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By NASA
NASA has taken a big step forward in how engineers will assemble and stack future SLS (Space Launch System) rockets for Artemis Moon missions inside the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
The VAB’s High Bay 2 has been outfitted with new tooling to facilitate the vertical integration of the SLS core stage. That progress was on full display in mid-December when teams suspended the fully assembled core stage 225 feet in the air inside the high bay to complete vertical work before it is stacked on mobile launcher 1, allowing teams to continue solid rocket booster stacking simultaneously inside High Bay 3 for Artemis II.
The fully assembled SLS (Space Launch System) core stage for the Artemis II test flight is suspended 225 feet in the air inside the newly renovated High Bay 2 at Kennedy’s Vehicle Assembly Building. The core stage was lifted to enable engineers to complete work before it is stacked on mobile launcher 1 with other rocket elements. With the move to High Bay 2, technicians now have 360-degree tip to tail access to the core stage, both internally and externally.NASA With the move to High Bay 2, technicians with NASA and Boeing now have 360-degree tip to tail access to the core stage, both internally and externally. Michigan-based supplier Futuramic Tool and Engineering led the design and build of the Core Stage Vertical Integration Center tool that will hold the core stage in a vertical position.
“High Bay 2 tooling was originally scheduled to be complete for Artemis III. We had an opportunity to get it done earlier and that will put us in a good posture to complete work earlier than planned prior to moving the core stage for Artemis II into the full integrated stack over into in High Bay 3,” said Chad Bryant, deputy manager of the NASA SLS Stages Office. “This gives us an opportunity to go in and learn how to rotate, lift, and move the core stage into the high bay.”
This move also doubles the footprint of useable space within the VAB, giving engineers access to both High Bay 2 and High Bay 3 simultaneously, while also freeing up space at NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans to continue work on the individual elements for future SLS core stages.
High Bay 2 has a long history of supporting NASA exploration programs: during Apollo, High Bay 2, one of four high bays inside the VAB, was used to stack the Saturn V rocket. During the Space Shuttle Program, the high bay was used for external tank checkout and storage and as an extra storage area for the shuttle.
Under the new assembly model beginning with Artemis III, all the major structures for the SLS core stage will continue to be fully produced and manufactured at NASA Michoud. Upon completion of manufacturing and thermal protection system application, the engine section will be shipped to Kennedy for final outfitting.
The 212-foot-tall SLS (Space Launch System) core stage for NASA Artemis II is seen being moved from a horizontal position to a vertical position in High Bay 2 at the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. With the move to High Bay 2, NASA and Boeing technicians now have 360-degree access to the core stage both internally and externally. (NASA) “Core stage 3 marks a significant change in the way we build core stages,” said Steve Wofford, manager of the SLS Stages Office. “The vertical capability in High Bay 2 allows us to perform parallel processing from the top to bottom of the stage. It’s a much more efficient way to build core stages. This new capability will streamline final production efforts, allowing our team to have 360-degree access to the stage, both internally and externally.”
The fully assembled core stage for Artemis II arrived July 23, 2024, at Kennedy, where it remained horizontal inside the VAB transfer aisle until its recent lift into the newly outfitted high bay.
Teams at NASA Michoud are outfitting the remaining core stage elements for Artemis III and preparing to horizontally join them. The four RS-25 engines for the Artemis III mission are complete at NASA’s Stennis Space Center in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, and will be transported to NASA Kennedy in 2025. Major core stage and exploration upper stage structures are in work at NASA Michoud for Artemis IV and beyond.
NASA is working to land the first woman, first person of color, and its first international partner astronaut on the Moon under Artemis. SLS is part of NASA’s backbone for deep space exploration, along with the Orion spacecraft, supporting ground systems, 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 launch.
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By Space Force
The mission successfully achieved a complex effort across multiple Space Force organizations to pull an existing GPS III satellite from storage, accelerate integration and launch vehicle readiness, and rapidly process for launch.
