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!
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–
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.
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
Aug 25, 2024More 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 Intro00:59 Artemis II LVSA begins shipment to KSC for launch05:13 Artemis II VAB preps continue...08:15 ...but SLS stacking schedule for Artemis II remains uncertain11:51 ESM-3 begins its shipment to KSC from Germany15:38 LVSA contract extension would enable support the rest of the decade20:14 Thanks for watching!
Sep 1, 2024There'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 Intro00:38 EGS senior manager Cliff Lanham talks to the podcast about Artemis II status02:08 Mobile Launcher-1 emergency egress system testing update03:11 Status of other ML-Pad 39B verification and validation testing06:36 Readiness of Artemis II SLS Boosters for stacking07:38 Artemis II ICPS status10:13 Readiness of SLS Core Stage for Artemis II stacking14:20 Timing of NASA decision on when to start Artemis II stacking17:48 Artemis II takeaways from NASA Exploration public report in NASA Advisory Council meeting21:31 OIG reports on Mobile Launcher-2 cost and schedule compliance issues26:19 News and notes, VAB High Bay 2, SLS triple delivery pickup in New Orleans29:50 Thanks for watching!
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 IVhttp://nsf.live/spacecoast
Sep 8, 2024The 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 Intro02:13 A week of Orion and SLS flight hardware deliveries to KSC03:00 ESM-3 arrives in Orion final assembly at KSC04:21 Core Stage engine section hardware packaged for shipment at MAF06:45 Offloading SLS triple shipment from Pegasus at KSC09:12 EGS senior manager Cliff Lanham talks to the podcast about Artemis II launch plans10:13 Improving launch availability with contingency pad access capability18:36 Artemis II pad flow from rollout to launch20:35 Integrating the astronaut crew ingress of Orion into the launch countdown24:05 Artemis III takeaways from NASA Exploration public report in NASA Advisory Council meeting25:12 "At least" one uncrewed HLS lunar landing demonstration?25:53 Outlook for the future remains cloudy only two years from Artemis III launch date27:55 Thanks for watching!Chapters
