Orion Spacecraft Testing and Preparation

Images showcase NASA technicians at Kennedy Space Center working on the Orion spacecraft and its components, highlighting testing and assembly processes in a high-tech environment.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Orbiter Processing Facility at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the payload bay doors of the orbiter Atlantis are being closed. The Remote Manipulator System, or Shuttle arm, is seen on the port side (left) and the Orbiter Boom Sensor System (OBSS) is seen on the starboard side (right) of the payload bay. The 50-foot-long OBSS attaches to the Shuttle arm and is one of the new safety measures for Return to Flight. It equips the orbiter with cameras and laser systems to inspect the Shuttles Thermal Protection System while in space. Between them is Atlantis airlock, sized to accommodate two fully suited flight crew members simultaneously. Support functions include airlock depressurization and repressurization, extravehicular activity equipment recharge, liquid-cooled garment water cooling, EVA equipment checkout, and communications. Atlantis is scheduled to fly on the second Return to Flight mission, STS-121, targeted for launch in a window extending fr

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Inside the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida, a GIZMO demonstration test is being performed on the ground test article Launch Abort System, or LAS, ogive panel and an Orion crew module simulator. An access platform has been added leading up to the mockup of the crew module. Technicians are preparing the mockup of the crew module inner hatch for installation using the GIZMO, a pneumatically-balanced manipulator that will be used for the uncrewed Exploration Flight Test-1 and Exploration Mission-1. The Ground Systems Development and Operations Program is running the test to demonstrate that the GIZMO can meet the reach and handling requirements for the task.Orion is the exploration spacecraft designed to carry astronauts to destinations not yet explored by humans, including an asteroid and Mars. It will have emergency abort capability, sustain the crew during space travel and provide safe re-entry from deep space return velocitie

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Inside the Operations and Checkout Building high bay at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Lockheed Martin technicians and engineers have positioned the heat shield near the Orion crew module. Technicians have installed more than 200 instrumentation sensors on the heat shield and are preparing it for installation on the crew module.Orion is the exploration spacecraft designed to carry astronauts to destinations not yet explored by humans, including an asteroid and Mars. It will have emergency abort capability, sustain the crew during space travel and provide safe re-entry from deep space return velocities. The first unpiloted test flight of the Orion is scheduled to launch later this year atop a Delta IV rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida to an altitude of 3,600 miles above the Earth's surface. The two-orbit, four-hour flight test will help engineers evaluate the systems critical to crew safety including the heat shield, parachute sys

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana, left, talks with Scott Wilson, NASA's Orion production manager at the Florida Spaceport. A special fixture surrounds the Orion spacecraft inside the high bay of Kennedy's Operations and Checkout Building. Orion is the exploration spacecraft designed to carry crews to space beyond low Earth orbit. It will provide emergency abort capability, sustain the crew during the space travel and provide safe re-entry from deep space return velocities. The first unpiloted test flight of the Orion is scheduled to launch in 2014 atop a Delta IV rocket and in 2017 on a Space Launch System rocket.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Space Station Processing Facility, workers monitor the movement of the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM) as it is lowered onto a weighing stand. The module will also be measured for its center of gravity. The Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency developed the laboratory at the Tsukuba Space Center near Tokyo. It is the first element, named "Kibo" (Hope), to be delivered to KSC. The JEM is Japan's primary contribution to the International Space Station. It will enhance the unique research capabilities of the orbiting complex by providing an additional environment for astronauts to conduct science experiments. The JEM is targeted for mission STS-124, to launch in early 2008.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Technicians prepare to lift a special fixture inside the high bay of the Operations & Checkout Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The fixture is designed to enable precise pre-launch processing of the Orion spacecraft. An Orion capsule is being prepared to make a flight test in 2014 on a mission that will not carry any astronauts. Photo by Tim Jacobs

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In Orbiter Processing Facility 1 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, a worker from United Space Alliance supervises the closure of the payload bay doors on space shuttle Atlantis. The payload bay has been thoroughly cleaned and is ready to receive the carriers transporting the instruments and equipment needed to service the Hubble Space Telescope. Atlantis is targeted to launch Oct. 8 on the STS-125 mission to service Hubble. The mission crew will perform history-making, on-orbit surgery” on two important science instruments aboard the telescope. After capturing the telescope, two teams of spacewalking astronauts will perform the repairs during five planned spacewalks.

A few of the work stations and work stands are in view inside the high bay in the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The Orion crew module pressure vessel is undergoing processing to prepare it for its first uncrewed integrated flight atop the Space Launch System rocket on Exploration Mission-1.

Inside the high bay of the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the European Service Module, below, is being mated to Orion's crew module adapter on Nov. 26, 2018. For the first time, NASA will use a European-built system as a critical element to power an American spacecraft, extending the international cooperation of the International Space Station into deep space. The European Service Module is a unique collaboration across space agencies and industry, including the European Space Agency's prime contractor, Airbus, and 10 European countries. The completion of service module work in Europe and shipment to Kennedy signifies a major milestone toward NASA's human deep space exploration missions to the Moon and beyond.

Orion Progress in high bay

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Orbiter Processing Facility at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the payload bay doors of the orbiter Atlantis are being closed. The Remote Manipulator System, or Shuttle arm, is seen on the port side (left) and the Orbiter Boom Sensor System (OBSS) is seen on the starboard side (right) of the payload bay. The 50-foot-long OBSS attaches to the Shuttle arm and is one of the new safety measures for Return to Flight. It equips the orbiter with cameras and laser systems to inspect the Shuttles Thermal Protection System while in space. Between them is Atlantis airlock, sized to accommodate two fully suited flight crew members simultaneously. Support functions include airlock depressurization and repressurization, extravehicular activity equipment recharge, liquid-cooled garment water cooling, EVA equipment checkout, and communications. Atlantis is scheduled to fly on the second Return to Flight mission, STS-121, targeted for launch in a window extending fr

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Inside NASA Kennedy Space Centers Orbiter Processing Facility Bay 1, workers get ready to lift the sling placed round the forward reaction control system that will be installed on Atlantis. The forward reaction control system is located in the forward fuselage nose area. During ascent of the space shuttle, it provides the thrust for attitude (rotational) maneuvers (pitch, yaw and roll) and for small velocity changes along the orbiter axis (translation maneuvers).

