Jump to content

Artemis II Astronauts View SLS Core Stage at Michoud


NASA

Recommended Posts

  • Publishers
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.
NASA / Michael DeMocker

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 SLS core stage, towering at 212 feet, is the backbone of the Moon rocket and includes two massive propellant tanks that collectively hold 733,000 gallons of propellant to help power the stage’s four RS-25 engines. NASA, Boeing, the core stage lead contractor, along with Aerojet Rocketdyne, an L3Harris Technologies company and the RS-25 engines lead contractor, are in the midst of conducting final integrated testing on the fully assembled rocket stage. At launch and during ascent to space, the Artemis astronauts inside NASA’s Orion spacecraft will feel the power of the rocket’s four RS-25 engines producing more than 2 million pounds of thrust for a full eight minutes. The mega rocket’s twin solid rocket boosters, which flank either side of the core stage, will each add an additional 3.6 million pounds of thrust for two minutes.

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.
NASA / Michael DeMocker

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.

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.

News Media Contact

Corinne Beckinger
Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Ala.
256.544.0034
corinne.m.beckinger@nasa.gov

View the full article

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Similar Topics

    • By NASA
      2 min read
      Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater)
      NASA completed a full duration, 650-second hot fire of the RS-25 certification engine Nov. 29, continuing a critical test series to support future SLS (Space Launch System) missions to deep space as NASA explores the secrets of the universe for the benefit of all. Danny Nowlin NASA completed a full duration, 650-second hot fire of the RS-25 certification engine Nov. 29, continuing a critical test series to support future SLS (Space Launch System) missions to deep space as NASA explores the secrets of the universe for the benefit of all. Danny Nowlin NASA completed a full duration, 650-second hot fire of the RS-25 certification engine Nov. 29, continuing a critical test series to support future SLS (Space Launch System) missions to deep space as NASA explores the secrets of the universe for the benefit of all. Danny Nowlin NASA conducted the third RS-25 engine hot fire in a critical 12-test certification series Nov. 29, demonstrating a key capability necessary for flight of the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket during Artemis missions to the Moon and beyond.
      NASA is conducting the series of tests to certify new manufacturing processes for producing RS-25 engines for future deep space missions, beginning with Artemis V. Aerojet Rocketdyne, an L3Harris Technologies Company and lead engines contractor for the SLS rocket, is incorporating new manufacturing techniques and processes, such as 3D printing, in production of new RS-25 engines.
      Crews gimbaled, or pivoted, the RS-25 engine around a central point during the almost 11-minute (650 seconds) hot fire on the Fred Haise Test Stand at NASA’s Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. The gimbaling technique is used to control and stabilize SLS as it reaches orbit.
      During the Nov. 29 test, operators also pushed the engine beyond any parameters it might experience during flight to provide a margin of operational safety. The 650-second test exceeded the 500 seconds RS-25 engines must operate to help power SLS to space. The RS-25 engine also was fired to 113% power level, exceeding the 111% level needed to lift SLS to orbit.
      The ongoing series will stretch into 2024 as NASA continues its mission to return humans to the lunar surface to establish a long-term presence for scientific discovery and to prepare for human missions to Mars.
      Four RS-25 engines fire simultaneously to generate a combined 1.6 million pounds of thrust at launch and 2 million pounds of thrust during ascent to help power each SLS flight. NASA and Aerojet Rocketdyne modified 16 holdover space shuttle main engines, all proven flightworthy at NASA Stennis, for Artemis missions I through IV.
      Every new RS-25 engine that will help power SLS also will be tested at NASA Stennis. RS-25 tests at the site are conducted by a combined team of NASA, Aerojet Rocketdyne, and Syncom Space Services operators. Syncom Space Services is the prime contractor for Stennis facilities and operations.
      Social Media
      Stay connected with the mission on social media, and let people know you’re following it on X, Facebook, and Instagram using the hashtags #Artemis, #NASAStennis, #SLS. Follow and tag these accounts:
      Facebook logo @NASAStennis @NASAStennis Instagram logo @NASAStennis Share
      Details
      Last Updated Nov 29, 2023 EditorNASA Stennis CommunicationsContactC. Lacy Thompsoncalvin.l.thompson@nasa.gov / (228) 688-3333LocationStennis Space Center Related Terms
      Stennis Space Center Explore More
      3 min read NASA to Highlight Inclusion During Bayou Classic Event 
      Article 1 week ago 9 min read Lagniappe
      Article 2 weeks ago 2 min read NASA Conducts 1st Hot Fire of New RS-25 Certification Test Series
      Article 1 month ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics from NASA Stennis
      Doing Business with NASA Stennis
      About NASA Stennis
      Visit NASA Stennis
      NASA Stennis Media Resources
      View the full article
    • By NASA
      NASA/Charles Beason Artemis II NASA astronauts Victor Glover, Reid Wiseman, and Christina Koch of NASA, and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen signed the Orion stage adapter for the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, Nov. 27. The hardware is the topmost portion of the SLS rocket that they will launch atop during Artemis II when the four astronauts inside NASA’s Orion spacecraft will venture around the Moon.

