Artemis II will be the first Artemis mission flying crew aboard Orion.
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Offline Khadgars

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Re: Artemis II (EM-2) UPDATE thread - 2H 2023
« Reply #15 on: 02/03/2022 03:12 pm »
Wasnt there a photo of the ICPS for A2 already delivered? Is it still incomplete?

Yes, its complete.  See my post up thread.
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Offline Conexion Espacial

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Re: Artemis II (EM-2) UPDATE thread - 2H 2023
« Reply #16 on: 02/08/2022 04:39 pm »

NASA Prepares to Join Two Major Parts for Artemis II Core Stage



Technicians are preparing to connect two major parts of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket’s Artemis II core stage. On Jan. 30, technicians moved the largest part of the stage, the 130-foot liquid hydrogen tank to the vertical assembly area at NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility. Here, it will be prepared for joining with the 66-foot forward assembly.


The forward assembly comprised of the joined forward skirt, intertank, and liquid oxygen tank completed construction and was transported to the final assembly area inside the factory on Jan. 10. Technicians will move the liquid hydrogen tank back to this final assembly where Boeing, the lead core stage contractor, will join the two structures. This will complete construction of most of the core stage that will launch the first crew on the Artemis II mission.


Only the engine section, the fifth piece of the stage, will need to be added to complete the Artemis II core stage. The engine section is one of the most complex parts of the stage. It includes the main propulsion system that connects to the four RS-25 engines that are built by Aerojet Rocketdyne and are assembled and stored at their facility at NASA’s Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. The engines will be the last items installed on the stage. During launch, more than 700,000 gallons of propellant flows from the core stage tanks to the engines that produce more than 2 million pounds of thrust to help launch the SLS rocket.


The core stage serves as the backbone of the rocket, supporting the weight of the payload, upper stage, and Orion crew vehicle, as well as the thrust of its four RS-25 engines and two five-segment solid rocket boosters attached to the engine and intertank sections. The Artemis II mission will help NASA prepare for later Artemis missions that will enable the first woman and first person of color to land on the Moon.
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Offline eeergo

Re: Artemis II (EM-2) UPDATE thread - 2024
« Reply #17 on: 03/22/2022 08:22 am »
Second SLS core's tank assembly is being joined (still missing the engine section that'd complete the stage):
https://twitter.com/ThePrimalDino/status/1506016961485946880
« Last Edit: 03/22/2022 08:22 am by eeergo »
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Offline Conexion Espacial

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Re: Artemis II (EM-2) UPDATE thread - 2H 2023
« Reply #18 on: 04/01/2022 02:04 pm »

A timelapse showing how the two main tanks of the SLS center stage for Artemis II were joined together.https://twitter.com/nasa_sls/status/1509614300884869122
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Offline zubenelgenubi

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Re: Artemis II (EM-2) UPDATE thread - May 2024
« Reply #19 on: 06/11/2022 03:16 am »
Cross-post; high-resolution photo attached to source post:

Engineers Power Up Crew Module for First Artemis Mission with Astronauts

The Orion crew module for Artemis II was powered on for the first time May 27 inside the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. This capsule will carry astronauts on a trip around the Moon during the first crewed Artemis mission and helps set the stage for future lunar landing missions through Artemis.


With initial power-on complete, the crew module will undergo a three-part test over several months which includes applying power to each of the eight power and data units that help provide communication between Orion’s flight computers to its components. In addition, teams will begin installing the forward bay cover, which protect the top part of the crew module as the capsule blazes back through Earth’s atmosphere at speeds of up to 25,000 mph at the end of its mission


With Artemis, NASA will land the first woman and the first person of color on the Moon and establish long-term exploration in preparation for missions to Mars. The Space Launch System rocket and Orion, along with the commercial human landing system and the Gateway that will orbit the Moon, are NASA’s backbone for deep space exploration.


Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett
« Last Edit: 06/11/2022 03:18 am by zubenelgenubi »
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Offline Conexion Espacial

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Re: Artemis II (EM-2) UPDATE thread - May 2024
« Reply #20 on: 06/11/2022 02:29 pm »
New NASASpaceFlight article giving an update on the Orion for Artemis II as well as the other Orion spacecraft in the program.


https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2022/06/orion-status-update/
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Offline whitelancer64

Re: Artemis II (EM-2) UPDATE thread - May 2024
« Reply #21 on: 07/25/2022 07:50 pm »

Boeing aiming to deliver second SLS Core Stage to NASA in March
written by Philip Sloss July 25, 2022

https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2022/07/boeing-second-sls-core-march/

"Boeing is continuing final assembly work for the second Space Launch System (SLS) Core Stage at the Michoud Assembly Facility (MAF) in New Orleans, with plans to complete production and deliver the rocket stage to NASA next year in March 2023. The space agency’s prime contractor for SLS Core Stages is wrapping up standalone integration of the engine section/boattail assembly of the most complicated element of the launch vehicle.

Following subassembly functional testing, Boeing plans to break the engine section over from its current vertical orientation to horizontal and then mate it to the upper “four-fifths” of the stage in late October. The four RS-25 engines would then be installed late this year, leading to final integrated function testing of the whole stage over the holidays into early next year ahead of the planned March delivery date."
"One bit of advice: it is important to view knowledge as sort of a semantic tree -- make sure you understand the fundamental principles, ie the trunk and big branches, before you get into the leaves/details or there is nothing for them to hang on to." - Elon Musk
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Offline whitelancer64

Re: Artemis II (EM-2) UPDATE thread - May 2024
« Reply #22 on: 11/04/2022 03:09 pm »
"Teams have delivered the four RS-25 engines that will help power Artemis II, the first crewed mission of NASA’s Artemis missions and second flight of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, to NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans. Later this fall, the engines will be installed into the Artemis II core stage, which is in the final phase of assembly at Michoud where it was manufactured. Trucks transported the engines in special containers from NASA’s Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, where they were upgraded with new controllers.

Together, the four RS-25 engines will produce more than 2 million pounds of thrust during ascent to help send Artemis II astronauts beyond Earth’s orbit to lunar orbit. Technicians from NASA and Aerojet Rocketdyne, the prime contractor for the engines, will store the engines at Michoud and prepare them for integration into the engine section at the bottom of the rocket’s 212-foot-tall core stage. They will use a pathfinder engine to practice the intricate process of installing each engine on the stage prior to installing the flight engines.

The first engine – Engine E2047 -- of the flight set flew on 15 space shuttle missions, including the final shuttle mission STS-135. The second engine of the set – Engine E2059 -- previously flew on five shuttle missions. The third and fourth engines – E2062 and E2063 – are new engines that include some previously flown hardware.

With the Artemis missions, NASA will land the first woman and the first person of color on the Moon and establish long-term exploration in preparation for missions to Mars. SLS and NASA’s Orion spacecraft, along with the commercial human landing system and the Gateway in orbit around the Moon, are NASA’s backbone for deep space exploration. SLS is the only rocket that can send Orion, astronauts, and supplies to the Moon in a single mission.

Image Credit: NASA/ Michael DeMocker

Last Updated: Sep 29, 2022
Editor: Lee Mohon"

https://www.nasa.gov/exploration/systems/sls/artemis-ii-rocket-engines-arrive-at-nasa-s-michoud-assembly-facility.html
"One bit of advice: it is important to view knowledge as sort of a semantic tree -- make sure you understand the fundamental principles, ie the trunk and big branches, before you get into the leaves/details or there is nothing for them to hang on to." - Elon Musk
"There are lies, damned lies, and launch schedules." - Larry J

Offline Hog

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Re: Artemis II (EM-2) UPDATE thread - May 2024
« Reply #23 on: 11/04/2022 03:43 pm »
I just wanted to emphasize that ME-2062(built 2010) and ME-2063 built in 2014 are the only brand new unflown RS25D engines of the entire Artemis program.  While all 16 RS25 engines have been fully developed/qualified from RS25D/SSME "HERITAGE" engines into SLS spec RS25 "ADAPTATION" engines, someone, somewhere, wanted the 2 non-flown E2062/2063 engines to be TOGETHER on the Artemis-2 CoreStage test flight that will launch NASA astronauts into space.  Regardless of the the previous flight history, or lack thereof, all Core Stage sustainer engines will be controlled via brand new Engine Controllers from Honeywell
These engines are started on the ground and don't shut down until just prior to orbital insertion, taking some 9 minutes of burntime. SLS's CoreStage will not make it all the way to orbit and will stop short, similar to the STS Orbiter Vehicles.  The 1-1/2 Stage To Orbit architecture of STS/SLS requires this in order for Core Stage/External Tank disposal into the Indian/Pacific ocean.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               
And here's E-2063 being assembled at AJR in 2014


attachments
1) RS25 install matrix (new build 2062 and 2063 scheduled for Artemis-2)
2) RS25 install orientation
3) older slide showing the terms and requirements of full Block RS25-D/SSME aka HERITAGE, the SLSME "ADAPTATION" and finally, the brand new "RESTART" engines which will run at an unprecedented 111% Rated Power Level.
« Last Edit: 11/04/2022 03:58 pm by Hog »
Paul

Offline Vahe231991

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Re: Artemis II (EM-2) UPDATE thread - May 2024
« Reply #24 on: 11/16/2022 10:23 pm »
From Military Embedded Systems website:
Quote
Moreover, Ladwig states, the Artemis II vehicle will reuse select avionics from the Artemis I crew module; this practice will continue to dramatically increase, she says, to the point where the Artemis III pressure vessel capsule will be entirely refurbished for the Artemis VI mission.

Offline Vahe231991

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Re: Artemis II (EM-2) UPDATE thread - May 2024
« Reply #25 on: 12/08/2022 05:22 pm »
The latest on plans to repair the ML-1 launcher to ensure smooth liftoff of the Artemis 2 with only some minimal damage to the launch pad:
https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2022/12/ml-rollback-mod-timelines/

Since the ML-1 launcher was built for the Ares launch vehicle, and is more than a decade old, NASA shouldn't be surprised that it wants modifications to the ML-1 launcher because it knows that it sat idle for many years before it decided to use the ML-1 for the SLS rocket. Let's hope that the process of repairing the ML-1 launcher takes about five to six months to allow for NASA to prepare for launch of Artemis 2 while picking the crew for the Artemis 2 mission.

Offline Vahe231991

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Re: Artemis II (EM-2) UPDATE thread - May 2024
« Reply #26 on: 12/12/2022 12:26 am »
From the Hill website:
Quote
NASA announced Sunday it will name the spaceflight crew of the Artemis II mission in early 2023, following the successful completion of the first phase of its mission to the moon.