The jettison motor for Orions Launch Abort System (LAS) is shown inside the Launch Abort System Facility (LASF) at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The motor, which arrived at Kennedy on Sept. 10, 2018, will be stored in the LASF until processing for a full-stress test of the LAS called Ascent Abort-2 (AA-2), scheduled for April 2019. Designed and built by NASA and Lockheed Martin, the LAS will protect astronauts if a problem arises during launch by pulling the spacecraft away from a failing rocket. The jettison motor is one of three solid propellant rocket motors in the LAS (the abort motor and attitude control motor are the other two). The jettison motor will pull the LAS away from the crew module, allowing Orions parachutes to deploy and the spacecraft to safely land in the ocean.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- On Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the integrated truss structure S6 and solar arrays, the STS-119 mission payload, are moved into the Payload Changeout Room, or PCR. They will be installed in space shuttle Discovery's payload bay after the shuttle rolls out to the launch pad. Launch of Discovery on the STS-119 mission is scheduled for Feb. 12. During Discovery's 14-day mission, the crew will install the S6 truss segment and its solar arrays to the starboard side of the station, completing the station's backbone, or truss.

STS-133 DISCOVERY ENGINE-3 INSTALLATION

Orion IOZ Progress. Inside the high bay of the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Lockheed Martin and NASA technicians work on the Orion crew module for the agencys Artemis IV mission on May 26, 2023. Artemis IV will be the first operational mission to Gateway - an outpost in lunar orbit serving as a staging point for deep space exploration - followed by a week-long surface mission on the Moon. Also sharing space in the high bay are the crew modules for Artemis II and Artemis III.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- The heat shield for the Orion crew module has been secured in a special work stand inside the Operations and Checkout Building high bay at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Technicians prepare to move the heat shield for a fit check with the crew module. More than 200 instrumentation sensors have been installed on the heat shield.Orion is the exploration spacecraft designed to carry astronauts to destinations not yet explored by humans, including an asteroid and Mars. It will have emergency abort capability, sustain the crew during space travel and provide safe re-entry from deep space return velocities. The first unpiloted test flight of the Orion is scheduled to launch later this year atop a Delta IV rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida to an altitude of 3,600 miles above the Earth's surface. The two-orbit, four-hour flight test will help engineers evaluate the systems critical to crew safety including the heat shield, parachute syst

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- In the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, STS-134 crew members inspect the Express Logistics Carrier-3 with the carrier's technicians. The six-member crew is at Kennedy participating in the Crew Equipment Interface Test (CEIT), which gives them an opportunity for hands-on training with tools they'll be using in space and familiarization of the payload they'll be delivering to the International Space Station. Space shuttle Endeavour is targeted to launch on the STS-134 mission Feb. 27, 2011.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - From the Payload Changeout Room on Launch Pad 39A, the P1 truss payload, plus the Crew and Equipment Translation Aid (CETA) cart B, are moved into the payload bay of Space Shuttle Endeavour. Scheduled to launch Nov. 10 on mission STS-113, Endeavour will make the 16th assembly flight to the International Space Station. Once delivered, the P1 truss will remain stowed until flight 12A.1 in 2003 when it will be attached to the central truss segment, S0, on the Space Station. The mission will also deliver the Expedition 6 crew to the Station and return Expedition 5 to Earth.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Inside the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building high bay at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, a crane slowly lifts the Orion crew and service module stack for Exploration Flight Test-1 out of the test cell. Orion will be transferred to a mating device.Orion is the exploration spacecraft designed to carry astronauts to destinations not yet explored by humans, including an asteroid and Mars. It will have emergency abort capability, sustain the crew during space travel and provide safe re-entry from deep space return velocities. The first unpiloted test flight of the Orion is scheduled to launch later this year atop a Delta IV Heavy rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida to an altitude of 3,600 miles above the Earth's surface. The two-orbit, four-hour flight test will help engineers evaluate the systems critical to crew safety including the heat shield, parachute system and launch abort system.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In Orbiter Processing Facility-2 at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida, a large crane moves the right orbital maneuvering system OMS pod closer to space shuttle Endeavour for installation. The OMS pod underwent complete deservicing and cleaning at White Sands Space Harbor in New Mexico, part of the transition and retirement processing of each shuttle. Endeavour is being prepared for public display at the California Science Center in Los Angeles. Over the course of its 19-year career, Endeavour spent 299 days in space during 25 missions.

