Graphic in video hides the true performance of Saturn V and SLS by saying they both have payloads "greater than 40 tons". For crewed versions, Saturn V had a TLI mass of 46.8 t [1] compared to SLS Block IB with 39.1 t [2].[1] R. W. Orloff and D. M. Harland, "Apollo: The definitive sourcebook," Springer-Praxix Publishing, Chichester, UK, 2006.[2] B. Donahue and S. Sigmon, "The Space Launch System capabilities with a new large upper stage," AIAA Space Conf. and Exhib., San Diego, CA, USA, Sep. 2013.
The @NASA_Orion space capsule for #Artemis III is already in work. This large aluminum alloy cone panel is one of three segments that make up the upper half of the pressure vessel capsule of the spacecraft. @AMROFAB
Parts of Orion's #Artemis III crew module which will carry the first woman and next man to land on the Moon are taking shape at AMRO Fabricating Corp. in California and Ingersoll Machine Tools Inc. in Illinois.
The first element machined for the Artemis III Orion crew module – a cone panel with openings for windows which will provide that spectacular view – was designed by Orion’s lead contractor, Lockheed Martin, and manufactured by AMRO Fabricating Corp., of South El Monte, California. The completed panel is on its way to NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility near New Orleans, Louisiana, where engineers will weld it with other panels as part of Orion’s pressure vessel.
It’s arrived! 🤩The first piece of @NASA_Orion’s pressure vessel for #Artemis III has arrived to #NASAMichoud, where it will be welded to the underlying structure. We are one step closer to landing the first woman and the next man on the Moon by 2024:
First Piece of Artemis III Orion Delivered to NASAThe first piece of the Orion spacecraft’s pressure vessel for Artemis III – the mission that will land the first woman and next man on the Moon in 2024 – has arrived at NASA. The cone panel that will house the windows astronauts will use to view the Moon was designed by Orion’s lead contractor, Lockheed Martin, and manufactured by AMRO Fabricating Corp., of South El Monte, California. It arrived at NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans on Aug. 21. In the coming months, the other six elements of the pressure vessel will arrive at Michoud where they will be welded together to build the underlying structure of Orion. The pressure vessel is Orion’s primary structure that holds the pressurized atmosphere astronauts will breathe and work in while in the vacuum of deep space. Orion, the Space Launch System, and Exploration Ground Systems programs are foundational elements of the Artemis program, beginning with Artemis I, the first integrated flight test of Orion and SLS next year. Artemis II will follow as the first crewed mission, taking humans farther into space than ever before.
The composite shell of the heat shield that will be used on the Orion spacecraft flying the Artemis 3 mission, nearing completion at Lockheed Martin.