SLS Archives

NASA’s Pegasus barge arrives at Kennedy Space Center with Artemis I Core Stage on board

Seth Kurkowski - Apr 28th 2021 5:25 am PT @SethKurk

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After months of testing and years of delays in the development and construction processes. The parts of the first SLS rocket have finally all arrived at Kennedy Space Center for final assembly and checkouts.

NASA selects SpaceX to develop human landing system for Artemis moon mission using Starship

Zac Hall - Apr 16th 2021 10:46 am PT @apollozac

NASA SpaceX Artemis Starship SLS

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NASA is actively working on Artemis, a space exploration program that includes a mission to send the first woman and first person of color to the Moon during this decade. Astronauts will travel from Earth in NASA’s Orion spacecraft which will launch on the space agency’s Space Launch System rocket. SLS gives Orion the boost it needs to reach the Moon, but Orion doesn’t touch down on the lunar surface. A third vehicle called a human landing system is needed to transport astronauts to the surface of the Moon. One year ago, NASA selected three potential partners for providing the human landing system for Artemis 3, the first mission in the program that includes walking on the Moon.

Later today, the U.S. space agency will officially announce which partner it will proceed in funding for development. Ace Washington Post space reporter and author Christian Davenport has scooped the 4 p.m. EDT press conference with source selection details. According to Davenport, SpaceX has won the contract with its Starship-based human landing system bid.

NASA planning to fire up an SLS rocket engine today at Stennis Space Center

Seth Kurkowski - Apr 6th 2021 8:10 am PT

Today Aerojet Rocketdyne’s plans to fire up an RS-25 engine at Stennis Space Center’s A1 test stand for another static fire test.

Successful test of SLS brings NASA closer to the Moon

Derek Wise - Mar 19th 2021 12:14 pm PT @derekiswise

NASA SLS Artemis I

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NASA’s first hot fire test of the Artemis I booster took place on January 16th. This first test exceeded NASA’s preset hydraulic limits when gimbaling the motors. Exceeding these conservative limits during flight would not have caused malfunctions, nonetheless, NASA decide to conduct a second test to gather more data.

[Update: Test Window Announced] Artemis I booster stacking is now complete; Awaits first Core Stage

Seth Kurkowski - Mar 15th 2021 7:37 am PT @SethKurk

NASA Artemis SLS

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Over the last few years, the pieces of NASA’s Artemis I mission have slowly been making their way to Kennedy Space Center for final checkouts and stacking. For the past couple of months, NASA has been preparing to receive the final parts of the rocket with the first step towards a fully stacked SLS finishing the other day.

SLS: NASA to proceed with second Green Run test in late February

Nicholas Terry - Feb 1st 2021 10:48 am PT

NASA SLS

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Late last week, NASA announced that it would perform a second hotfire test of the Space Launch System (SLS) core stage. While the decision will likely cause SLS to miss its launch date later this year, it will allow NASA and Boeing the opportunity to collect necessary data.

SLS: NASA says aborted hot fire test met several goals of the test and clarifies cryo-cycling concern

Seth Kurkowski - Jan 21st 2021 9:26 am PT @SethKurk

NASA Artemis SLS Artemis I

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After the SLS Core Stage hot fire test that aborted just over a minute into the test, it was uncertain what objectives were met and if they would need to do a second test fire. During the second press conference Tuesday afternoon, concerns arose about the Core Stage reaching its cryo-cycling limit before the launch but today NASA shares the Core Stage and Artemis 1 timeline may be in better shape than first thought.

Why did Space Launch System’s Green Run hot fire test abruptly end early? NASA can explain …

Seth Kurkowski - Jan 20th 2021 10:30 am PT @SethKurk

NASA Artemis SLS

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NASA released a statement this week detailing information about some of the findings that contributed to the early shutdown of the Artemis 1 Core Stage during the Green Run Hot Fire test on Saturday. The test was originally supposed to last about 8 minutes, but ended up only lasting 67.2 seconds, far short of the minimum amount of time needed to certify the core.

[UPDATED] NASA’s upgraded mobile launcher for larger Space Launch System rocket moving forward

Jared Locke - Jan 18th 2021 10:46 am PT @baserunner0723

NASA Artemis SLS mobile launcher Bechtel

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NASA recently submitted a permit detailing facility construction and modification plans to support its next Mobile Launch Platform for Space Launch System, the agency’s nearly complete rocket to the Moon. We first have to go back to where SLS all started with the Constellation program to understand why NASA is building a new Mobile Launch Platform.

The current Mobile Launcher, ML-1, was initially built for the Constellation program between 2009 and 2010. When the Constellation program was canned in October 2010, NASA started reworking ML-1 to support their new program for the Space Launch System. With the increased complexity and weight of SLS, issues quickly began to arise.

NASA prepares for Artemis 1 with SLS booster stacking and Orion capsule preparations [Gallery]

Jared Locke - Jan 18th 2021 9:54 am PT @baserunner0723

NASA Artemis Kennedy Space Center SLS Orion

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NASA invited media to Kennedy Space Center to witness the progress being made with the stacking of the SLS Solid Rocket Motors and to see the Orion Crew Capsule as it is being prepared to be moved to one of the final processing facilities before being stacked later this year.