Technicians and engineers put finishing touches on the Orion Exploration Flight Test-1 (EFT-1) crew module and service module stack in the Operations and Checkout (O&C) Building at Kennedy Space Center on Sept. 7, 2014. Part of Batch image transfer from Flickr.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- In Orbiter Processing Facility-1 at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida, an overhead crane is moved into place to begin the process of removing shuttle Endeavours orbital maneuvering system, or OMS, pods. The work is part of Endeavours transition and retirement processing. The spacecraft is being prepared for public display at the California Science Center in Los Angeles. Endeavour flew 25 missions, spent 299 days in space, orbited Earth 4,671 times and traveled 122, 883, 151 miles over the course of its 19-year career. Endeavours STS-134 and final mission was completed after landing on June 1, 2011.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Inside Orbiter Processing Facility-2 at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida, one of space shuttle Endeavours payload bay doors is closed as United Space Alliance technicians monitor the progress of the second doors closure. Endeavours payload bay doors are being closed for the final time.The work is part of Transition and Retirement of the remaining space shuttles, Endeavour and Atlantis. Endeavour is being prepared for public display at the California Science Center in Los Angeles. Its ferry flight to California is targeted for mid-September. Endeavour was the last space shuttle added to NASAs orbiter fleet. Over the course of its 19-year career, Endeavour spent 299 days in space during 25 missions.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Inside the Operations and Checkout Building high bay at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Lockheed Martin technicians and engineers have positioned the heat shield near the Orion crew module. Technicians have installed more than 200 instrumentation sensors on the heat shield and are preparing it for installation.Orion is the exploration spacecraft designed to carry astronauts to destinations not yet explored by humans, including an asteroid and Mars. It will have emergency abort capability, sustain the crew during space travel and provide safe re-entry from deep space return velocities. The first unpiloted test flight of the Orion is scheduled to launch later this year atop a Delta IV rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida to an altitude of 3,600 miles above the Earth's surface. The two-orbit, four-hour flight test will help engineers evaluate the systems critical to crew safety including the heat shield, parachute system and launch abor

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- A worker in the Payload Changeout Room on Launch Pad 39A watches as the P1 truss payload, plus the Crew and Equipment Translation Aid (CETA) cart B, move into the payload bay of Space Shuttle Endeavour. Scheduled to launch Nov. 10 on mission STS-113, Endeavour will make the 16th assembly flight to the International Space Station. Once delivered, the P1 truss will remain stowed until flight 12A.1 in 2003 when it will be attached to the central truss segment, S0, on the Space Station. The mission will also deliver the Expedition 6 crew to the Station and return Expedition 5 to Earth.

Installation of the spacecraft adapter (SA) cone to the Artemis I Orion spacecraft shown in progress inside the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building on Aug. 10, 2020. This is one of the final major hardware operations the spacecraft will undergo during closeout processing prior to being integrated with the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket in preparation for the first Artemis mission. The spacecraft adapter cone connects the bottom portion of Orions service module to the top part of the rocket known as the interim cryogenic propulsion stage (ICPS). Orion will fly on the agencys Artemis I mission - the first in a series of increasingly complex missions to the Moon that will ultimately lead to the exploration of Mars.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Orbiter Processing Facilitys bay 1, the orbiter boom sensor system is lifted by a crane for installation on the starboard side of Atlantiss payload bay for mission STS-117. The 50-foot-long boom attaches to the shuttle arm and provides equipment to inspect the shuttle's heat shield while in space. It contains an intensified television camera (ITVC) and a laser dynamic range imager, which are mounted on a pan and tilt unit, and a laser camera system (LCS) mounted on a stationary bracket. Mission STS-117 will carry the S3/S4 arrays for installation on the International Space Station. Launch of Space Shuttle Atlantis is scheduled for March.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Orbiter Processing Facility, STS-117 Mission Specialists Steven Swanson (center) and James Reilly (right) are lowered into the payload bay of the orbiter Atlantis, the vehicle for their mission. They and other crew members are at KSC to take part in a Crew Equipment Interface Test that allows them opportunities to become familiar with equipment and hardware for their mission. STS-117 will deliver the S3/S4 and another pair of solar arrays to the space station. The 21st shuttle mission to the International Space Station, STS-117 is scheduled to launch no earlier than March 16.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Inside the Operations and Checkout Building high bay at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida, technicians monitor the progress as a crane is attached to the top platform of a test stand for the Orion crew module. Lockheed Martin Space Systems and NASA engineers are preparing Orion for a series of static load tests that simulate the massive loads the spacecraft would experience during its mission. Orion is the exploration spacecraft designed to carry crews to space beyond low Earth orbit. It will provide emergency abort capability, sustain the crew during the space travel and provide safe re-entry from deep space return velocities. Orions first unpiloted test flight, Exploration Flight Test 1, is scheduled to launch in 2014 atop a Delta IV rocket. A second uncrewed flight test is scheduled for 2017 on NASAs Space Launch System rocket.

Kathy Lueders, far left, associate administrator of NASAs Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate, views the Artemis I spacecraft during a visit to the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building high bay at the agencys Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Nov. 5, 2020. To her right is Jules Schneider, director of Assembly, Test, and Launch Operations for Lockheed Martin; and to her left is Jim Skaggs, senior manager of Kennedy Operations for Lockheed Martin. In between Schneider and Skaggs is Scott Wilson, manager of the Orion Production Office at Kennedy. The first in a series of increasingly complex missions, Artemis I will test the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft as an integrated system prior to crewed flights to the Moon. Under the Artemis program, NASA is planning to land the first woman and the next man on the lunar surface by 2024.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Space Station Processing Facility at NASAs Kennedy Space Center, the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module Raffaello is lifted away from the Payload Transportation Canister where it was waiting transfer to the pad. The module is being moved back to its work stand to allow the processing team access to address concerns with mechanical fasteners inside the module that do not incorporate an adequate secondary locking feature. The assessment and additional work is being conducted to ensure that the fasteners do not disengage during ascent. Raffaello is scheduled to launch on Discovery's Return to Flight mission STS-114.