      From left, Artemis II astronauts Jeremy Hansen, Christina Koch, Victor Glover, and Reid Wiseman sign the SLS Orion stage adapter for the Artemis II mission during their visit to NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, Nov. 27.
      Image credits: NASA/Charles Beason
      The Orion stage adapter is a small ring structure that connects NASA’s Orion spacecraft to the SLS rocket’s interim cryogenic propulsion stage and fully manufactured at Marshall. At five feet tall and weighing 1,800 pounds, the adapter is the smallest major element of the SLS rocket. During Artemis II, the adapter’s diaphragm will serve as a barrier to prevent gases created during launch from entering the spacecraft.
      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. Through Artemis, NASA will explore more of the lunar surface than ever before and prepare for the next giant leap: sending astronauts to Mars.
      For more on NASA SLS visit:
      https://www.nasa.gov/sls
      News Media Contact
      Corinne Beckinger
      Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Ala.
      256.544.0034
      corinne.m.beckinger@nasa.gov
      View the full article
    • By NASA
      Artemis II Astronauts Check Out Some Flight Hardware on This Week @NASA – November 24, 2023
    • By NASA
      This article is for students grades 5-8.
      Artemis is NASA’s new lunar exploration program, which includes sending the first woman and first person of color on the Moon. Through the Artemis missions, NASA will use new technology to study the Moon in new and better ways, and prepare for human missions to Mars.
      Why Is This Program Called Artemis?
      The first missions to take astronauts to the Moon were called the Apollo Program. In 1961, President John F. Kennedy challenged the nation to land astronauts on the Moon by the end of the decade. NASA met that challenge with the Apollo program, landing the first man on the Moon on July 20, 1969. That program was named after a god of Greek mythology, Apollo.
      Artemis was Apollo’s twin sister and the goddess of the Moon in Greek mythology. When they land, Artemis astronauts will stand where no human has ever stood: the Moon’s South Pole.
      What Spacecraft Will Be Used for the Artemis Program?
      NASA’s new rocket is the Space Launch System (SLS). It is the most powerful rocket ever in the world. SLS will carry the Orion spacecraft with up to four astronauts riding aboard to lunar orbit. Then, astronauts will dock Orion at a small spaceship called the Gateway. This is where astronauts will prepare for missions to the Moon and beyond. The crew will take trips from the Gateway to the lunar surface in a new human landing system, and then return to the Gateway. When their work is finished, the crew will return to Earth aboard Orion.
      When Will Artemis Go to the Moon?
      Before Apollo put the first human on the Moon, the first Apollo missions launched to test the rocket and equipment. Before Artemis carries a crew to the Moon, NASA will test the rocket and spacecraft in flight then send a crew for a test flight:
      Artemis 1 will be a test flight of the SLS rocket with the Orion spacecraft with no crew. Artemis 2 will fly SLS and Orion with a crew past the Moon, then circle it and return to Earth. This trip will be the farthest any human has gone into space. Artemis 3 will send a crew with the first woman and the next man to land on the Moon. What Will Artemis Astronauts Do on the Moon?
      The Artemis 3 crew will visit the Moon’s South Pole. No one has ever been there. At the Moon, astronauts will:
      Search for the Moon’s water and use it. Study the Moon to discover its mysteries. Learn how to live and work on the surface of another celestial body where astronauts are just three days from home. Test the technologies we need before sending astronauts on missions to Mars, which can take up to three years roundtrip. Artemis will light our way to Mars. The new Artemis identity draws bold inspiration from the Apollo program and forges its own path, showing how it will pursue lunar exploration like never before and pave the way to Mars. Why Is the Artemis Program Important?
      The Moon is a good place to learn new science. When astronauts study new places on the lunar surface, NASA will learn more about the Moon, Earth and even the Sun. The Moon is a “test bed” for Mars. A test bed is a place to prove that a technology or idea will work. The Moon is a place to demonstrate that astronauts will one day be able to work away from Earth on Mars for long periods of time.
      The first missions to the Moon required NASA to develop new technology. Many of those technologies have been made into items people use on Earth in their everyday lives. NASA is working with businesses and companies to create new technology for Artemis missions. Making new technology helps businesses grow and create more jobs on Earth. Other nations will work with NASA as partners. Just as partners work together on the International Space Station, they will work on Artemis to bring the world together for a mission to Earth’s nearest neighbor in space.
       