Vanessa Wyche, director of NASA’s Johnson Space Center, said at a press conference just hours after the splashdown of the Orion spacecraft that the team wanted to wait until the completion of Artemis I to make an announcement.

Offline Jim

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Re: Artemis II (EM-2) UPDATE thread - May 2024
« Reply #27 on: 12/21/2022 09:17 pm »

Since the ML-1 launcher was built for the Ares launch vehicle, and is more than a decade old, NASA shouldn't be surprised that it wants modifications to the ML-1 launcher because it knows that it sat idle for many years before it decided to use the ML-1 for the SLS rocket.

That makes no sense.  Its age and fact that it sat idle have nothing to do with NASA wanting to do mods and being "surprised"

Offline eeergo

Re: Artemis II (EM-2) UPDATE thread - May 2024
« Reply #28 on: 01/08/2023 07:49 pm »
Avionics boxes off Artemis I's Orion are now coming out and starting to get tested and refurbished as appropriate for use on Artemis II, per multiple accounts online.

When will this and related threads be moved to the "Missions to the Moon" subforum, whose subtitle mentions this mission explicitly?
-DaviD-

Offline Vahe231991

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Re: Artemis II (EM-2) UPDATE thread - May 2024
« Reply #29 on: 01/08/2023 08:37 pm »
Avionics boxes off Artemis I's Orion are now coming out and starting to get tested and refurbished as appropriate for use on Artemis II, per multiple accounts online.

When will this and related threads be moved to the "Missions to the Moon" subforum, whose subtitle mentions this mission explicitly?
NASA has to announce the crew for the Artemis 2 mission first, and then give the latest updates on eventual final assembly of the SLS rocket earmarked for Artemis 2, after which someone will find it appropriate to move this thread to the "Missions to the Moon" subforum.

Offline eeergo

Re: Artemis II (EM-2) UPDATE thread - May 2024
« Reply #30 on: 01/11/2023 02:15 pm »
The latest on plans to repair the ML-1 launcher to ensure smooth liftoff of the Artemis 2 with only some minimal damage to the launch pad:
https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2022/12/ml-rollback-mod-timelines/

From that article:

Quote
Once [at the VAB], the ML will spend between four to six weeks [already completed, seems right on the most optimistic schedule] undergoing continued post-launch assessments before the Crawler Transporter teams will pick up the ML and move it out of the VAB to the West Park Site — which is located to the north of the VAB and is the western-most of the two ML park sites.

“We’re pretty definite on January 2023,” said Sumner. “Sometime in January, we should be at the West Park Site.” [they are]

There, the ML will undergo a majority of its refurbishment and modification work, including installation of the critical Emergency Egress System hardware which will be needed for crew flight operations with Artemis II. [...] While at the West Park Site, the access platforms for the four egress baskets — which would be used to transport personnel safely away from the tower in the event of an emergency — will be installed. [...]

Overall, the ML is expected to spend a few months at the West Park Site, though explicit timelines are not currently known due to the uncertainty that remains in post-Artemis I launch damage refurbishment timelines. [ shouldn't be an issue now, looking forward to the new estimates]

Also at the West Park Site, pneumatics changes will be carried out on the crew access level. Teams will also install breathing air and gaseous nitrogen stations and systems that would be needed in the event of emergencies.

Additional work at the West Park Site will also include modifications to the ignition overpressure protection/sound suppression system that were planned before the Artemis I launch.

So looking good (for now) for Artemis II, considering the status of hardware reuse for both the ML and Orion's CM, and the new hardware currently not in the critical path.

https://twitter.com/NASAGroundSys/status/1613187952267362309

Offline yg1968

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Re: Artemis II (EM-2) UPDATE thread - May 2024
« Reply #31 on: 01/17/2023 06:03 pm »
Quote from: Marcia Smith
At NAC, Bill Nelson says the Artemis II crew will be announced "later in the spring."

https://twitter.com/SpcPlcyOnline/status/1615374298981584899

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Offline yg1968

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Re: Artemis II (EM-2) UPDATE thread - May 2024
« Reply #33 on: 01/31/2023 06:11 pm »
Kennedy Prepares Facilities, Spacecraft for Artemis II Mission:
https://www.nasa.gov/feature/kennedy-prepares-facilities-spacecraft-for-artemis-ii-mission

Offline eeergo

Re: Artemis II (EM-2) UPDATE thread - May 2024
« Reply #34 on: 02/07/2023 08:50 am »
Progress Underway on Moon Rockets for NASA’s Crewed Artemis Missions:
https://www.nasa.gov/exploration/systems/sls/progress-underway-on-moon-rockets-for-nasa-s-crewed-artemis-missions.html

Is this the first clear image of the Core Stage's engine section manifold toward the engines?

Nice views at the SRBs in storage too! Testing racks spooling up to support flight simulation testing for this mission.
-DaviD-

Offline yg1968

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Re: Artemis II (EM-2) UPDATE thread - May 2024
« Reply #35 on: 02/07/2023 02:07 pm »
NASA practices Artemis II splashdown recovery mission (video included in the article):
https://www.fox35orlando.com/news/nasa-practices-artemis-ii-splashdown-recovery-mission

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Re: Artemis II (EM-2) UPDATE thread - May 2024
« Reply #36 on: 02/10/2023 12:14 am »
Quote from: NASA OIG
Just Announced! @NASAOIG will examine NASA’s progress toward achieving its Artemis II goals, including the impact of Artemis I’s mission results.

https://twitter.com/NASAOIG/status/1623475495927947264

Offline bd1223

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Re: Artemis II (EM-2) UPDATE thread - May 2024
« Reply #37 on: 02/10/2023 08:35 pm »
Is this the first clear image of the Core Stage's engine section manifold toward the engines?
...

No, the engine section is on the right.  The manifold in the center of the photo is the bottom of the LH2 tank.

Offline eeergo

Re: Artemis II (EM-2) UPDATE thread - May 2024
« Reply #38 on: 02/11/2023 11:55 am »
Is this the first clear image of the Core Stage's engine section manifold toward the engines?
...

No, the engine section is on the right.  The manifold in the center of the photo is the bottom of the LH2 tank.

Right, that's what I meant: first clear photo of the unassembled ES and the manifold at the bottom of the tankage.
-DaviD-

Offline FutureSpaceTourist

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Re: Artemis II (EM-2) UPDATE thread - May 2024
« Reply #39 on: 02/13/2023 09:19 pm »
https://twitter.com/senbillnelson/status/1625257617273520128

Quote
Big day for the #Artemis program as teams at @NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans have successfully rotated the engine section for Artemis II. This "flip" is an important milestone for the rocket — and means the core stage is almost complete!

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Re: Artemis II (EM-2) UPDATE thread - May 2024
« Reply #40 on: 02/13/2023 10:24 pm »
https://twitter.com/nasa_sls/status/1625273660662480896

Quote
⚠️ Artemis II update ⚠️

Teams at #NASAMichoud “flipped” the engine section for the first crewed #Artemis mission from a vertical to a horizontal position in preparation for final integration to the SLS core stage.

Check out more @NASAArtemis progress: https://go.nasa.gov/3K5Amb0

Offline eeergo

Re: Artemis II (EM-2) UPDATE thread - May 2024
« Reply #41 on: 02/14/2023 05:40 am »
The engine section is broken over for horizontal mate to the tanks...

https://twitter.com/NASA_SLS/status/1172544228423086082

CS-1 underwent its Engine Section installation in mid-September 2019, and was rolled out around New Years' Eve, a bit over 3 months later. Now, CS-2 is employing a different assembly technique and won't be undergoing a Green Run so it may need to be more buttoned up than the former - but at this point it looks like it could be ready to be shipped to KSC around late spring.

If we stick with the official manifested date, that's about a year ahead of launch. However, we were told it's likely the launch will need to be closer to two years from Artemis I due to the refurbushment of Orion's components to be reused. They also probably don't want to cut it too close with the SRB stacked lifetime after all the hand-wringing last fall, and ML-1 may still be undergoing crew escape system installations come this summer. So CS-2 may end up having to dwell for a bit at MAF or even the VAB? Would be nice, after this component being the (very) long pole in EM-1.
-DaviD-

Offline JHošek

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Re: Artemis II (EM-2) UPDATE thread - May 2024
« Reply #42 on: 02/14/2023 03:06 pm »
CS-1 underwent its Engine Section installation in mid-September 2019, and was rolled out around New Years' Eve, a bit over 3 months later.

Artemis I
2019-09-13 rotation of the engine section to a horizontal position
2019-09-19 completed the bolting of the engine section to the core stage
2019-10-19 RS-25 installation to position 2
2019-10-29 RS-25 installation to position 1
2019-11-03 RS-25 installation to position 3
2019-11-06 RS-25 installation to position 4
by 2019-11-15 two external supply lines for liquid oxygen were completed, as well as a system tunnel for power and data cables
2019-11-16 starting the final integration functional test (FIFT)
2019-12-28 completion of review and check
2020-01-01 transfer to building 110 for loading on MPTS transporters
2020-01-08 transport to the Pegasus barge and loading
2020-01-12 Pegasus set sail to Stennis Space Center

So CS-2 may end up having to dwell for a bit at MAF or even the VAB?

Core stage is to be stored in a horizontal position in VAB transfer aisle for several months. After building the storage cell in the High Bay 2 section of the VAB, it is to be stored vertically. This could hopefully happen in the third quarter of 2023.
Source: https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2022/12/boeing-expanding-cs-prod/

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Re: Artemis II (EM-2) UPDATE thread - May 2024
« Reply #43 on: 02/14/2023 09:50 pm »
CS-1 underwent its Engine Section installation in mid-September 2019, and was rolled out around New Years' Eve, a bit over 3 months later.

Artemis I
2019-09-13 rotation of the engine section to a horizontal position
2019-09-19 completed the bolting of the engine section to the core stage
2019-10-19 RS-25 installation to position 2
2019-10-29 RS-25 installation to position 1
2019-11-03 RS-25 installation to position 3
2019-11-06 RS-25 installation to position 4
by 2019-11-15 two external supply lines for liquid oxygen were completed, as well as a system tunnel for power and data cables
2019-11-16 starting the final integration functional test (FIFT)
2019-12-28 completion of review and check
2020-01-01 transfer to building 110 for loading on MPTS transporters
2020-01-08 transport to the Pegasus barge and loading
2020-01-12 Pegasus set sail to Stennis Space Center

So CS-2 may end up having to dwell for a bit at MAF or even the VAB?