The P-1 truss, a component of the International Space Station, is lowered into a work stand in the Operations and Checkout Building where it will undergo processing. Scheduled to fly in spring of 2002, the P-1 is part of a total 10-truss, girder-like structure on the Station that will ultimately extend the length of a football field. Astronauts will attach the 14-by-15 foot structure to the port side of the center truss, S0, during the spring assembly flight. The 33,000-pound P-1 will house the thermal radiator rotating joint (TRRJ) that will rotate the Stations radiators away from the sun to increase their maximum cooling efficiency

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In Orbiter Processing Facility Bay 1 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, one of three main engines on space shuttle Atlantis has been removed using a specially designed Hyster engine lift.Inspection and maintenance of each main engine is standard procedure following a shuttle mission. Atlantis next is slated to deliver an Integrated Cargo Carrier and Russian-built Mini Research Module to the International Space Station on the STS-132 mission. The second in a series of new pressurized components for Russia, the module will be permanently attached to the Zarya module. Three spacewalks are planned to store spare components outside the station, including six spare batteries, a boom assembly for the Ku-band antenna and spares for the Canadian Dextre robotic arm extension. A radiator, airlock and European robotic arm for the Russian Multi-purpose Laboratory Module also are payloads on the flight. Launch is targeted for May 14, 2010.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In NASA Kennedy Space Center's Orbiter Processing Facility bay 2, a crane raises space shuttle Endeavour's Orbiter Boom Sensor System from a mobile stand. The OBSS is being reinstalled in Endeavour's payload bay. The OBSS is a 50-foot boom with a laser and cameras on it that astronauts use to inspect a shuttle's heat shield while in orbit. After returning from the STS-127 mission July 31, 2009, Endeavour now is being processed for the STS-130 mission targeted for Feb. 4, 2010. Endeavour will deliver to the International Space Station the Tranquility pressurized module that will provide room for many of the station's life support systems.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In the Horizontal Integration Facility at Launch Complex 37 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, a high-reach lift offers a worker access to the first stage of a Delta IV rocket as it is mated to the second stage, at left.This United Launch Alliance Delta IV rocket is slated to launch GOES-P, the latest Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite developed by NASA for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA. Launch is targeted for Feb. 25.

Lockheed Martin engineers and technicians are installing the heat shield to the Orion crew module July 25, 2018, inside the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building high bay at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Orion is being prepared for Exploration Mission-1 (EM-1), the first unscrewed integrated flight test atop NASA's Space Launch System rocket. The heat shield will need to withstand temperatures of up to 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit during Orion's descent and re-entry through the Earth's atmosphere before it splashes down in the Pacific Ocean.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In Orbiter Processing Bay 2 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, technicians using a Hyster forklift remove main engine no. 2 from space shuttle Endeavour. Engine removal is part of the post-landing processing. Endeavour returned from the STS-127 mission July 31. Endeavour's next mission is STS-130 targeted for February 2010. Endeavour will deliver to the International Space Station the Tranquility pressurized module that will provide room for many of the station's life support systems.

Discovery T & R, Oms Pod Rotate for Removal

The Orion Exploration Flight Test-1 (EFT-1) crew module is prepared for mating with the heat shield in the Operations and Checkout (O&C) Building at Kennedy Space Center on May 14, 2014. Part of Batch image transfer from Flickr.

NASA engineers install test hardware for the agency's new heavy lift rocket, the Space Launch System, into a newly constructed 50-foot structural test stand at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center. In the stand, hydraulic cylinders will be electronically controlled to push, pull, twist and bend the test article with millions of pounds of force. Engineers will record and analyze over 3,000 channels of data for each test case to verify the capabilities of the engine section and validate that the design and analysis models accurately predict the amount of loads the core stage can withstand during launch and ascent. The engine section, recently delivered via NASA's barge Pegasus from NASA's Michoud Assembly Facility, is the first of four core stage structural test articles scheduled to be delivered to Marshall for testing. The engine section, located at the bottom of SLS's massive core stage, will house the rocket's four RS-25 engines and be an attachment point for the two solid rocket boos

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Orbiter Processing Facility, the payload bay doors on Atlantis are being closed in preparation for the expected impact of Hurricane Frances on Saturday. Other preparations at KSC include powering down the Space Shuttle orbiters and stowing the landing gear. Workers are also taking precautions against flooding by moving spacecraft hardware off the ground and sandbagging facilities. The Orbiter Processing Facility is constructed of concrete and steel and was designed to withstand winds of 105 mph. The Vehicle Assembly Building is constructed of concrete and steel and was designed to withstand winds of 125 mph. Other payload and flight hardware support facilities can endure winds of 110 mph. Launch pads and the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility can withstand 125-mph winds.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Inside Orbiter Processing Facility-2 at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida, United Space Alliance technicians monitor the progress as space shuttle Endeavours payload bay doors begin to close for the final time.The work is part of Transition and Retirement of the remaining space shuttles, Endeavour and Atlantis. Endeavour is being prepared for public display at the California Science Center in Los Angeles. Its ferry flight to California is targeted for mid-September. Endeavour was the last space shuttle added to NASAs orbiter fleet. Over the course of its 19-year career, Endeavour spent 299 days in space during 25 missions.

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. - At Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, technicians prepare to install the wing on the Orbital Sciences Corp. Pegasus XL rocket which will launch the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, or IRIS, spacecraft.Scheduled for launch from Vandenberg Air Force Base no earlier than Feb. 27, 2013, IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the suns corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and the region around the sun known as the heliosphere.

The Japanese Experiment Module or JEM (first element in left row), the Node 2 (first element in right row), and other hardware undergoing processing for transport to the International Space Station, are made available for viewing by the media, assembling in the aisle of the Space Station Processing Facility (SSPF). Members of the media were invited to commemorate the fifth anniversary of the launch of the first element of the International Space Station by touring the SSPF. Reporters had the opportunity to see Space Station hardware that is being processed for deployment once the Space Shuttles return to flight, as well as talk with NASA and Boeing mission managers about the various hardware elements currently being processed for flight.

