On December 10, 2024, NASA made progress in preparing the SLS rocket, after placing its central stage in a vertical position inside High Bay 2 at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. This advance of the Artemis II mission aims to send astronauts on a test flight around the Moon.
SLS rocket preparations for the Artemis II mission
The SLS core stage arrived at Kennedy Space Center on July 23, 2024, where it was initially stored horizontally. Its subsequent move to High Bay 2 allowed NASA and Boeing technicians to access it from all angles, both internally and externally.
This arrangement facilitates integration and final work on the rocket assembly phase. It also frees up space in the transfer aisle, allowing the teams to continue with the integration of the solid fuel boosters in High Bay 3.
High Bay 2 has witnessed important events in the history of space flight. During the Apollo program, it was used for the assembly of the Saturn V, the rocket that took man to the Moon. Later, during the Space Shuttle program, this facility housed external tank checkout and storage, as well as serving as a contingency area for the shuttle.
Now, the SLS core stage is ready to move forward in its integration process, a crucial step toward the launch of Artemis II, the first crewed mission in the Artemis program. This mission will send NASA astronauts Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Reid Wiseman, along with CSA astronaut Jeremy Hansen, on a 10-day flight that will take them around the Moon.
This test flight will be critical to evaluating the capabilities of the SLS rocket, as well as preparing astronauts for future lunar exploration missions. With the launch of Artemis II, NASA is moving one step closer to its goal of landing a crewed mission on the Moon as part of the Artemis program, which aims to establish a long-term, sustainable presence on the Moon.
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Source and photo: NASA
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