Core stage is to be stored in a horizontal position in VAB transfer aisle for several months. After building the storage cell in the High Bay 2 section of the VAB, it is to be stored vertically. This could hopefully happen in the third quarter of 2023.
Source: https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2022/12/boeing-expanding-cs-prod/
RS-25 install orientation
Paul

Offline JHošek

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Re: Artemis II (EM-2) UPDATE thread - May 2024
« Reply #44 on: 02/15/2023 05:55 am »
RS-25 install orientation
Artemis I
Position 2 = E2056
Position 1 = E2045
Position 3 = E2058
Position 4 = E2060


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Re: Artemis II (EM-2) UPDATE thread - May 2024
« Reply #45 on: 02/23/2023 09:41 pm »
https://twitter.com/NASA_SLS/status/1628852321399578624?cxt=HHwWgIC9ic2j7JotAAAA

Quote
🔩 Line it up! Teams at #NASAMichoud have moved the engine section for #Artemis II into place to join it with the rest of the core stage. This section will help power the first crewed @NASAArtemis mission.
Learn more about the SLS core stage: https://go.nasa.gov/3Y1PlG2
To boldly go where no human has gone before !

Offline Kspbutitscursed

Re: Artemis II (EM-2) UPDATE thread - May 2024
« Reply #46 on: 03/19/2023 08:02 pm »
I attempt to fly in ksp
WEN OFT-4                 #Wen Booster 12/13 engines installation

Offline daedalus1

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Re: Artemis II (EM-2) UPDATE thread - May 2024
« Reply #47 on: 03/19/2023 08:20 pm »
Isn't it now NET November 2024?

Offline Kspbutitscursed

Re: Artemis II (EM-2) UPDATE thread - May 2024
« Reply #48 on: 03/19/2023 10:00 pm »
Isn't it now NET November 2024?
yes it is
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Offline Conexion Espacial

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Re: Artemis II (EM-2) UPDATE thread - May 2024
« Reply #49 on: 03/20/2023 06:14 pm »

Quote
NASA Connects All Major Structures of Artemis II Moon Rocket Core Stage



Teams at NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans have fully integrated all five major structures of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket’s core stage for Artemis II, the first crewed Artemis mission that will send four astronauts around the Moon and return them home. Technicians joined the engine section to the rest of the rocket stage March 17. Next, teams will integrate the four RS-25 engines to the engine section to complete the stage.


Located at the bottom of the 212-foot-tall core stage, the engine section is the most complex and intricate part of the rocket stage, helping to power Artemis missions to the Moon. In addition to its miles of cabling and hundreds of sensors, the engine section is a crucial attachment point for the RS-25 engines and two solid rocket boosters that produce a combined 8.8 million pounds of thrust at liftoff. It houses the engines and includes vital systems for mounting, controlling, and delivering fuel from the propellant tanks to the engines.


The core stage for Artemis II is built, outfitted, and assembled at Michoud. Through Artemis missions, NASA will land the first woman and the first person of color on the surface of the Moon, paving the way for a long-term lunar presence and serving as a steppingstone for astronauts on the way to Mars.


Image credit: NASA/Michael DeMocker

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Re: Artemis II (EM-2) UPDATE thread - May 2024
« Reply #50 on: 03/20/2023 07:49 pm »
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Re: Artemis II (EM-2) UPDATE thread - May 2024
« Reply #51 on: 03/20/2023 08:25 pm »
https://twitter.com/boeingspace/status/1637928021813329923

Quote
Engine section mate ✔
Coming up ➡ Engine installs 🚀

Core Stage 2 is nearing completion. This hardware will help lift humankind to deep space for the first time in 50 years as a part of the #Artemis II mission.

Learn more: https://bit.ly/3JTmGz9

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Re: Artemis II (EM-2) UPDATE thread - May 2024
« Reply #52 on: 03/23/2023 04:59 pm »

Quote

Meet the four astronauts who will orbit the Moon aboard the Orion spacecraft on their approximately 10-day Artemis II mission, the first crewed flight test and a critical step toward establishing a long-term human presence on the Moon.


NASA and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) will reveal the three NASA astronauts and one CSA astronaut during an event at 11 a.m. EDT (10 a.m. CDT) (15:00 UTC) on Monday, April 3, from NASA Johnson Space Center’s Ellington Field in Houston.
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Offline yg1968

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Re: Artemis II (EM-2) UPDATE thread - May 2024
« Reply #53 on: 03/25/2023 01:36 pm »
Quote from: CSA
#DYK that the Canadian Space Agency has four active astronauts? One of them will soon be announced as a crewmember for the #Artemis II mission, and will be the first CSA astronaut to fly to the Moon! 👨‍🚀👩‍🚀
Learn about them: https://asc-csa.gc.ca/eng/astronauts/canadian/active/

https://twitter.com/csa_asc/status/1639605551108702209

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Re: Artemis II (EM-2) UPDATE thread - May 2024
« Reply #54 on: 03/28/2023 10:21 pm »

Quote

Don't miss it! NASA and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) will announce during an event at 11 a.m. EDT on Monday, April 3, from NASA Johnson Space Center’s Ellington Field in Houston, the four astronauts who will venture around the Moon. Traveling aboard NASA’s Orion spacecraft during Artemis II, the mission is the first crewed flight test on the agency’s path to establishing a long-term scientific and human presence on the lunar surface.

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Offline eeergo

Re: Artemis II (EM-2) UPDATE thread - May 2024
« Reply #55 on: 04/03/2023 03:48 pm »
The *major* update of the crew selection reveal is being covered in the *discussion* thread, for no real reason other than the fact this very thread should have been in the "Missions to the Moon" section for a while already. Not sure why feet are being dragged over this, when basically all other crewed or uncrewed missions are in their respective sections since basically the thread is created - unless of course only one pertinent section exists. A point could be made for Artemis I as it was a maiden test flight, and it had more to do with the SLS vehicle than with the actual mission (debatable, but ok)... for this one it just hasn't made sense since the beginning though.

I've reported this post to mods, hopefully a split-merge can be effected for the crew reveal update posts in the Discussion thread, along with moving this Updates thread.
-DaviD-

Offline whitelancer64

Re: Artemis II (EM-2) UPDATE thread - May 2024
« Reply #56 on: 04/03/2023 04:48 pm »
The *major* update of the crew selection reveal is being covered in the *discussion* thread, for no real reason other than the fact this very thread should have been in the "Missions to the Moon" section for a while already. Not sure why feet are being dragged over this, when basically all other crewed or uncrewed missions are in their respective sections since basically the thread is created - unless of course only one pertinent section exists. A point could be made for Artemis I as it was a maiden test flight, and it had more to do with the SLS vehicle than with the actual mission (debatable, but ok)... for this one it just hasn't made sense since the beginning though.

I've reported this post to mods, hopefully a split-merge can be effected for the crew reveal update posts in the Discussion thread, along with moving this Updates thread.

I think this thread is specifically for hardware updates for the SLS for Artemis 2. There are similar threads for A3 and A4.
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Offline eeergo

The *major* update of the crew selection reveal is being covered in the *discussion* thread, for no real reason other than the fact this very thread should have been in the "Missions to the Moon" section for a while already. Not sure why feet are being dragged over this, when basically all other crewed or uncrewed missions are in their respective sections since basically the thread is created - unless of course only one pertinent section exists. A point could be made for Artemis I as it was a maiden test flight, and it had more to do with the SLS vehicle than with the actual mission (debatable, but ok)... for this one it just hasn't made sense since the beginning though.
I've reported this post to mods, hopefully a split-merge can be effected for the crew reveal update posts in the Discussion thread, along with moving this Updates thread.
I think this thread is specifically for hardware updates for the SLS for Artemis 2. There are similar threads for A3 and A4.

Nah, Core Stage updates thread is right here: https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=56816.0
Orion's update threadS are in the next section: https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=43770.50 (CM) https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=46423.25 (ESM)
Besides, this thread's title is precisely the same as the Discussion thread's, which has been in the Missions to the Moon section since the Artemis I threads were -begrudgingly, for some reason- moved over there post-WDR.


EDIT: It was actually me that created the thread in the first place, so I would hope my intention then aligns with what I aimed for back then ;D
« Last Edit: 04/03/2023 05:28 pm by eeergo »
-DaviD-

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Re: Artemis II (EM-2) UPDATE thread - May 2024
« Reply #58 on: 04/03/2023 07:12 pm »
Testing of the solar array wings for the Artemis II European Service Module (Video)
https://images.nasa.gov/details/KSC-20230317-MH-GEB01-0001-Artemis_II_Solor_Panel_Deploy_Testing-3325704
« Last Edit: 04/03/2023 07:12 pm by Conexion Espacial »
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Offline Bean Kenobi

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Re: Artemis II (EM-2) UPDATE thread - May 2024
« Reply #59 on: 04/03/2023 07:20 pm »
The date in the thread title should be updated to Nov 2024.

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Offline FutureSpaceTourist

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https://www.nasa.gov/exploration/systems/sls/nasa-deputy-administrator-melroy-views-artemis-ii-core-stage-at-michoud.html

Quote
NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy, middle, and Dr. Quincy K. Brown, front right, senior policy advisor in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, are shown the core stage of NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket by Jennifer Boland-Masterson, left, director of manufacturing and site leader at NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility for Boeing, during a March 31 visit to Michoud in New Orleans. They are accompanied by Michoud Facility Director Lonnie Dutreix, back right. The 212-foot-tall core stage and its four RS-25 engines will help power NASA’s Artemis II flight test, the first crewed Artemis mission that will send four astronauts around the Moon and return them home to test the spacecraft in deep space ahead of lunar surface missions. Teams at Michoud recently integrated the last of the five major core stage structures and unboxed the four RS-25 engines. NASA and Boeing, the core stage lead contractor, along with Aerojet Rocketdyne, the RS-25 engine lead contractor, are preparing to install the engines to the base of the rocket’s core stage. The core stage and its RS-25 engines produce more than 2 million pounds of thrust at launch.

NASA is working to land the first woman and first person of color on the Moon under Artemis. SLS is part of NASA’s backbone for deep space exploration, along with Orion and the Gateway in orbit around the Moon. SLS is the only rocket that can send Orion, astronauts, and supplies to the Moon in a single mission.

Image credit: NASA/Michael DeMocker

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https://twitter.com/ulalaunch/status/1645421618351710209

Quote
The second #ICPS, built by ULA under a collaborative partnership with @BoeingSpace, is beginning pre-flight testing and preparations to help launch four pioneering astronauts on @NASA's #Artemis II mission around the Moon!

Read more in the blog:

https://blog.ulalaunch.com/blog/icps-2-ula-begins-readying-upper-stage-for-artemis-ii-launch

Quote
ICPS-2: ULA begins readying upper stage for Artemis II launch
April 10, 2023

The second Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage (ICPS), derived from the United Launch Alliance (ULA) Delta IV Heavy rocket, is beginning pre-flight testing and preparations to help launch four pioneering astronauts on NASA's Artemis II mission around the Moon.

