Dan BurbankVerified account @AstroCoastie 8h8 hours agoA view from the VAB roof of the giant Mobile Launcher for the @NASA_SLS rocket that will carry @NASA_Orion to space.
Stephen C. Smith @SpaceKSCBlog 20h20 hours agoOn the road again ... The upgraded crawler out for a test drive at @NASAKennedy .
NASA Kennedy / KSC Verified account @NASAKennedy 4m4 minutes agoCrawler on the move! Crawler Transporter-2 has recently been upgraded with new equipment for transporting the new #SLS rocket. @NASA_SLS
Article about Starliner EES, but includes a SLS 39B EES update....the massive crane:https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2017/04/slc-41-completes-ees-starliner-missions/
All 16 booster separation motors for 1st flight of @NASA_SLS have been received @NASA_Kennedy to be installed on aft skirt or fwd assembly!
We're almost finished casting boosters for @NASA_SLS first flight! Get an inside look at the process in this timelapse of yesterday’s cast
NASA OIG: Construction of Test Stands 4693 and 4697 at Marshall Space Flight Center
...NASA spent approximately $76 million to build the two test stands.We initiated this review to assess NASA's acquisition approach for the test stands; the cost, schedule, and performance of the construction project; the justification for placing the stands at Marshall; and plans for future use of the stands. We reviewed Federal and NASA policies, regulations, and plans; interviewed officials from NASA and Army Corps of Engineers; and reviewed contract documentation and various Agency studies concerning planning and construction of the test stands.WHAT WE FOUNDIn an attempt to meet a 2017 launch date for the SLS, NASA expedited construction of the test stands and paid the contractor a premium of approximately $7.6 million to complete construction on a compressed timetable. Moreover, because the stand designs were based on preliminary testing specifications, the requirements and testing capabilities that would be needed were not fully understood when the construction contract was awarded. As the testing requirements matured, NASA modified the contract to meet changing requirements, added additional features, and made other modifications that raised the contract price by $20.3 million. In addition, NASA did not establish adequate funding reserves to cover these changes and therefore had to secure $35.5 million in additional funding over the planned budget. Finally, because NASA did not adequately consider alternative locations before selecting Marshall as the site for the test stands, it cannot ensure it made the most cost-effective decision regarding where to build the stands.
Orbital ATKVerified account @OrbitalATK 46s47 seconds agoBooster casting for the first @NASA_SLS mission is complete! Here, the final segment is transferred from casting pits at our Utah facility