      More About Artemis
      Puzzle Book
      Poster: SLS: Meet the Rocket
      Pencil and Paper Puzzles: Orion Activities and Coloring Sheets For Kids
      Video: Rocket Science in 60 Seconds: What Is the Space Launch System?
      Video: We Are Going
      Article: What Is the Space Launch System?
      Article: What Is Orion?
      Article: What Was the Apollo Program?
      Article: What Is the International Space Station?
       
      Read What Is the Artemis Program? (Grades K-4)
      Explore More For Students Grades 5-8 View the full article
    • By NASA
      This article is for students grades K-4.
      Artemis is a new NASA program to explore the Moon. These missions will land the first woman and first person of color on the Moon. With the Artemis program, NASA will study the Moon in new and better ways.
      Why Is This Program Called Artemis?
      The first astronauts landed on the Moon in 1969. The missions were called Apollo. The name Apollo came from stories told by Greek people long ago. In the stories, Apollo was a god.
      Apollo had a twin sister. Her name was Artemis. She was the goddess of the Moon in the Greek stories. The first crew will land on the Moon’s South Pole.
      What Spacecraft Will Be Used for the Artemis Program?
      NASA has a new rocket. It is the Space Launch System. It is called SLS for short. It is the most powerful rocket in the world. SLS will carry the Orion spacecraft on top. Orion can carry up to four astronauts. Orion will fly around, or orbit, the Moon. A spaceship will be orbiting the Moon like the Moon orbits Earth. The spaceship will be called the Gateway. Orion will connect to the Gateway. Astronauts will go from Orion to the Gateway. This is where astronauts will live as they orbit the Moon. The crew will take trips in spacecraft called landers to get to work on the surface of the Moon. Then they will return to Gateway. When all of their work is finished, the crew will return to Earth aboard Orion.
      When Will Artemis Go to the Moon?
      The first Apollo missions were tests. NASA launched the rocket to be sure it was safe for people and work as planned. Artemis will be tested first, too:
      Artemis 1 will launch SLS and Orion with no astronauts. Artemis 2 will have a crew. They will circle past the Moon and return to Earth. Artemis 3 will send a crew with the first woman and the next man to land on the Moon. What Will Artemis Astronauts Do on the Moon?
      The Artemis 3 crew will visit the Moon’s South Pole. No one has ever been there. At the Moon, astronauts will:
      Search for the Moon’s water and use it. Study the Moon to discover its mysteries. Learn how to live and work on a different planet or moon from Earth. Test the new tools NASA will need before sending astronauts on missions to Mars. A mission to Mars will take up to three years from Earth and back. Why Is the Artemis Program Important?
      The Moon is a good place to learn new science. NASA will learn more about the Moon, Earth and even the Sun. The Moon is also a place to learn how astronauts can one day live and work on Mars.
      The Artemis missions will need new tools. Many companies will make these new tools that NASA will use. This will mean new jobs and new businesses that are good for people and companies on Earth. Other countries will be NASA’s partners for the new Moon missions. They will work on Artemis to bring the world together for a mission to Earth’s nearest neighbor in space.
       
      More About Artemis
      Puzzle Book
      Pencil and Paper Puzzles: Orion Activities and Coloring Sheets For Kids
      Space Launch System Coloring Book (PDF)
      Story: What Is the Space Launch System?
      Story: What Is Orion?
      Story: What Was the Apollo Program?
       
      Read What Is the Artemis Program? (Grades 5-8)
      Explore More For Students Grades K-4 View the full article
  • Check out these Videos

×
×
  • Create New...