ICPS serves as the upper stage of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket to send the Orion spacecraft on lunar exploration missions. The fully integrated SLS, ICPS and Orion system successfully performed the uncrewed Artemis I test flight in 2022.

ULA has manufactured three ICPS stages in our factory in Decatur, Alabama, under a collaborative partnership with Boeing. The stages will be used for the initial three SLS rockets.

ICPS-2 was delivered to ULA facilities at Cape Canaveral in 2021. The stage recently came out of storage and moved into a test cell at the Delta Operation Center to begin undergoing checkouts and processing to support the Artemis II launch.

The ICPS is based on the five-meter-diameter version of ULA's Delta Cryogenic Second Stage (DCSS) that has flown on Delta IV missions since 2004 with 100 percent mission success. ICPS-1 performance for the Artemis I mission was nominal, delivering the push needed to send Orion out of Earth orbit to travel around the Moon.

ICPS features a slightly larger liquid hydrogen tank as compared to the Delta IV second stage, as well as electrical and mechanical interfaces specific to attaching and supporting the Orion spacecraft, and a second hydrazine bottle for additional attitude control propellant.

The ICPS for Artemis II also includes an Emergency Detection System (EDS) and other hardware changes specific to human safety.

The stage feeds liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen to the Aerojet Rocketdyne RL10C-2 main engine to produce 24,750 pounds (110.1 kilo-Newtons) of highly efficient thrust.

The ICPS-2 stage on Artemis II will provide the boost for the Orion capsule and its four astronauts to reach the desired high Earth orbit stretching 68,000 miles (109,435 km) above the planet before separating from the Moon-bound spacecraft.

The stage will also be used as a target object for Orion to test rendezvous and proximity operations.

The approximately 10-day Artemis II flight will prove the Orion spacecraft's life-support systems and validate the capabilities and techniques needed for humans to live and work in deep space. 

NASA has assigned three Americans and one Canadian Space Agency astronaut to the mission: Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, Mission Specialist 1 Christina Hammock Koch and Mission Specialist 2 Jeremy Hansen.

Photo captions:

Quote
ICPS-2 is moved to the Delta Operations Center at Cape Canaveral for processing. Photo by United Launch Alliance

Quote
ICPS-2 arrives at the Delta Operations Center to prepare for the Artemis II mission. Photo by United Launch Alliance

Offline whitelancer64

I dunno if this is the best place for this, but I haven't seen it posted elsewhere.

One of the ML's elevators has already been repaired.

The ML will be returned to the pad this summer for testing.

https://twitter.com/Bubbinski/status/1633158117889572864

https://twitter.com/Bubbinski/status/1633156496250011648
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https://twitter.com/ulalaunch/status/1651626106250747904

Quote
#ICYMI // The second #ICPS, built by ULA under a collaborative partnership with @BoeingSpace is undergoing testing and preps to help launch four pioneering astronauts on @NASA's #Artemis Il mission around the Moon!

Read more in the blog: https://blog.ulalaunch.com/blog/icps-2-ula-begins-readying-upper-stage-for-artemis-ii-launch

Offline Vahe231991

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NASA is using lasers to evolve how the agency communicates between spacecraft.

In the past, the space agency has relied on radio signals beamed through its Deep Space Network to transmit any sort of scientific data from deep space probes back to Earth. Lasers, however, have the ability to vastly increase the amount of data spacecraft are able to send, and NASA is ready to send the technology around the moon.

NASA is including laser communications in the form of the Orion Artemis 2 Optical Communications System (O2O) terminal on Artemis 2, the next crewed mission around the moon. "Onboard the Orion capsule, the O2O system will send back high-resolution images and video from the lunar region," a NASA video published in April states. If all goes according to plan, the system should enable viewers on Earth to see the moon in real-time like never before.

https://www.space.com/nasa-artemis-2-laser-communications-video [From May 7]

Offline eeergo

Latest status of where things stand for Artemis II:

https://twitter.com/genejm29/status/1658123935240667138
Schedule estimates from second attached slide:
- All Artemis II hardware complete and ready for delivery within 2023, with positive margins.- CM about to undergo final installations.- SM in integrated testing (with CMA attached).
- CS-2 engined next month, completed a couple of months after that (complete by early Fall).- ICPS at the Cape, but in ULA facilities for now for testing.- LVSA ready for delivery.
- SRMs awaiting action in Utah.- ML-1 on track to support current Artemis II launch date, including crew mods to pad.
« Last Edit: 05/15/2023 03:08 pm by eeergo »
-DaviD-

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« Last Edit: 05/15/2023 03:26 pm by arthuroMo »

Offline ddspaceman

« Last Edit: 05/15/2023 06:07 pm by ddspaceman »

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https://twitter.com/NASAArtemis/status/1658168728188583936

Much more info here:
https://www.nasa.gov/feature/nasa-gears-up-to-train-artemis-ii-crew-for-moon-mission
Is it safe to assume that NASA has a few spare astronauts in this training just in case one of the named crew members has an issue that prevents them from going, such as a health issue?

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Offline Vahe231991

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The Artemis II mission’s laser communication system, the Orion Artemis II Optical Communications System (O2O), has arrived at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. O2O, which enhances data transmission, will send high-definition videos and other information from the moon to Earth, supporting further space exploration and discoveries.

The laser communications system for NASA’s Artemis II mission arrived at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida for integration with the Orion spacecraft, which will carry astronauts around the Moon for the first time since the Apollo missions.

https://scitechdaily.com/nasas-artemis-ii-moon-mission-innovative-o2o-laser-communications-system-delivered/?expand_article=1

Offline FutureSpaceTourist

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https://www.nasa.gov/exploration/systems/sls/nasa-rocket-flight-software-for-artemis-ii-meets-testing-checkpoint.html

Quote
Jul 3, 2023
NASA Rocket Flight Software for Artemis II Meets Testing Checkpoint

The first Artemis astronauts have begun crew training for their Artemis II mission around the Moon, and teams at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, are testing and configuring the flight software for the mega Moon rocket that will launch them on their journey.

When NASA’s SLS (Space Launch System) launches NASA’s Artemis II crew aboard the Orion spacecraft, it will produce more than 8.8 million pounds of thrust. The SLS rocket’s flight software acts as the “brains” of the rocket, activating 48 hours prior to launch to command all that power and energy for the first eight minutes of the mission through the separation of its in-space propulsion stage. Inside the SLS Software Development Facility (SDF) at Marshall, software engineers recently completed the first part of formal qualification testing for the Artemis II SLS flight software.

The rocket’s flight software consists of approximately 50,000 lines of code. To test the SLS computer systems and flight software ahead of launch, a team inside the SDF simulates a series of normal and off-nominal SLS- rocket and environmental scenarios, called test cases. SLS flight software qualification testing includes multiple test procedures to verify software requirements. By the conclusion of the two-week test period on May 15, engineers had completed 179 test procedures with approximately 58,000 test cases. In comparison, the first phase of qualification testing for Artemis II completed in 2022 had 72 test procedures consisting of 9,500 test cases.

“The SLS flight software team integrated operational improvements and new test scenarios in preparation for Artemis II based on lessons learned from the successful launch of Artemis I in November 2022,” said Dan Mitchell, NASA’s lead SLS integrated avionics and software engineer. “The test facilities at Marshall Space Flight Center have the capability to produce thousands of test cases the SLS flight software is required to detect and respond to appropriately on launch day, offering us the opportunity to assess and certify all the major software elements and systems on the rocket before the first crew flies on SLS.”

The second and final phase of formal qualification testing for the SLS flight software in the SDF is set to begin in July. Beginning in the fall, engineers will begin integrated system testing in the SLS System Integration Lab (SIL) using the full suite of SLS avionics hardware and flight software. Together, the test results from the SIL system and the flight software SDF will provide teams key evidence to support mission readiness for Artemis II. By the time the SLS rocket launches Artemis II, flight software engineers will have “flown” the SLS mission more than 100,000 times within the various SLS avionics and software development and test facilities.

NASA is working to land the first woman and first person of color on the Moon under Artemis. SLS is part of NASA’s backbone for deep space exploration, along with the Orion spacecraft, advanced spacesuits and rovers, the Gateway in orbit around the Moon, and commercial human landing systems. SLS is the only rocket that can send Orion, astronauts, and supplies to the Moon in a single mission.

Image Credit: NASA/ Brandon Hancock

Last Updated: Jul 3, 2023
Editor: Lee Mohon
Tags:  Artemis, Moon to Mars, Space Launch System

Offline yg1968

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NASA's Artemis II Moon Mission Preparations: Latest News and Updates (Official NASA Briefing):


Offline FutureSpaceTourist

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https://flic.kr/p/2oURnm3

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United Launch Alliance (ULA) affixed a rendezvous target on the second Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage (ICPS-2) that the Artemis II astronauts will use in guiding their Orion spacecraft through demonstrations of proximity operations. Photo credit: United Launch Alliance

Offline FutureSpaceTourist

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https://twitter.com/nasa_sls/status/1701997850995970099

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🚀 MILESTONE ALERT

The RS-25 engine installation process has begun for the SLS rocket that will help power @NASAArtemis II. The engines produce more than 2 million pounds of thrust to help send @NASA_Orion and the crew inside around the Moon.

LEARN MORE: https://blogs.nasa.gov/artemis/2023/09/13/first-rs-25-engine-installed-to-nasas-artemis-ii-moon-rocket/
« Last Edit: 09/13/2023 05:18 pm by FutureSpaceTourist »

Offline FutureSpaceTourist

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https://twitter.com/nasaspaceflight/status/1702353004278505635

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The SLS core stage for Artemis II has begun RS-25 engine installation operations.