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By NASA
7 Min Read 2024 Be An Astronaut Campaign
NASA astronaut Andrew Morgan tethered to the International Space Station during a spacewalk. Credits: NASA NASA astronauts have been traveling to space for more than six decades and living there continuously since 2000. Now, NASA’s Artemis program is preparing to land the first woman and the next man on the Moon. As NASA continues to expand human exploration in our solar system, we will need more than the currently active astronauts to crew spacecraft bound for deep-space destinations.
Every four years, NASA opens its doors and welcomes thousands of applicants to join a new class of astronauts that will push human spaceflight to new depths. Astronaut applications opened March 5, 2024, and closed April 16, 2024. In those 42 days, NASA’s 2024 Be An Astronaut Campaign used various platforms to promote the beauty of human spaceflight, explore opportunities to reach untapped and underserved audiences, encourage the younger generations to follow their dreams and pursue a career as an astronaut, and inspire the world about the capabilities we have as humans to explore farther than we ever have before.
Official “Be a NASA Astronaut” Video
To kick off the astronaut recruitment campaign, NASA, NASA Johnson, NASA Artemis, and NASA Astronauts accounts collaborated on a video narrated by Morgan Freeman on Instagram reaching over 9.7 million views. This video, seen below, was shared across agency social media platforms, YouTube, and digital sites to introduce the start of the astronaut application period.
The Universe is Calling: Apply to Be a NASA Astronaut, official NASA astronaut recruitment video featuring a voice over by Morgan Freeman. "Spaceflight is just one part of it. You are a team member before you are any thing in this role."
April Jordan
Manager of NASA Astronaut Selection
Throughout the campaign, #BeAnAstronaut was utilized to increase campaign awareness and engagement. This hashtag was used by 36 agency accounts and totaled 167 posts across the agency. With over 15,000 social media mentions, 256,655 total page views throughout the campaign, and news presence on the Today Show, TIME Magazine, Yahoo News, The New York Times, and more, the Be An Astronaut campaign was a successful and exciting project that inspired aspiring astronauts to follow their dreams.
2024 Astronaut Graduation
On March 5, 2024, not only did astronaut applications open, but the 2021 class of NASA astronaut candidates graduated, officially making them astronauts and eligible for spaceflight. These newly graduated astronauts created a superlative to demonstrate just how NASA’s astronaut corps works as a team and family as they passed the torch down to NASA’s next class of astronauts.
The 2024 astronaut graduating class gives you an insider’s look at not only the who’s who of their graduating class, but it allows you to get a glimpse of the accomplished astronauts’ personalities. To see them together as a group, connecting through laughter helps to illustrate how much they value team care. These classic superlatives give the scoop on which astronaut is the best dancer, the funniest, and more. Enjoy seeing a lighter side of “The Flies” in this fun and upbeat montage of the 2024 astronaut graduating class.
Astronaut Candidate Countdown
Our astronaut graduation countdown campaign celebrated the most recent graduating class of astronauts. The previous class completed two years of rigorous training at Johnson Space Center before they officially gained their wings. This campaign not only highlighted their achievements, but hopefully inspired potential candidates by showcasing the journey from trainee to astronaut. During the graduation ceremony, applications for the next astronaut class were announced, continuing the legacy of excellence and exploration.
NASA astronaut Luke Delaney poses for the Astronaut Graduation Countdown.Credit: NASA NASA astronaut Jessica Wittner poses for the Astronaut Graduation Countdown.Credit: NASA NASA astronaut Jack Hathaway poses for the Astronaut Graduation Countdown.Credit: NASA NASA astronaut Andre Douglas poses for the Astronaut Graduation Countdown.Credit: NASA NASA astronaut Nichole Ayers poses for the Astronaut Graduation Countdown.Credit: NASA NASA astronaut Marcos Berrios poses for the Astronaut Graduation Countdown.Credit: NASA Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Center astronaut Nora AlMatrooshi poses for the Astronaut Graduation Countdown.Credit: NASA NASA astronaut Anil Menon poses for the Astronaut Graduation Countdown.Credit: NASA NASA astronaut Deniz Burnham poses for the Astronaut Graduation Countdown.Credit: NASA Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Center astronaut Mohammed AlMulla poses for the Astronaut Graduation Countdown.Credit: NASA NASA astronaut Christina Birch poses for the Astronaut Graduation Countdown.Credit: NASA NASA astronaut Christopher Williams poses for the Astronaut Graduation Countdown.Credit: NASA
NASA Tumblr Thread
For many people, human spaceflight has been a part of their lives for decades. After years of exploring, hundreds of astronauts have shared their unique experiences with the world and inspired many to want to follow in their footsteps. With over 100 thousand impressions on Tumblr, NASA posted a unique thread on “5 Myths About Becoming an Astronaut”.