jsc2021e004391 (Jan. 21, 2021) --- External view of the Sierra Nevada Dream Chaser mockup located in Building 9N, Space Vehicle Mockup Facility (SVMF) at the NASA Johnson Space Center.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In NASA Kennedy Space Center's Orbiter Processing Facility bay 2, a crane lowers space shuttle Endeavour's Orbiter Boom Sensor System toward the payload bay for reinstallation. The OBSS is a 50-foot boom with a laser and cameras on it that astronauts use to inspect a shuttle's heat shield while in orbit. After returning from the STS-127 mission July 31, 2009, Endeavour now is being processed for the STS-130 mission targeted for Feb. 4, 2010. Endeavour will deliver to the International Space Station the Tranquility pressurized module that will provide room for many of the station's life support systems.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - A view from above inside the Operations and Checkout Building high bay at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida, shows the service module for the Orion spacecraft secured to a work stand. Technicians are completing the installation of the three fairings around the service module that will protect it during launch. The Orion spacecraft is being prepared for its first unpiloted flight test, Exploration Flight Test-1, or EFT-1, scheduled for launch atop a Delta IV rocket in September 2014. The Orion spacecraft is designed to carry astronauts to destinations not yet explored by humans. It will have emergency abort capability, sustain the crew during space travel and provide safe re-entry from deep space return velocities. Orion is scheduled to launch atop NASAs Space Launch System rocket in 2017.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Inside Orbiter Processing Facility-1 at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida, three excessed fuel cells are on a work bench beneath space shuttle Atlantis. The left orbital maneuvering system, or OMS, pod has been installed onto Atlantis. The OMS provided the shuttle with thrust for orbit insertion, rendezvous and deorbit, and could provide up to 1,000 pounds of propellant to the aft reaction control system.The OMS is housed in two independent pods located on each side of the shuttles aft fuselage. Each pod contains one OMS engine and the hardware needed to pressurize, store and distribute the propellants to perform the velocity maneuvers. Atlantis OMS pods were removed and sent to White Sands Test Facility in New Mexico to be cleaned of residual toxic propellant. The work is part of the Space Shuttle Programs transition and retirement processing of the space shuttle fleet. A groundbreaking was held Jan. 18 for Atlantis future home, a 65,000-square-foot e

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Inside the Operations and Checkout Building high bay at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida, a crane is used to lift the service module for the Orion spacecraft from the tooling stand. The service module will be transferred to a lift station where it will be mated to the spacecraft adapter cone. Orion is the exploration spacecraft designed to carry astronauts to destinations not yet explored by humans, including an asteroid and Mars. It will have emergency abort capability, sustain the crew during space travel and provide safe re-entry from deep space return velocities. The first unpiloted test flight of the Orion is scheduled to launch in 2014 atop a Delta IV rocket and in 2017 on NASAs Space Launch System rocket.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Inside Orbiter Processing Facility-1 at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida, a large crane lowers the right orbital maneuvering system, or OMS, pod closer to space shuttle Atlantis. It is the last time an OMS pod will be installed on Atlantis. The OMS provided the shuttle with thrust for orbit insertion, rendezvous and deorbit, and could provide up to 1,000 pounds of propellant to the aft reaction control system.The OMS is housed in two independent pods located on each side of the shuttles aft fuselage. Each pod contains one OMS engine and the hardware needed to pressurize, store and distribute the propellants to perform the velocity maneuvers. Atlantis OMS pods were removed and sent to the test facility at White Sands Space Harbor in New Mexico to be cleaned of residual toxic propellant. The work is part of the Space Shuttle Programs transition and retirement processing of the space shuttle fleet. A groundbreaking was held Jan. 18 for Atlantis future ho

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Node 1, the first U.S. element for the International Space Station, and Pressurized Mating Adapter-1 (PMA-1) continue with prelaunch preparation activities at KSC's Space Station Processing Facility. Node 1 is a connecting passageway to the living and working areas of the space station. Boeing technicians are connecting cables to the node and PMA-1 to remove them from their workstand to an element rotation stand, or test stand, where they will undergo an interim weight and center of gravity determination. The final determination is planned to be performed prior to transporting Node 1 to the launch pad. Node 1 is scheduled to fly on STS-88

The Boeing CST-100 Starliner spacecraft is back home at the company's Commercial Crew and Cargo Processing Facility, undergoing inspection after its first flight as part of NASA's Commercial Crew Program, known as the Orbital Flight Test. Starliner launched atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS) in Florida, Friday, Dec. 20, 2019. The mission successfully landed two days later on Sunday, Dec. 22, completing an abbreviated test that performed several mission objectives before returning to Earth as the first orbital land touchdown of a human-rated capsule in U.S. history.

. On May 24, 2022, the core stage production team moved the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket engine section for Artemis II to the core stage final integration area at NASAs Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans. While there, the engine section team is completing installation of the main propulsion systems, finishing integration of the electrical and avionics systems, and preparing for functional testing of the various systems. During final integration, the team also will install remaining internal thermal protection systems and prepare to position the engine section from vertical to horizontal so that it can be joined with the rest of the core stage. The engine section is located at the bottom of the core stage and includes the rockets main propulsion systems that connect to the core stages four RS-25 engines that will help launch the Artemis II lunar mission. This fall, the engine section will be horizontally integrated with the previously-joined forward assembly and liquid hydroge

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- In Orbiter Processing Facility-1 at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida, an overhead crane is used to remove shuttle Endeavours left-hand orbital maneuvering system, or OMS, pod. The work is part of Endeavours transition and retirement processing. The spacecraft is being prepared for public display at the California Science Center in Los Angeles. Endeavour flew 25 missions, spent 299 days in space, orbited Earth 4,671 times and traveled 122, 883, 151 miles over the course of its 19-year career. Endeavours STS-134 and final mission was completed after landing on June 1, 2011.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Technicians prepare to fit a special fixture around an Orion capsule inside the high bay of the Operations & Checkout Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The fixture is designed to enable precise pre-launch processing of the Orion spacecraft. An Orion capsule is being prepared to make a flight test in 2014 on a mission that will not carry any astronauts. Photo by Tim Jacobs

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In Orbiter Processing Facility-2 at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida, technicians monitor the progress as a large crane lifts and moves the forward reaction control system (FRCS) closer for installation on space shuttle Endeavour. The work is part of the Space Shuttle Program transition and retirement processing of Endeavour. The FRCS helped maneuver a shuttle while it was in orbit. The FRCS was removed from Endeavour and sent to White Sands Test Facility in N.M. to be cleaned of its toxic propellants. Endeavour is being prepared for display at the California Science Center in Los Angeles.