NSF's Philip Sloss spoke with Bill Muddle, Lead RS-25 Field Integration Engineer for Aerojet Rocketdyne.

https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2023/09/rs-25-installation-artemis-ii-core-stage/

Offline Conexion Espacial

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The train with the SRB segments for the SLS Artemis II has been shipped to KSC and is expected to arrive early next week.
« Last Edit: 09/21/2023 10:05 pm by Conexion Espacial »
I publish information in Spanish about space and rockets.
www.x.com/conexionspacial

Offline FutureSpaceTourist

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https://twitter.com/senbillnelson/status/1706375215901520252

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Progress to the pad! All four RS-25 engines now added to our Artemis II @NASA_SLS Moon rocket. Harnessing the knowledge learned from #Artemis I, teams at Michoud Assembly Facility are working to fully integrate and secure all the engines onto the @NASAArtemis II core stage to prepare the mega rocket that will help send astronauts around the Moon.

https://blogs.nasa.gov/artemis/2023/09/25/all-engines-added-to-nasas-artemis-ii-moon-rocket-core-stage/
« Last Edit: 09/25/2023 07:31 pm by FutureSpaceTourist »

Offline FutureSpaceTourist

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https://twitter.com/nasaspaceflight/status/1706360748354462176

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Here come the Artemis II SRB segments that will provide most of the power to launch the next SLS rocket into space, this time with crew.

nsf.live/spacecoast

https://twitter.com/jerrypikephoto/status/1706407360674111780

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10 total segments make up two 5 segment SRBs that power the SLS rocket🚀

Offline catdlr

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It's Tony De La Rosa, ...I don't create this stuff, I just report it.

Offline FutureSpaceTourist

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https://twitter.com/nasaspaceflight/status/1711813390018978298

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The second Core Stage for SLS, set to launch the first crew on Artemis II, is now scheduled to be ready for shipping by mid-December.

NSF's Philip Sloss spoke with Jonathan Looser, NASA SLS Core Stage Design Team Lead, on the latest status:

https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2023/10/aii-core-weld-issues/

Offline mainengine

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Latest status of where things stand for Artemis II:

https://twitter.com/genejm29/status/1658123935240667138
Schedule estimates from second attached slide:
- All Artemis II hardware complete and ready for delivery within 2023, with positive margins.- CM about to undergo final installations.- SM in integrated testing (with CMA attached).
- CS-2 engined next month, completed a couple of months after that (complete by early Fall).- ICPS at the Cape, but in ULA facilities for now for testing.- LVSA ready for delivery.
- SRMs awaiting action in Utah.- ML-1 on track to support current Artemis II launch date, including crew mods to pad.

I miss the installation date for the RS-25 engines in these milestone pictures

Offline eeergo

Latest status of where things stand for Artemis II:

https://twitter.com/genejm29/status/1658123935240667138
Schedule estimates from second attached slide:
- All Artemis II hardware complete and ready for delivery within 2023, with positive margins.- CM about to undergo final installations.- SM in integrated testing (with CMA attached).
- CS-2 engined next month, completed a couple of months after that (complete by early Fall).- ICPS at the Cape, but in ULA facilities for now for testing.- LVSA ready for delivery.
- SRMs awaiting action in Utah.- ML-1 on track to support current Artemis II launch date, including crew mods to pad.

I miss the installation date for the RS-25 engines in these milestone pictures


You can find them in Phil's article (all dates September):

- E2059: 11th
- E2047: 15th
- E2062: 19th
- E2063: 20th

This was soft mate. All engines were "expected to be hard-mated by the end of [last] week", i.e. by October 8th.
« Last Edit: 10/12/2023 05:38 am by eeergo »
-DaviD-

Offline FutureSpaceTourist

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https://flic.kr/p/2p9qKQG

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NASA Prepares Artemis II Moon Rocket Core Stage for Final Assembly Phase

NASA and industry partners Aerojet Rocketdyne and Boeing have installed all four RS-25 engines onto the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket core stage for the agency’s Artemis II mission, signaling the core stage is nearing completion. Once complete, the core stage will be shipped to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. During launch, the rocket’s engines provide more than two million pounds of combined thrust.
 
Image credit: NASA/Danny Nowlin

Offline cplchanb

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Welding problems have popped up for the LOX tank.... I thought they had gotten a handle over these issues...
then again its Boeing we're talking about... :-\


https://www.space.com/artemis-2-moon-rocket-space-launch-system-welding-issues-report



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Welding problems have popped up for the LOX tank.... I thought they had gotten a handle over these issues...
then again its Boeing we're talking about... :-\


https://www.space.com/artemis-2-moon-rocket-space-launch-system-welding-issues-report

https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2023/10/aii-core-weld-issues/

Completion and delivery of Core Stage-2 was delayed from early in 2023 due to supply chain issues and core stage prime contractor Boeing is also dealing with a new weld tool issue at MAF that has delayed completion of the liquid oxygen (LOX) tank for the subsequent unit, Core Stage-3.

 ;)

Offline FutureSpaceTourist

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https://twitter.com/nasaspaceflight/status/1718375584017854502

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SLS Core Stage prime contractor Boeing is back to two shifts a day at the Michoud Assembly Facility (MAF) to complete the Core Stage for Artemis II by the end of the year.

Philip Sloss visited MAF to sit down with officials to gain info on the latest.

https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2023/10/a-ii-core-stage/

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KSC Engineer, astronomer, rocket photographer.

Offline FutureSpaceTourist

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https://twitter.com/nasa_sls/status/1723732675683348685

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Take a look at @NASAGroundSys' first look of the SLS booster processing for #Artemis II.

The left and right aft motor segments are mated to the aft skirts which will be followed by the installation of the aft exit cones. Next, they will be moved for assembly.

Offline FutureSpaceTourist

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https://twitter.com/nasa_sls/status/1724548161442636158

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The SLS rocket for #Artemis II has reached several milestones recently including the installation of all four RS-25 engines onto the core stage last month.

Watch as technicians at NASA's Michoud Assembly Facility install the engines:

Edit to add: the video attached to the tweet is also posted by NASA at:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/nasamarshall/53332146961/

Quote
Watch Crews Add RS-25 Engines to NASA Artemis II SLS Rocket

Artemis II reached a significant milestone as teams fully installed all four RS-25 engines to the 212-foot-tall core stage for NASA’s SLS (Space Launch System) rocket at NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans. During Artemis II, the four engines, arranged like legs on a chair at the bottom of the mega rocket, will fire for eight minutes at launch, producing more than 2 million pounds of thrust to send the Artemis II crew around the Moon. Boeing is the lead contractor for the SLS core stage. Aerojet Rocketdyne, an L3Harris Technologies company, is the lead contractor for the SLS engines. NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, manages the SLS Program and Michoud.
 
Image credit: NASA
« Last Edit: 11/14/2023 09:09 pm by FutureSpaceTourist »

Offline catdlr

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NASA Artemis 2 moon rocket's core stage engines installed in 4K time-lapse

Quote
Nov 14, 2023
Artemis 2's Space Launch System rocket core stage was fitted with 4 RS-25 engines recently at NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans.

Footage courtesy: NASA/Evan Deroche/Steven Seipel/Eric Bordelon

It's Tony De La Rosa, ...I don't create this stuff, I just report it.

Offline FutureSpaceTourist

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https://flic.kr/p/2pgfqQx

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Artemis II Astronauts View SLS Core Stage at Michoud
Artemis II NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman and Christina Koch of NASA, and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen view the core stage for the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket at the agency’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans on Nov. 16. The three astronauts, along with NASA’s Victor Glover, will launch atop the rocket stage to venture around the Moon on Artemis II, the first crewed flight for Artemis.
 
The core stage, towering 212 feet, is the backbone of the SLS mega rocket and serves to support the weight of the payload, upper stage, and the crew inside the Orion Spacecraft. It also includes two massive propellant tanks that collectively hold 733,000 gallons of propellant to help power the stage's four RS-25 engines.
 
The astronauts’ visit to Michoud coincided with the first anniversary of the launch of Artemis I. The uncrewed flight test of SLS and Orion was the first in a series of increasingly complex missions for Artemis as the agency works to return humans to the lunar surface and develop a long-term presence there for discovery and exploration.
 
Image credits: NASA/Michael DeMocker

Offline ddspaceman

Jeremy R. Hansen
@Astro_Jeremy
An enjoyable opportunity to share more about the #ArtemisII mission with @Telegraph here in London. @AstroVicGlover and I discussed the international collaboration that is making #Artemis possible.

We also discussed how the solutions we aim to create for sustainable deep-space exploration overlap with the challenges humanity is facing on the planet.

https://twitter.com/Astro_Jeremy/status/1732099272059875824


Offline FutureSpaceTourist

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First attached photo:

https://flic.kr/p/2pkceiz

Quote
NASA Kennedy
KSC-20231128-PH-KLS01_0061


Engineers and technicians process the right forward center segment of the Space Launch System solid rocket boosters for the Artemis II mission inside the Rotation, Processing and Surge Facility (RPSF) at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2023. The team has been examining the 10 booster segments one-by-one then lifting them to make sure they are ready for integration and launch before moving them to the Vehicle Assembly Building for stacking atop the mobile launcher. Artemis II astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen will blast off from Kennedy and travel around the moon for the agency's first crewed mission under Artemis that will test all of the Orion spacecraft's systems. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett
« Last Edit: 12/07/2023 06:48 pm by FutureSpaceTourist »

Offline ddspaceman

Dr. Jenni Gibbons
@Astro_Jenni
I’ve spent the last few days learning about the Orion capsule by training in the Orion mockup in NASA’s Space Vehicle Mockup Facility.

Jason is sitting next to me “playing” crew – he’s a friend and teammate whom I met years ago when I was International Space Station Lead Capcom for Expedition 63 and he was the Onboard Support Officer (OSO) for the same expedition.

Years later, I’m working on Artemis II as a backup crewmember while he is the Intravehicular Activity (IVA) Lead for the same mission. In other words, his focus is on the crew living, working, and surviving in spacecraft.

Cool to see our paths cross again years after working together to support the Space Station. Just one of the many folks on the ground who keep our space program moving!

https://twitter.com/Astro_Jenni/status/1732495929771528415

https://twitter.com/Astro_Jenni/status/1732495936859914409


Offline ddspaceman

Dr. Jenni Gibbons
@Astro_Jenni
That fresh-out-of-the-capsule feeling! I had a great time during my recent Orion egress training, as you can probably tell from this photo.

During these events, we practice getting out of the capsule as if we had just splashed down in the Pacific Ocean and need to get ourselves outside for any reason.

In this case, I’ve just egressed our Orion mockup through the docking hatch and am ready to slide down the side of the capsule into a life raft.

Part of our training on the ground involves every scenario to prepare for flight, from the nominal and expected to any other event that can occur from launch to splashdown and recovery.

https://twitter.com/Astro_Jenni/status/1733218138496381248

https://twitter.com/Astro_Jenni/status/1733218143831568407

Offline FutureSpaceTourist

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https://twitter.com/nasa_sls/status/1734313671952638449

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The Orion stage adapter has been flipped at @NASA_Marshall. Once attached to the diaphragm, it will act as a barrier to prevent gases during #Artemis II launch from entering @NASA_Orion. This is one of the last steps before delivery to @NASAKennedy. MORE:

https://www.nasa.gov/image-article/nasa-teams-prepare-moon-rocket-to-spacecraft-connector-for-assembly/

Quote
NASA Teams Prepare Moon Rocket-to-Spacecraft Connector for Assembly

Beth Ridgeway
Lee Mohon

DEC 11, 2023

The elements of the super-heavy lift SLS (Space Launch System) rocket for NASA’s Artemis II mission are undergoing final preparations before shipment to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida for stacking and pre-launch activities in 2024.