https://www.tumblr.com/nasa/132538793869/5-myths-about-becoming-an-astronaut NASA’s Tumblr thread on “5 Myths About Becoming an Astronaut”. Credit: NASA
STEM Pinterest Pin
Reaching various audiences of all ages, backgrounds, demographics, and experiences was key during the Be An Astronaut Campaign. Not only was it important for this campaign to reach qualifying applicants, but it was just as important to reach the aspiring astronauts of the younger generation.
NASA posted on Pinterest 10 ways students can kick-start their space journeys within NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement, or OSTEM. Through this post, NASA was able to reach over 40 thousand students and share ways to get involved with NASA’s missions.
A NASA astronaut during a spacewalk outside the International Space Station with the text, “10 Ways Students Can Prepare to #BeAnAstronaut”Credit: NASA "[NASA’s] decisions have led us to having an astronaut office that looks very much like America. You could reach in and grab any four people, and they would look like our crew.”
Victor glover
NASA Astronaut, Artemis II Pilot
NASA @ SXSW
A graphic of the International Space Station with the text, “Live from Space at SXSW: NASA Astronauts and Your Work in Orbit”.Credit: NASA NASA astronauts Jeanette Epps and Loral O’Hara joined NASA experts at the South by Southwest conference in Austin, Texas live from space on March 12, 2024. The astronauts joined a panel from aboard the International Space Station to discuss what it’s like to be an astronaut, how people can get involved with space station research and technology, and how to apply to become an astronaut.
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Kristin Fabre, Jennifer Buchli, Leah Cheshier, Loral O’Hara & Jeanette Epps at Featured Session: Live from Space: NASA Astronauts & Your Work in Orbit as part of SXSW 2024 Conference and Festivals held at the Austin Convention Center on March 12, 2024 in Austin, Texas. Credit: Stephen Olker/SXSW Conference & Festivals via Getty Images)
Vice President Encourages Applicants
Vice President Kamala Harris quoted NASA on X to encourage people to apply to become an astronaut reaching more than 885 thousand users on the social media platform.
Vice President Kamala Harris’ post on X stating, “As Chair of the National Space Council, I am honored to witness our astronauts’ skill and determination first-hand. There is no typical path for an astronaut, and the next class of NASA astronauts will continue to lead the world in space exploration.”.
Astronaut Reddit AMA
Our Astronaut Recruitment Reddit AMA on March 20th was the top post on Reddit with 25 million subscribers, and stayed pinned to the top of the subreddit for several days. NASA astronauts Shannon Walker, Jessica Watkins, and Luke Delaney discussed what it takes to be an astronaut as well as personal insights into their journey.
Merriam-Webster Word of the Day: Astronaut
NASA astronaut and member of the recently graduated 2021 class of NASA astronauts, Deniz Burnham, participated in the “Word of the Day” series with Merriam-Webster defining the word ‘astronaut’. Just weeks after officially becoming an astronaut, Deniz’s video was featured on Merriam-Webster’s website and social media platforms.
NASA astronaut Deniz Burnham featured in Merriam-Webster’s word of the day video defining the word “astronaut”.
Houston, We Have a Podcast
On NASA’s top-rated podcast, “Houston We Have a Podcast,” our astronaut recruitment episode garnered over 4,000 plays on Apple Podcasts and more than 1,000 plays on Spotify. In this episode, the manager of NASA astronaut selection discussed the selection process and how to apply for an out-of-this-world career.