Technicians at the Airbus facility in Bremen, Germany prepare the European Service Module for shipment to Kennedy Space Center on Nov. 1, 2018. The service module will depart Germany on November 5, 2018 and will arrive in the U.S. on November 6...For the first time, NASA will use a European-built system as a critical element to power an American spacecraft, extending the international cooperation of the International Space Station into deep space. The European Service Module is a unique collaboration across space agencies and industry including ESAs prime contractor, Airbus, and 10 European countries. The completion of service module work in Europe and shipment to Kennedy signifies a major milestone toward NASAs human deep space exploration missions to the Moon and beyond.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In Orbiter Processing Facility bay 1 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, the orbiter boom sensor system is lowered into Atlantis' payload bay for installation. The 50-foot-long boom attaches to the shuttle arm and is one of the new safety measures added prior to Return to Flight last year. It equips the orbiter with cameras and laser systems to inspect the shuttle's heat shield while in space. Atlantis is scheduled to launch on mission STS-115 no earlier than Aug. 28.

Technicians and engineers put finishing touches on the Orion Exploration Flight Test-1 (EFT-1) crew module and service module stack in the Operations and Checkout (O&C) Building at Kennedy Space Center on Sept. 7, 2014. Part of Batch image transfer from Flickr.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Inside the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building high bay at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Lockheed Martin technicians prepare to do a fit check of the forward bay cover for the Orion crew module. The cover is a shell that fits over Orion's crew module to protect the spacecraft during launch, orbital flight and re-entry into Earth's atmosphere. When Orion returns from space, the cover must be jettisoned high above the ground so that the parachutes can deploy and unfurl.Orion is the exploration spacecraft designed to carry astronauts to destinations not yet explored by humans, including an asteroid and Mars. It will have emergency abort capability, sustain the crew during space travel and provide safe re-entry from deep space return velocities. The first unpiloted flight test of Orion is scheduled to launch in December 2014 atop a United Launch Alliance Delta IV Heavy rocket and in 2018 on NASAs Space Launch System rocket.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In Orbiter Processing Facility-1 at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida, United Space Alliance technicians position the forward reaction control system over space shuttle Atlantis during the systems reinstallation on the shuttle. The system helped the shuttle maneuver while it was in orbit. Atlantis FRCS was removed and sent to White Sands Test Facility in New Mexico to be cleaned of its toxic propellants. The work is part of the Space Shuttle Programs transition and retirement processing of the shuttle fleet. A groundbreaking was held Jan. 18 for Atlantis' future home, a 65,000-square-foot exhibit hall in Shuttle Plaza at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. Atlantis is scheduled to roll over to the visitor complex in November in preparation for the exhibits grand opening in July 2013.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In Orbiter Processing Facility bay 3, the orbiter Discovery's payload bay doors are closing. Discovery is being prepared for rollover to the Vehicle Assembly Building no earlier than May 12 for final processing and stacking. Discovery is scheduled to launch on mission STS-121 in July to the International Space Station.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Orbiter Processing Facility, an actuator is set up on a table for a 3D digital scan. There are two actuators per engine on the Shuttle, one for pitch motion and one for yaw motion. The Space Shuttle Main Engine hydraulic servoactuators are used to gimbal the main engine.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Inside Orbiter Processing Facility-1 at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida, a large crane was used to lower the left orbital maneuvering system, or OMS, pod onto space shuttle Atlantis. The OMS provided the shuttle with thrust for orbit insertion, rendezvous and deorbit, and could provide up to 1,000 pounds of propellant to the aft reaction control system.The OMS is housed in two independent pods located on each side of the shuttles aft fuselage. Each pod contains one OMS engine and the hardware needed to pressurize, store and distribute the propellants to perform the velocity maneuvers. Atlantis OMS pods were removed and sent to White Sands Test Facility in New Mexico to be cleaned of residual toxic propellant. The work is part of the Space Shuttle Programs transition and retirement processing of the space shuttle fleet. A groundbreaking was held Jan. 18 for Atlantis future home, a 65,000-square-foot exhibit hall in Shuttle Plaza at the Kennedy Space C

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Inside Orbiter Processing Facility-2 at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida, United Space Alliance technicians monitor the progress as space shuttle Endeavours payload bay doors begin to close for the final time.The work is part of Transition and Retirement of the remaining space shuttles, Endeavour and Atlantis. Endeavour is being prepared for public display at the California Science Center in Los Angeles. Its ferry flight to California is targeted for mid-September. Endeavour was the last space shuttle added to NASAs orbiter fleet. Over the course of its 19-year career, Endeavour spent 299 days in space during 25 missions.

Inside NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center's massive clean room in Greenbelt, Maryland, the ninth flight mirror was installed onto the telescope structure with a robotic arm. This marks the halfway completion point for the James Webb Space Telescope's segmented primary mirror. Engineers worked tirelessly to install the ninth primary flight mirror onto the telescope structure.