Teams at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, recently rotated the Orion stage adapter– a ring structure that connects NASA’s Orion spacecraft to the SLS rocket’s interim cryogenic propulsion stage (ICPS) – in preparation for the installation of its diaphragm. The installation Nov. 30 marks one of the final steps for the adapter before it is readied for shipment to Kennedy via NASA’s Super Guppy cargo aircraft.

“The diaphragm is a composite, dome-shaped structure that isolates the volume above the ICPS from that below Orion,” said Brent Gaddes, lead for the Orion stage adapter, in the Spacecraft/Payload Integration & Evolution Office for the SLS Program at Marshall. “It serves as a barrier between the two, preventing the highly flammable hydrogen gas that could escape the rocket’s propellant tanks from building up beneath the Orion spacecraft and its crew before and during launch.”

At five feet tall and weighing in at 1,800 pounds, the adapter is the smallest major element of the SLS rocket that will produce more than 8.8 million pounds of thrust to launch four Artemis astronauts inside Orion around the Moon. The adapter is fully manufactured by engineering teams at Marshall.

NASA is working to land the first woman and first person of color on the Moon under Artemis. SLS is part of NASA’s backbone for deep space exploration, along with Orion and the Gateway in orbit around the Moon, and commercial human landing systems. SLS is the only rocket that can send Orion, astronauts, and supplies to the Moon in a single launch.

For more on NASA SLS visit:

https://www.nasa.gov/sls



Photo caption:

Quote
Engineers at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center flip the Artemis II Orion stage adapter for installation of its diaphragm Nov. 30.
NASA/Sam Lott

Offline ddspaceman

NASA's Johnson Space Center
@NASA_Johnson
Sliding into the holidays like…

Recently, the Artemis II crew practiced how to safely get themselves out of @NASA_Orion post-splashdown, should there be an emergency reason they need to leave the capsule prior to the recovery team arriving.

https://twitter.com/NASA_Johnson/status/1736770415257591904

Offline FutureSpaceTourist

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https://flic.kr/p/2pnn6bW

Quote
NASA Kennedy
KSC-20231213-PH-FMX01_0024


Technicians with Exploration Ground Systems perform inspections of the Northrop Grumman-manufactured two aft exit cones on Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2023, inside the Rotation, Processing and Surge Facility (RPSF) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida before mating processes begin for the agency’s Artemis II mission. The aft exit cones are attached to the bottom piece of the two boosters, (seen here in these photos), which is called the aft segment, and the exit cones act like a battery pack to provide added thrust for the boosters while protecting the aft skirts from thermal environment during launch of the agency’s first crewed mission under Artemis that will test all of the Orion spacecraft systems. Photo credit: NASA/Frank Michaux

https://flic.kr/p/2pnn6uw

Quote
NASA Kennedy
KSC-20231213-PH-FMX01_0012


Technicians with Exploration Ground Systems perform inspections of the Northrop Grumman-manufactured two aft exit cones on Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2023, inside the Rotation, Processing and Surge Facility (RPSF) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida before mating processes begin for the agency’s Artemis II mission. The aft exit cones are attached to the bottom piece of the two boosters, (seen here in these photos), which is called the aft segment, and the exit cones act like a battery pack to provide added thrust for the boosters while protecting the aft skirts from thermal environment during launch of the agency’s first crewed mission under Artemis that will test all of the Orion spacecraft systems. Photo credit: NASA/Frank Michaux

https://flic.kr/p/2pnf7mN

Quote
NASA Kennedy
KSC-20231213-PH-FMX01_0008


Technicians with Exploration Ground Systems perform pre-mate inspections of the Northrop Grumman-manufactured right aft exit cone of the Artemis II Space Launch Systems solid rocket boosters on Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2023, inside the Rotation, Processing and Surge Facility (RPSF) at NASAâs Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Each of the two aft exit cones will be prepared for the agencyâs Artemis II flight and attach to the aft segments of the Space Launch Systems solid rocket boosters. The exit cones act like a battery pack to provide added thrust for the boosters while protecting the aft skirts from thermal environment during launch. Photo credit: NASA/Frank Michaux
« Last Edit: 12/18/2023 09:12 pm by FutureSpaceTourist »

Offline FutureSpaceTourist

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https://twitter.com/nasagroundsys/status/1737859922019357112

Quote
🎥🚀 Initial assembly of the @NASA_SLS rocket boosters for @NASAArtemis II has been underway inside the Rotation, Processing and Surge Facility at @NASAKennedy. Here, the 'aft exit cones' are attached to the bottom piece of the two boosters, or 'aft segments', to form the 'aft assemblies'.

The exit cones provide added thrust for the boosters during launch. Booster assembly will continue in this facility, before moving to the Vehicle Assembly Building for further rocket assembly.

LEARN MORE:

https://www.nasa.gov/image-article/artemis-ii-booster-surges-ahead-at-nasas-kennedy-space-center/

Quote
Artemis II Booster Surges Ahead at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center

Jamie Groh
DEC 08, 2023

Inside the Rotation, Processing and Surge Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, engineers and technicians process the right forward center segment of the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket on Nov. 28, 2023. The ongoing processing of the segments is the first step before stacking operations begin and the segments will form the twin solid rocket boosters for the SLS rocket that will power NASA’s Artemis II mission. After arriving via rail in September, the team has been inspecting each segment one-by-one and lifting them to a vertical position to ensure the solid propellant and segment are ready for integration and launch.

Once processing is complete for all 10 segments, they will be moved one at a time to the Vehicle Assembly Building for stacking atop the mobile launcher. Standing 17 stories tall and burning approximately six tons of propellant every second, each booster generates more thrust than 14 four-engine jumbo commercial airliners. Together, the twin boosters provide more than 75 percent of the total SLS thrust at launch.

The Artemis II mission will send four astronauts around the Moon as part of the agency’s effort to establish a long-term science and exploration presence at the Moon, and eventually Mars.

Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

Photo captions:

Quote
Engineers and technicians process the right forward center segment of the Space Launch System solid rocket boosters for the Artemis II mission inside the Rotation, Processing and Surge Facility (RPSF) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Tuesday, Nov. 27, 2023.

Quote
Engineers and technicians process and inspect the propellant of the right forward center segment of the Space Launch System solid rocket boosters for the Artemis II mission inside the Rotation, Processing and Surge Facility (RPSF) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Monday, Nov. 27, 2023.
« Last Edit: 12/21/2023 03:42 pm by FutureSpaceTourist »

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https://flic.kr/p/2pW8jKa

Quote
NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center
Artemis II Update


NASA will roll the fully assembled core stage for the agency’s SLS (Space Launch System) rocket that will launch the first crewed #Artemis mission out of NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans in mid-July. The 212-foot-tall stage will be loaded on the agency’s Pegasus barge for delivery to Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
 
Here, the core stage is currently behind scaffolding to allow work to continue at NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans. The stage’s two massive propellant tanks hold a collective 733,000 gallons of liquid propellant to power the four RS-25 engines at its base. Following hardware acceptance reviews and final checkouts, the stage will be readied for delivery.
 
Image credit: NASA/ Eric Bordelon

Offline StraumliBlight

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NASA Announces its Artemis II Backup Crew Member for Moon Mission

Quote
NASA has selected astronaut Andre Douglas as its backup crew member for the agency’s Artemis II test flight, the first crewed mission under NASA’s Artemis campaign.

Douglas will train alongside NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency (CSA) astronaut Jeremy Hansen.

In the event a NASA astronaut is unable to take part in the flight, Douglas would join the Artemis II crew.

“Andre’s educational background and extensive operational experience in his various jobs prior to joining NASA are clear evidence of his readiness to support this mission,” said Joe Acaba, chief astronaut at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. “He excelled in his astronaut candidate training and technical assignments, and we are confident he will continue to do so as NASA’s backup crew member for Artemis II.” 

The CSA announced Jenni Gibbons as its backup crew member in November 2023. Gibbons would step into the mission to represent Canada should Hansen not be available.

“Canada’s seat on the historic Artemis II flight is a direct result of our contribution of Canadarm3 to the lunar Gateway. Jenni Gibbons’ assignment as backup is of utmost importance for our country,” said CSA President Lisa Campbell. “Since being recruited, Jenni has distinguished herself repeatedly through her work with NASA and the CSA. She is also a tremendous role model for Canada’s future scientists, engineers, and explorers.”

The selection of Douglas and Gibbons as backup crew members for Artemis II is independent of the selection of crew members for Artemis III. NASA has not yet selected crew members for Artemis flights beyond Artemis II. All active NASA astronauts are eligible for assignment to any human spaceflight mission.
« Last Edit: 07/03/2024 03:22 pm by StraumliBlight »

Offline ddspaceman

NASA Artemis
@NASAArtemis
A flawless run with the @NASA_Orion flight computers and preparing for a happy Fourth of July — another busy week for the #Artemis II crew!

https://twitter.com/NASAArtemis/status/1808506574110920715

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Orion on the Rise

Quote
Technicians lift NASA’s Orion spacecraft out of the Final Assembly and System Testing cell on June 28, 2024. The integrated spacecraft, which will be used for the Artemis II mission to orbit the Moon, has been undergoing final rounds of testing and assembly, including end-to-end performance verification of its subsystems and checking for leaks in its propulsion systems.

A 30-ton crane returned Orion into the recently renovated altitude chamber where it underwent electromagnetic testing. The spacecraft now will undergo a series of tests that will subject it to a near-vacuum environment by removing air, thus creating a space where the pressure is extremely low. This results in no atmosphere, similar to the one the spacecraft will experience during future lunar missions. The data recorded during these tests will be used to qualify the spacecraft to safely fly the Artemis II astronauts through the harsh environment of space.

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NASA Moon Rocket Stage for Artemis II Moved, Prepped for Shipment

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NASA is preparing the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket core stage that will help power the first crewed mission of NASA’s Artemis campaign for shipment. On July 6, NASA and Boeing, the core stage lead contractor, moved the Artemis II rocket stage to another part of the agency’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans. The move comes as teams prepare to roll the massive rocket stage to the agency’s Pegasus barge for delivery to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida in mid-July.