A lone spacesuit can be seen in the middle of the image, as a black shadow of the helmet reflects three question marks.Credit: NASA United States Army Astronaut Recruitment Video
NASA astronaut and U.S. Army Col. Anne McClain discussed her experience as an astronaut and how other members of the U.S. Army can apply to become an astronaut and travel to space like her. This video was posted on the U.S. Army’s social media as well as posted to YouTube reaching thousands of supporters in and of the military.
Col. Anne McClain, commander of the U.S. Army NASA detachment, shares information on eligibility as well as where and when to apply to become a NASA astronaut like herself. Credit: U.S. Army Read More
Become An Astronaut Webpage
NASA’s ‘Become An Astronaut’ webpage drove 246,655 viewers to the page throughout the duration of the recruitment campaign from internal and external collaborations across various digital platforms and events. Listing job requirements, frequently asked questions, and how to apply, the webpage consisted of 87.1% new visitors to the site and had almost 28 thousand referrals from Instagram.
NASA’s ‘Become An Astronaut’ webpage.Credit: NASA Read More
The 2024 Be An Astronaut Campaign ranged from March 5, 2024 to April 16, 2024 and successfully integrated various platforms, outreach opportunities, and educational resources into the recruitment of our next class of astronauts.
With over 15 thousand social media mentions, 2 thousand news outlet mentions, $4.6 million in publicity value, a 91% positive sentiment, and 195 countries involved in the conversation, the campaign was able to inspire NASA’s future space explorers and push the agency closer to returning to the Moon and going to Mars.
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By NASA
On flight day 13, Orion reached its maximum distance from Earth during the Artemis I mission when it was 268,563 miles away from our home planet. Orion has now traveled farther than any other spacecraft built for humans.NASA The Artemis II test flight will be NASA’s first mission with crew under the Artemis campaign and will pave the way to land astronauts on the Moon on Artemis III and future missions. The crew of four aboard the agency’s Orion spacecraft will travel around the Moon and back to confirm the spacecraft’s systems operate as designed with crew aboard in the actual environment of deep space. Through Artemis, NASA will send astronauts – including the first woman, first person of color, and its first international partner astronaut – to explore the Moon for scientific discovery, economic benefits, and to build the foundation for crewed missions to Mars.
On Dec. 5, NASA updated its timelines for the missions and shared the results of an investigation into the Orion heat shield after it experienced an unexpected loss of charred material during re-entry of the Artemis I uncrewed test flight in late 2022.
Here are some frequently asked questions about Artemis II, NASA’s recent updates, and the agency’s path to the Moon and Mars.
What is Orion?
NASA’s Orion spacecraft is where our crew live while traveling to and from deep space. Orion is built to take humans farther than they’ve ever gone before. On Artemis missions, Orion will carry crews of four astronauts from Earth to space, provide emergency abort capability, sustain them as they venture to the Moon, and safely return them to Earth from deep space speeds and temperatures.
What is a heat shield and why is it important?
When Orion travels back from deep space, its journey through Earth’s atmosphere generates intense temperatures of up to 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit on parts of the spacecraft. The 16-foot diameter protective heat shield on the bottom of the capsule is designed to dissipate that heat and keep the crew inside safe. Orion’s heat shield is primarily composed of Avcoat, a material designed to wear away as it heats up.
What abnormal behavior did you see on the Artemis I heat shield?
NASA flew the uncrewed Artemis I mission in late 2022 to test Orion, the agency’s SLS rocket, and the ground systems needed to launch them, testing these elements together for the first time to ensure engineers understand everything about the systems before flights with astronauts. The successful test flight sent Orion past the Moon and provided valuable data to ensure our deep space spacecraft and other systems are ready for crewed missions. When Orion returned to Earth, engineers saw variations across Orion’s heat shield they did not expect. Some of the charred material had broken off. If a crew had been aboard the flight, they would have remained safe, but understanding the phenomenon has been the subject of an extensive investigation since the test flight.
What did NASA’s find as the cause of the issue?
Engineers determined that as Orion was returning from its uncrewed mission around the Moon, gases generated inside the heat shield’s ablative outer material called Avcoat were not able to vent and dissipate as expected. This allowed pressure to build up and horizontal cracking to occur near the surface of the charred layer, causing some charred material to break off in several locations.