STS-132 MINI RESEARCH MODULE-1 INSTALL TO CANISTER

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, CALIF. - Inside Orbital Sciences Building 1555 at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, the Space Technology 5 (ST5) spacecraft waits for encapsulation after mating with the Orbital Sciences' Pegasus XL launch vehicle. The ST5 contains three microsatellites with miniaturized redundant components and technologies. Each will validate New Millennium Program selected technologies, such as the Cold Gas Micro-Thruster and X-Band Transponder Communication System. After deployment from the Pegasus, the micro-satellites will be positioned in a “string of pearls” constellation that demonstrates the ability to position them to perform simultaneous multi-point measurements of the magnetic field using highly sensitive magnetometers. The data will help scientists understand and map the intensity and direction of the Earths magnetic field, its relation to space weather events, and affects on our planet. With such missions, NASA hopes to improve scientists ability

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In Orbiter Processing Facility-1 at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida, preparations are under way to open the payload bay doors of space shuttle Atlantis.The work is part of the Space Shuttle Programs transition and retirement processing of shuttle Atlantis. A groundbreaking was held Jan. 18 for Atlantis' future home -- a 65,000-square-foot exhibit hall in Shuttle Plaza at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex.

The Orion Exploration Flight Test-1 (EFT-1) crew module is prepared for mating with the heat shield in the Operations and Checkout (O&C) Building at Kennedy Space Center on May 14, 2014. Part of Batch image transfer from Flickr.

Technicians and engineers put finishing touches on the Orion Exploration Flight Test-1 (EFT-1) crew module and service module stack in the Operations and Checkout (O&C) Building at Kennedy Space Center on Sept. 7, 2014. The crew module is covered by protective foil as it and the service module are lifted for the installation of the Orion-to-stage adapter ring. Part of Batch image transfer from Flickr.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Inside Orbiter Processing Facility-1 at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida, a United Space Alliance technician monitors the progress as a large crane lifts the right orbital maneuvering system, or OMS, pod for installation on space shuttle Atlantis. It is the last time an OMS pod will be installed on Atlantis. The OMS provided the shuttle with thrust for orbit insertion, rendezvous and deorbit, and could provide up to 1,000 pounds of propellant to the aft reaction control system.The OMS is housed in two independent pods located on each side of the shuttles aft fuselage. Each pod contains one OMS engine and the hardware needed to pressurize, store and distribute the propellants to perform the velocity maneuvers. Atlantis OMS pods were removed and sent to the test facility at White Sands Space Harbor in New Mexico to be cleaned of residual toxic propellant. The work is part of the Space Shuttle Programs transition and retirement processing of the space sh

Technicians at the Airbus facility in Bremen, Germany prepare the European Service Module for shipment to Kennedy Space Center on Nov. 1, 2018. The service module will depart Germany on November 5, 2018 and will arrive in the U.S. on November 6...For the first time, NASA will use a European-built system as a critical element to power an American spacecraft, extending the international cooperation of the International Space Station into deep space. The European Service Module is a unique collaboration across space agencies and industry including ESAs prime contractor, Airbus, and 10 European countries. The completion of service module work in Europe and shipment to Kennedy signifies a major milestone toward NASAs human deep space exploration missions to the Moon and beyond.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA astronauts tour the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building high bay at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, and view the Orion forward bay cover for Exploration Flight Test-1. From left, are Jack Fischer, Mark Vande Hei, Katie Rubins and Scott Tingle. At far right is Jules Schneider, Lockheed Martin senior manager.Orion is the exploration spacecraft designed to carry astronauts to destinations not yet explored by humans, including an asteroid and Mars. It will have emergency abort capability, sustain the crew during space travel and provide safe re-entry from deep space return velocities. The first unpiloted test flight of Orion is scheduled to launch in 2014 atop a United Launch Alliance Delta IV rocket and in 2018 on NASAs Space Launch System rocket.

Technicians with European Service Module processing teams from the European Space Agency, Airbus, and Airbus Netherlands assist with securing a protective cover as a crane prepares to lift the panel during installation of one of four solar array wings inside the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building high bay at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Sept. 23, 2020. The Orion spacecraft for Artemis I is shown in the background. The solar arrays were extended, inspected, and then retracted, before installation on the spacecraft. Each solar array panel will generate 11 kilowatts of power and span about 63 feet. The array is a component of Orions service module, which is provided by the European Space Agency and built by Airbus Defence and Space to supply Orions power, propulsion, air and water. The first in a series of increasingly complex missions, Artemis I will test the Orion spacecraft and Space Launch System as an integrated system ahead of crewed flights to the Moon.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In Orbiter Processing Bay 2 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, technicians using a Hyster forklift have removed main engine no. 2 from space shuttle Endeavour. Engine removal is part of the post-landing processing. Endeavour returned from the STS-127 mission July 31. Endeavour's next mission is STS-130 targeted for February 2010. Endeavour will deliver to the International Space Station the Tranquility pressurized module that will provide room for many of the station's life support systems.