Prior to the move, technicians began removing external access stands, or scaffolding, surrounding the rocket stage in early June. NASA and Boeing teams used the scaffolding surrounding the core stage to assess the interior elements, including its complex avionics and propulsion systems. The 212-foot core stage has two huge propellant tanks, avionics and flight computer systems, and four RS-25 engines, which together enable the stage to operate during launch and flight.


Offline ddspaceman

NASA Artemis
@NASAArtemis
Practicing their exercise routine aboard @NASA_Orion, studying lunar geology, and celebrating the Fourth of July — another full and exciting week for the #Artemis II crew!

https://twitter.com/NASAArtemis/status/1811148480540234119

Offline ddspaceman

NASA Artemis
@NASAArtemis
Cleaning up after Hurricane Beryl, learning about spacesuit testing for future #Artemis missions, and digging into the environmental control systems inside of @NASA_Orion — another week in the books for the Artemis II crew.

https://twitter.com/NASAArtemis/status/1812968477403025603

Offline catdlr

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NASA Ships Moon Rocket Stage Ahead of First Crewed Artemis Flight

https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-ships-moon-rocket-stage-ahead-of-first-crewed-artemis-flight/

Quote
Move teams with NASA and Boeing, the SLS (Space Launch System) core stage lead contractor, position the massive rocket stage for NASA’s SLS rocket on special transporters to strategically guide the flight hardware the 1.3-mile distance from the factory floor onto the agency’s Pegasus barge on July 16. The core stage will be ferried to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, where it will be integrated with other parts of the rocket that will power NASA’s Artemis II mission. Pegasus is maintained at NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility.
Credit: NASA
« Last Edit: 07/16/2024 10:02 pm by catdlr »
It's Tony De La Rosa, ...I don't create this stuff, I just report it.

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According to AIS data from marinetraffic.com and vesselfinder.com the tug Bosco (IMO: 8101654) departed the Michoud Slip at the end of Saturn Road this morning and headed east along the Gulf Intercoastal Waterway. She's now making the turn into Lake Borgne. Coast Guard Cutter Sawfish (MMSI 366999615) appears to be providing escort.

I have no proof this is related to Artemis II.

[EDIT: the tug Kaitlin Olivia (MMSI: 367005970) might have been a better guess.]

[EDIT 2: ??? Addison Faith (MMSI: 368177590) ???]

[EDIT 3: ??? Janice Roberts (MMSI: 367171930) ??? - this is chasing ghosts]
« Last Edit: 07/22/2024 01:50 am by sdsds »
— 𝐬𝐝𝐒𝐝𝐬 —

Offline catdlr

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It's Tony De La Rosa, ...I don't create this stuff, I just report it.

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NASA Announces its Artemis II Backup Crew Member for Moon Mission

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NASA has selected astronaut Andre Douglas as its backup crew member for the agency’s Artemis II test flight, the first crewed mission under NASA’s Artemis campaign.

Douglas will train alongside NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency (CSA) astronaut Jeremy Hansen.

In the event a NASA astronaut is unable to take part in the flight, Douglas would join the Artemis II crew.

“Andre’s educational background and extensive operational experience in his various jobs prior to joining NASA are clear evidence of his readiness to support this mission,” said Joe Acaba, chief astronaut at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. “He excelled in his astronaut candidate training and technical assignments, and we are confident he will continue to do so as NASA’s backup crew member for Artemis II.” 

The CSA announced Jenni Gibbons as its backup crew member in November 2023. Gibbons would step into the mission to represent Canada should Hansen not be available.

“Canada’s seat on the historic Artemis II flight is a direct result of our contribution of Canadarm3 to the lunar Gateway. Jenni Gibbons’ assignment as backup is of utmost importance for our country,” said CSA President Lisa Campbell. “Since being recruited, Jenni has distinguished herself repeatedly through her work with NASA and the CSA. She is also a tremendous role model for Canada’s future scientists, engineers, and explorers.”

The selection of Douglas and Gibbons as backup crew members for Artemis II is independent of the selection of crew members for Artemis III. NASA has not yet selected crew members for Artemis flights beyond Artemis II. All active NASA astronauts are eligible for assignment to any human spaceflight mission.

This leads me to believe Douglas will be assigned to Artemis 3. NASA has, during commercial crew at least, followed the convention (generally) of assigning the following mission's crew as the backup crew. NASA has also said Artemis 3 will put the first POC on the Moon, for which he would fit the bill.

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This leads me to believe Douglas will be assigned to Artemis 3. NASA has, during commercial crew at least, followed the convention (generally) of assigning the following mission's crew as the backup crew. NASA has also said Artemis 3 will put the first POC on the Moon, for which he would fit the bill.

Douglas has no first spaceflight experience.

Offline ddspaceman

NASA Artemis
@NASAArtemis
Rolling out the core stage of the @NASA_SLS rocket, rehearsing the pre-launch timeline, and celebrating the 55th anniversary of the #Apollo11 Moon landing — just another week in the life for the #Artemis II crew!

https://twitter.com/NASAArtemis/status/1815489875753197632

Offline ddspaceman

Jeremy R. Hansen
@Astro_Jeremy
Something you might not think of, but on the day of launch, the crew will be suited and strapped into our seats for hours prior to the countdown clock reaching T-0.

Under the watchful eye of @csa_asc flight surgeon Dr. Mike Greene, I spent over 5 hrs like this to understand what that would be like. Wasn’t as uncomfortable as I expected, which was reassuring!

https://twitter.com/Astro_Jeremy/status/1815492839817502834

Offline FutureSpaceTourist

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Later today:


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Offline FutureSpaceTourist

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NSF stream is live:

https://twitter.com/nasaspaceflight/status/1816097279108841794

Quote
SLS Core Stage for Artemis II rollout from Pegasus to the VAB.

Live commentary:
youtube.com/live/Mu-dvOOna…

Offline FutureSpaceTourist

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https://twitter.com/_mgde_/status/1816100990342316276

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Here comes big orange.

Our country’s first ride to the moon since 1972.

📸 - @NASASpaceflight

📺 - youtube.com/live/Mu-dvOOna…

Edit to add:

https://twitter.com/_mgde_/status/1816145443220312374

Quote
We are the Artemis generation.

Artemis II’s core stage has arrived to the Kennedy Space Center and has entered the VAB for preflight processing.

📸 - @NASASpaceflight

📺 - youtube.com/live/Mu-dvOOna…
« Last Edit: 07/24/2024 04:25 pm by FutureSpaceTourist »

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https://twitter.com/nasagroundsys/status/1816125829350404247

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A quick five-minute Florida sun shower appeared to cool off our Exploration Ground Systems teams as the @NASAArtemis II core stage makes its three-point turn to be in the proper configuration for entering the Vehicle Assembly Building. 🌦

https://twitter.com/nasagroundsys/status/1816136427647762938

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Core stage just crossed the street at @NASAKennedy. It is halfway to its final destination for today’s operation, the Vehicle Assembly Building.

Offline FutureSpaceTourist

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https://twitter.com/nasagroundsys/status/1816163374369055144

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That’s a wrap! 🎉

Core stage II is officially hard down in the Vehicle Assembly Building at @NASAKennedy, meaning it is no longer supported by the self-propelled modular transporters, and is fully resting on the skid beams. This concludes offload and transport operations!

Offline catdlr

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It's Tony De La Rosa, ...I don't create this stuff, I just report it.

Offline catdlr

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NASA Invites Media to Watch Artemis II Rocket Adapter Roll Out

Quote
To mark progress toward the first crewed flight test around the Moon in more than 50 years for the benefit of humanity, NASA will welcome media Wednesday, Aug. 21, to see a key adapter for the agency’s SLS (Space Launch System) rocket at its Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama.

The cone-shaped launch vehicle stage adapter connects the rocket’s core stage to the upper stage and helps protect the upper stage’s engine that will help propel the Artemis II mission around the Moon. The event includes seeing the adapter on the move as it prepares for shipment to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Media will have the opportunity to capture images and video and speak to subject matter experts as crews move the adapter out of NASA Marshall’s Building 4708 to the agency’s Pegasus barge. The barge will ferry the adapter first to NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility, where it will pick up additional SLS hardware for future Artemis missions, and then travel to NASA Kennedy. In Florida, teams with NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems will prepare the adapter for stacking and launch.

This event is open to U.S. media, who must RSVP by 5 p.m. CDT on Monday, Aug. 19, to Jonathan Deal at [email protected]. Additional details about timing and other details for the event are forthcoming to registered media.

Manufactured by prime contractor Teledyne Brown Engineering and the Jacobs Space Exploration Group’s ESSCA contract using NASA Marshall’s self-reacting friction-stir robotic and vertical weld tools, the launch vehicle stage adapter is the largest SLS component for Artemis II that is made at the center.

Through the Artemis campaign, NASA will land the first woman, first person of color, and its first international partner astronaut on the Moon. The rocket is part of NASA’s deep space exploration plans, along with the Orion spacecraft, supporting ground systems, advanced spacesuits and rovers, Gateway in orbit around the Moon, and commercial human landing systems. NASA’s SLS is the only rocket that can send Orion, astronauts, and supplies to the Moon in a single launch.

For more on SLS, visit:

https://www.nasa.gov/sls

–end–
It's Tony De La Rosa, ...I don't create this stuff, I just report it.

Offline FutureSpaceTourist

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https://twitter.com/nasa_marshall/status/1825654032754491733

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Sneak peek 👀

The @NASA_SLS launch vehicle stage adapter for #Artemis II is preparing to make its way from #NASAMarshall to @NASAKennedy via the agency's Pegasus barge. The adapter will connect the rocket’s core stage to the upper stage and help protect the upper stage’s engine.

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A reminder that this is the Artemis II thread for the SLS LV. Anything thing else Artemis II related should be in the main Artemis II thread:

https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=58223.0

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Re: Artemis II (EM-2) SLS UPDATES
« Reply #125 on: 08/22/2024 07:11 am »
https://twitter.com/nasa_sls/status/1826408431105998934

Quote
All aboard!⛴️

A key adapter for @NASAArtemis II is officially on board the agency's Pegasus barge and will soon depart @NASA_Marshall for @NASAKennedy.

One step closer to sending astronauts back to the Moon!

Watch more here: https://go.nasa.gov/4cxT05H

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Re: Artemis II (EM-2) SLS UPDATES
« Reply #126 on: 08/26/2024 06:54 pm »
It's Tony De La Rosa, ...I don't create this stuff, I just report it.

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Re: Artemis II (EM-2) SLS UPDATES
« Reply #127 on: 08/27/2024 06:35 am »
Philip Sloss Update:

More Artemis II, III hardware shipments to end the summer



Quote
Aug 25, 2024
More Artemis II and Artemis III hardware is on the way to the Kennedy Space Center in Florida where it will eventually launch, but the questions about how preparations are going and outstanding issues remain unresolved.  The SLS Launch Vehicle Stage Adapter for Artemis II and the Orion European Service Module for Artemis III are traveling by sea and should arrive at KSC in September.

