NASA has taken another step aimed at sending astronauts to the moon, completing the integration of the main stage of the Space Launch System rocket (SLS) with side boosters.
Assembling the SLS rocket for Artemis 2:
23 in March at the Kennedy Space Center, the main stage of the rocket was connected to solid propellant boosters. SLS is tall 98 meters will ensure the launch of the Artemis mission 2, which will send four astronauts on a flight around the moon and back. Two accelerators in height 54 meters provide over 75% traction at the start stage. NASA specialists used cranes in the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) to move the main step from High Bay 2 до High Bay 3, where it was mounted on a mobile launch platform.
Availability of other Artemis components 2:
The integration of the solar panels and fairings of the Orion Spacecraft Adapter and the European Service Module has been completed. The next stage: in the coming months, the Orion spacecraft will be installed on the rocket along with the cryogenic booster stage.
Artemis 2 - the first flight of astronauts to the Moon from 1972 year.
Artemis 2 will be the first manned mission within the Artemis program. Previous Artemis mission 1 In November 2022 made a successful unmanned flight around the moon.
To the crew of Artemis 2 are included:
Reed Wiseman is the mission commander (NASA).
Victor Glover is the pilot of the mission (NASA).
Christina Koch is a mission specialist (NASA).
Jeremy Hansen is a mission specialist (Canadian Space Agency).
The Artemis program is a key milestone in NASA's plans for long-term lunar exploration, and the Artemis mission 3 is set to be the first human landing on the lunar surface since Apollo. However, due to political changes in the USA, NASA has removed from its official websites references to the first person of non-European descent, which was supposed to land on the moon.