For Artemis II, engineers will limit how long Orion spends in the temperature range in which the Artemis I heat shield phenomenon occurred by modifying how far Orion can fly between when it enters Earth atmosphere and lands. Engineers already are assembling and integrating the Orion spacecraft for Artemis III based on lessons learned from Artemis I and implementing enhancements to how heat shields for crewed returns from lunar landing missions are manufactured to achieve uniformity and consistent permeability. A more detailed description is here.
Why did NASA decide to use the current heat shield?
Extensive data from the investigation has given engineers confidence the heat shield for Artemis II can be used to safely fly the mission’s crew around the Moon and back. NASA will modify the trajectory by shortening how far Orion can fly between when it enters Earth’s atmosphere and splashes down in the Pacific Ocean. This will limit how long Orion spends in the temperature range in which the Artemis I heat shield phenomenon occurred. The heat shield for the test flight is already attached to Orion.
When will Artemis II take place?
The Artemis II test flight will be NASA’s first mission with crew aboard the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket and Orion spacecraft and will pave the way to land astronauts on the Moon on Artemis III. Artemis II builds on the success of the uncrewed Artemis I mission and will demonstrate a broad range of capabilities needed on lunar missions. The 10-day flight will help to confirm all of the spacecraft’s systems operate as designed with crew aboard in the actual environment of deep space. The mission is targeted for April 2026.
The updated timeline for the Artemis II flight is informed by technical issues engineers are troubleshooting including with an Orion battery issue and its environmental control system. The heat shield was installed in June 2023 and the root cause investigation took place in parallel to other assembly and testing activities to preserve as much schedule as possible.
What are the astronauts doing during the mission delay?
NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency (CSA) astronaut Jeremy Hansen will continue training for the mission. More intensive training will begin about six months before launch.
About the Artemis Campaign
What is Artemis?
NASA is establishing a long-term presence at the Moon for scientific exploration and discovery with our commercial and international partners, learning how to live and work far from home, and preparing for future human exploration of Mars – we call this endeavor Artemis. Under Artemis, NASA will land the first woman, first person of color, and first international partner astronaut on the Moon, using innovative technologies to explore more of the lunar surface than ever before.
Why is NASA going back to the Moon?
NASA is going back to the Moon for scientific discovery, economic benefits, and inspiration for a new generation of explorers: the Artemis Generation. Artemis is a new approach to America’s space exploration efforts — it is the most technically challenging, collaborative, international endeavor humanity has ever set out to do. What we learn from expanding scientific knowledge and developing new technologies will be applied to improve life on Earth. Samples from the lunar South Pole could tell us more about the formation of our planet and origins of our solar system. We are meeting this challenge by investing in American ingenuity and leadership to advance our understanding of the universe for the benefit of all.
What makes Artemis different from Apollo?
The Apollo Program successfully landed 12 men near the equator of the Moon in the 1960s and 1970s. Under Artemis, NASA is going to the lunar South Pole region, where no humans have ever set foot, in new ways with commercial and international partners. The agency is leading the largest international coalition in space to push humanity farther than ever before for the benefit of all, developing capabilities for astronauts to live and work on the Moon before our next giant leap – human exploration of Mars.
What happens after Artemis II?
Artemis III will build on the crewed Artemis II flight test, adding new capabilities with the human landing system and advanced spacesuits to send the first humans to explore the lunar South Pole region. Over the course of about 30 days a crew of four will launch atop the Space Launch System rocket in Orion and travel to a special lunar orbit where they will dock with SpaceX’s Starship human landing system. Two Artemis crew members will transfer from Orion to Starship and descend to the lunar surface. There, they will collect samples, perform science experiments, and observe the Moon’s environment before returning in Starship to Orion waiting in lunar orbit. The mission is planned for mid-2027.
NASA is also working with SpaceX to further develop the company’s Starship lander requirements for Artemis IV. These requirements include landing more mass on the Moon and docking with the agency’s Gateway lunar space station for crew transfer. NASA will use Blue Origin’s human landing system for Artemis V.
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