But when the next milestones in preparation for those two missions might occur are to be announced.  This video runs through the hardware, the deliveries, and the questions that remain swirling about Artemis II and III.

The potential for more delays to Artemis III led NASA to plan to extend the LVSA support contract through the rest of the decade if it comes to that, and I consider what that might mean here, too.

Imagery is courtesy of NASA, except where noted.

Stephen Clark's story for Ars Technica:
https://arstechnica.com/space/2024/08/nasa-wants-clarity-on-orion-heat-shield-issue-before-stacking-artemis-ii-rocket/


Jeff Foust's story for Space News:
https://spacenews.com/sls-contract-extension-hints-at-additional-artemis-delays/



00:00 Intro
00:59 Artemis II LVSA begins shipment to KSC for launch
05:13 Artemis II VAB preps continue...
08:15 ...but SLS stacking schedule for Artemis II remains uncertain
11:51 ESM-3 begins its shipment to KSC from Germany
15:38 LVSA contract extension would enable support the rest of the decade
20:14 Thanks for watching!
« Last Edit: 09/03/2024 01:21 am by catdlr »
It's Tony De La Rosa, ...I don't create this stuff, I just report it.

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Re: Artemis II (EM-2) SLS UPDATES
« Reply #128 on: 08/31/2024 06:17 am »
Canadian Space Agency
@csa_asc
.@astro_Jeremy and his Artemis II crewmates, including Canadian backup @astro_Jenni and NASA backup @astro_AndreD, embarked on a lunar geology training adventure in Iceland. 🌋

Discover how this prepares them for the Moon!
https://asc-csa.gc.ca/eng/news/articles/2024/2024-08-22-artemis-ii-crew-refines-lunar-geology-skills-in-iceland.asp

Photo: NASA/Robert Markowitz

https://twitter.com/csa_asc/status/1829588379232551070

Offline catdlr

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Re: Artemis II (EM-2) SLS UPDATES
« Reply #129 on: 09/03/2024 01:20 am »
Philip Sloss Update:

NASA EGS updates Artemis II status and schedules and OIG audits Mobile Launcher-2 again

Quote
Sep 1, 2024
There's a lot of Artemis news to cover in this video, starting with an update from the NASA Exploration Ground Systems program on Artemis II status and schedules.  Leadership for the NASA Exploration directorate briefed the NASA Advisory Council that same morning with more context about upcoming Artemis II decisions that need to be made on heatshield options and vehicle stacking.

And we're seeing progress and milestones for Artemis II, III, and IV at the same time that the Inspector General for the space agency reports on issues they found with the Mobile Launcher-2 project.  So that's more of the mixed messaging: the OIG report details cost and schedule overruns for the ML that will enter service beginning with Artemis IV simultaneously with completion of Orion and SLS flight subassemblies that are currently "out for delivery."

We'll be digesting the new information and context over the next few weeks, but we'll start here.

Imagery is courtesy of NASA, except where noted.

00:00 Intro
00:38 EGS senior manager Cliff Lanham talks to the podcast about Artemis II status
02:08 Mobile Launcher-1 emergency egress system testing update
03:11 Status of other ML-Pad 39B verification and validation testing
06:36 Readiness of Artemis II SLS Boosters for stacking
07:38 Artemis II ICPS status
10:13 Readiness of SLS Core Stage for Artemis II stacking
14:20 Timing of NASA decision on when to start Artemis II stacking
17:48 Artemis II takeaways from NASA Exploration public report in NASA Advisory Council meeting
21:31 OIG reports on Mobile Launcher-2 cost and schedule compliance issues
26:19 News and notes, VAB High Bay 2, SLS triple delivery pickup in New Orleans
29:50 Thanks for watching!

« Last Edit: 09/03/2024 01:20 am by catdlr »
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Re: Artemis II (EM-2) SLS UPDATES
« Reply #130 on: 09/05/2024 02:30 pm »
https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/1831692788477374613

Quote
Pegasus Barge arriving into the KSC turn basin with hardware for three SLS missions: Stage Adapter for Artemis II. Boat-tail for Artemis III. Core stage engine section for Artemis IV

http://nsf.live/spacecoast
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It's Tony De La Rosa, ...I don't create this stuff, I just report it.

Offline catdlr

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It's Tony De La Rosa, ...I don't create this stuff, I just report it.

Offline catdlr

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Re: Artemis II (EM-2) SLS UPDATES
« Reply #133 on: 09/08/2024 11:46 am »
Philip Sloss Update:

What do these Orion and SLS hardware deliveries say about Artemis II, III launch dates?

Quote

Sep 8, 2024
The arrival this past week of new Orion and SLS flight hardware at Kennedy Space Center for Artemis II, III, and IV is a reminder of the uncertain launch schedule.  This video covers those deliveries, of the Artemis II SLS Launch Vehicle Stage Adapter, Artemis II Orion European Service Module, and SLS Core Stage engine section hardware for Artemis III and IV.

Artemis II is scheduled for launch only one year from this month, and most of the SLS hardware for Artemis II is now in and around the Vehicle Assembly Building.  In this video, we also cover plans and preparations for the launch campaign in the second part of an interview with Exploration Ground Systems senior vehicle operations manager Cliff Lanham.

Meanwhile, the next milestones for that newly-delivery hardware are known in general, but when those and other Artemis III milestones will happen is harder to see.  We go over the cloudy forecast and other Artemis III takeaways from the late August NASA Advisory Council meeting here, too.

Imagery is courtesy of NASA, except where noted.

00:00 Intro
02:13 A week of Orion and SLS flight hardware deliveries to KSC
03:00 ESM-3 arrives in Orion final assembly at KSC
04:21 Core Stage engine section hardware packaged for shipment at MAF
06:45 Offloading SLS triple shipment from Pegasus at KSC
09:12 EGS senior manager Cliff Lanham talks to the podcast about Artemis II launch plans
10:13 Improving launch availability with contingency pad access capability
18:36 Artemis II pad flow from rollout to launch
20:35 Integrating the astronaut crew ingress of Orion into the launch countdown
24:05 Artemis III takeaways from NASA Exploration public report in NASA Advisory Council meeting
25:12 "At least" one uncrewed HLS lunar landing demonstration?
25:53 Outlook for the future remains cloudy only two years from Artemis III launch date
27:55 Thanks for watching!
Chapters

It's Tony De La Rosa, ...I don't create this stuff, I just report it.

Offline ddspaceman

Re: Artemis II (EM-2) SLS UPDATES
« Reply #134 on: 09/10/2024 11:13 pm »
NASA Artemis
@NASAArtemis
Opening and closing the hatch on @NASA_Orion … a little more complicated than your front door at home!

@Astro_Reid spent last week learning about the engineering behind the hatch that will stand between the #Artemis II astronauts and deep space.

https://twitter.com/NASAArtemis/status/1833612117858996584

Offline ddspaceman

Re: Artemis II (EM-2) SLS UPDATES
« Reply #135 on: 09/13/2024 05:34 pm »
NASA Astromaterials
@Astromaterials
It’s giving … Moon. 🌑

Iceland’s stark landscape has served as a training ground for @NASA_Astronauts since Apollo. Now, the Artemis II crew have joined that long history. Read about their geology field training on the Nordic island: https://go.nasa.gov/4d8bgmD

https://science.nasa.gov/missions/artemis/nasas-artemis-ii-crew-uses-iceland-terrain-for-lunar-training/

https://twitter.com/Astromaterials/status/1834641048011784351

Offline catdlr

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Re: Artemis II (EM-2) SLS UPDATES
« Reply #136 on: 09/15/2024 12:05 pm »
Phillip Sloss Report:

Artemis hardware assembly continues; how will SpaceX's environmental policy impact schedules?

Quote

Sep 15, 2024
The wait for NASA's decision on the Orion heatshield continues and that will have a big impact on what comes next for Artemis II and III, but now there's another question for Artemis III, which is how big an effect will SpaceX's stance on the environment around their Texas launch site for Starship be for NASA's Exploration plans.

This video covers that, the post-delivery activity on the Orion and SLS hardware at Kennedy Space Center, and more on Exploration Ground Systems readiness and plans to stack SLS for Artemis II.

Imagery is courtesy of NASA, except where noted.

00:00 Intro
01:44 Next milestones for the recently delivered Artemis II, III, and IV hardware at KSC
06:45 EGS senior manager Cliff Lanham talks to the podcast about Artemis II launch plans
20:24 Another look at the Artemis II SLS Core Stage provided by NASA Admin Bill Nelson
21:27 Starship IFT-5 delayed by environmental impact reviews
24:52 Artemis II alternatives to consider if no NASA decision is forthcoming
26:03 Thanks for watching!


It's Tony De La Rosa, ...I don't create this stuff, I just report it.

Offline ddspaceman

Re: Artemis II (EM-2) SLS UPDATES
« Reply #137 on: 09/17/2024 08:01 pm »
NASA Artemis
@NASAArtemis
“For the benefit of all.”

Last week, @Astro_Reid and the rest of the #Artemis II crew visited the @NASAGlenn team that integrates @NASA_Orion with the European Service Module — which provides power and propulsion to the spacecraft.

https://twitter.com/NASAArtemis/status/1836127966528491995

Offline ddspaceman

Re: Artemis II (EM-2) SLS UPDATES
« Reply #138 on: 09/20/2024 09:16 pm »
Jeremy R. Hansen
@Astro_Jeremy
Fun and valuable sim today with the launch team to practice Orion ingress procedures as well as how we will emergency egress if required on the pad. @Astro_Jenni and @Astro_AndreD were part of the team strapping us into our seats.

Andre Douglas
@Astro_AndreD
Good times today @Astro_Jeremy 🙌

https://twitter.com/Astro_AndreD/status/1837221447946621210

Offline catdlr

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Re: Artemis II (EM-2) SLS UPDATES
« Reply #139 on: 09/29/2024 12:24 pm »
Cross-Post

Phillip Sloss Report Artemis Quartly Report

NASA Artemis II, III, IV Quarterly Update #3
It's Tony De La Rosa, ...I don't create this stuff, I just report it.

Offline catdlr

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Re: Artemis II (EM-2) SLS UPDATES
« Reply #140 on: 10/06/2024 04:43 pm »
Cross-Post:  Phillip Sloss reports on the Artemis II activities.

https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=58212.msg2630294#msg2630294
It's Tony De La Rosa, ...I don't create this stuff, I just report it.

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