NASA has revealed that another component of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket for the Artemis II mission is ready for the upcoming agency’s crewed test flight around the Moon.
In the most recent developments, technicians successfully connected the core stage with the stacked solid rocket boosters at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the company confirmed in a statement on March 24, 2025.
Teams from ASA’s Exploration Ground Systems Program and primary contractor Amentum used one of the five overhead cranes inside the Vehicle Assembly Building to move the rocket stage from the transfer aisle to High Bay 3, where it was secured between the booster segments atop the launch tower.
During launch and liftoff, the boosters, each measuring 177 feet (about 53 meters) tall, will generate most of the 8.8 million pounds of thrust needed to carry four astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft.
As the newest addition to the mobile launcher, the core stage is the largest component of the rocket, standing 212 feet (64 meters) tall.
The stage is the backbone of the rocket, supporting the launch vehicle stage adapter, interim cryogenic propulsion stage, Orion stage adapter, and the Orion spacecraft for the Moon mission.
The next component to be integrated will be the adapter, which will be lifted and secured on top of the core stage during the upcoming weeks.
The Artemis II test flight will carry a crew of four astronauts: Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, Mission Specialist Christina Koch and Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen.
This 10-day mission will orbit the Moon and is the first crewed flight in NASA’s Artemis program, aimed at exploring deep space. It is set to launch in April 2026.
NASA said that this mission is another step towards future lunar surface operations which assist the agency in getting ready for upcoming human missions to Mars.