Workers inside the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building high bay at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, continue assembly of Orions Artemis II crew module on Feb. 5, 2021. The capsule will house astronauts during its mission around the Moon. Recently, teams removed the spacecraft from its clean room environment, where they have been performing the buildup of the Environmental Control and Propulsion System (ECPS) assemblies prior to their installation into the crew module. It will return to the clean room to complete ECPS final welds and assemblies. Artemis II will confirm all of the Orion spacecrafts systems operate as designed in the actual environment of deep space with astronauts aboard. As part of the Artemis Program, NASA will send the first woman and next man to the Moon.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Orbiter Processing Facility bay 2, Endeavour's payload bay doors are closed. The payload will be installed on the launch pad after rollout. The orbiter is designated for mission STS-118, targeted for launch on Aug. 9. The mission will continue space station construction by delivering a third starboard truss segment, S5, as well as carrying the External Stowage Platform 3. The crew comprises seven astronauts: Commander Scott Kelly, Pilot Charles Hobaugh and Mission Specialists Dr. Dafydd (Dave) Williams, Barbara Morgan, Richard Mastracchio, Tracy Caldwell and Benjamin Drew. Williams represents the Canadian Space Agency.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Inside Orbiter Processing Facility-1 at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida, United Space Alliance technicians inspect space shuttle Atlantis payload bay doors after they were closed in preparation for its move to the Vehicle Assembly Building.The work is part of the Space Shuttle Programs transition and retirement processing of the space shuttle fleet. A groundbreaking was held Jan. 18 for Atlantis future home, a 65,000-square-foot exhibit hall in Shuttle Plaza at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. Atlantis is scheduled to roll over to the visitor complex in November in preparation for the exhibits grand opening in July 2013.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- A DragonEye proximity sensor developed by Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) is installed while space shuttle Discovery is in Orbiter Processing Facility-3 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. DragonEye is a Laser Imaging Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) sensor that will be tested on Discovery's docking operation with the International Space Station. Discovery's STS-133 mission, targeted to launch Nov. 1, will be the second demonstration of the sensor, following shuttle Endeavour's STS-127 mission in 2009. The DragonEye sensor will guide SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft as it approaches and berths to the station on future cargo re-supply missions. The Dragon spacecraft is a free-flying, reusable spacecraft being developed by SpaceX, which is contracted by NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) program.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Orbiter Processing Facility, the Forward Reaction Control System (FRCS) is lifted by an overhead crane for installation in Discovery. Located in the forward fuselage nose area, the FRCS provides the thrust for attitude (rotational) maneuvers (pitch, yaw and roll) and for small velocity changes along the orbiter axis (translation maneuvers). Discovery is designated as the Return to Flight vehicle for mission STS-114, no earlier than March 2005.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Space Station Processing Facility, workers keep watch as the P5 truss for mission STS-116 moves toward the payload canister (background left). The truss will be transported to Launch Pad 39B where it will wait for installation in Space Shuttle Discoverys payload bay. The third port truss segment, the P5 will be attached to the P3/P4 truss on the International Space Station during the 11-day mission. The window for launch of mission STS-116 opens Dec. 7.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In Orbiter Processing Facility-1 at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida, technicians used a Hyster forklift to install replica shuttle main engine RSME number 1 on space shuttle Atlantis. Three RSMEs will be installed on Atlantis. The work is part of the Space Shuttle Programs transition and retirement processing of the space shuttle fleet. A groundbreaking was held Jan. 18 for Atlantis future home, a 65,000-square-foot exhibit hall in Shuttle Plaza at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. Atlantis is scheduled to roll over to the visitor complex in November in preparation for the exhibits grand opening in July 2013.

NASA Connects All Major Structures of Artemis II Moon Rocket Core Stage. Teams with NASA and Boeing, the core stage lead contractor, at NASAs Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans have fully integrated all five major structures of the Space Launch System (SLS) rockets core stage for Artemis II, the first Artemis mission that will send four astronauts around the Moon and return them home. Technicians joined the engine section to the rest of the rocket stage March 17. Next, teams will integrate the four RS-25 engines to the engine section to complete the stage. Located at the bottom of the 212-foot-tall core stage, the engine section is the most complex and intricate part of the rocket stage, helping to power Artemis missions to the Moon. In addition to its miles of cabling and hundreds of sensors, the engine section is a crucial attachment point for the RS-25 engines and two solid rocket boosters that produce a combined 8.8 million pounds of thrust at liftoff. It houses the engines a

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In Orbiter Processing Facility-1 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the clamshell doors of space shuttle Atlantis' payload bay have been closed in preparation for the its move to the Vehicle Assembly Building next month. Atlantis is being prepared for the STS-135 mission, which will deliver the Raffaello multipurpose logistics module packed with supplies, logistics and spare parts to the International Space Station. STS-135 is targeted to launch June 28, and will be the last spaceflight for the Space Shuttle Program.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Orbiter Processing Facility at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the payload bay doors of the orbiter Atlantis are nearly closed. Atlantis is scheduled to fly on the second Return to Flight mission, STS-121, targeted for launch in a window extending from Sept. 9 to Sept. 24.

This image shows the forward skirt that will be used on the core stage of NASAs Space Launch System rocket for Artemis II, the first crewed mission of NASAs Artemis program, at NASAs Michoud Assembly Facility. The SLS core stage is made up of five unique elements: the forward skirt, liquid oxygen tank, intertank, liquid hydrogen tank, and the engine section. The forward skirt houses flight computers, cameras, and avionics systems. The hardware is located at the top of the 212-foot-tall core stage and connects the upper part of the rocket to the core stage. Soon, technicians will ready the forward skirt for the first of three core stage assembly mates called the forward join. The forward join consists of three main parts -- the forward skirt, liquid oxygen tank, and intertank - to create the top, or forward part, of the core stage.Together with its four RS-25 engines, the rockets massive 212-foot-tall core stage — the largest stage NASA has ever built — and its twin solid rocket b

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Technicians work with the Orion spacecraft being assembled by Lockheed Martin inside the Operations & Checkout Building's high bay at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. The spacecraft is being prepared for a test flight next year that calls for the Orion to fly without a crew on a mission to evaluate its systems and heat shield. The spacecraft is designed to carry astronauts into deep space and back safely.

Carefully packaged cargo waits on pallets inside the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida. In the background, technicians prepare to begin loading the cargo into the Orbital ATK Cygnus pressurized module during late stowage operations.The spacecraft is scheduled for the upcoming Orbital ATK Commercial Resupply Services-6 mission to deliver hardware and supplies to the International Space Station. The Cygnus is scheduled to lift off atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket on March 22.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Space shuttle Atlantis goes through a routine landing gear test in Orbiter Processing Facility-1 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Technicians are checking to make sure the shuttle's wheels, brakes, elevons and body flap function properly. Seen here, the nose landing gear is deployed. During a shuttle landing, the nose gear comes down after the main gear and helps the shuttle coast to a stop.Atlantis is being prepared for the STS-135 mission, which will deliver the Raffaello multi-purpose logistics module packed with supplies, logistics and spare parts to the International Space Station. STS-135 is targeted to launch June 28, and will be the last spaceflight for the Space Shuttle Program.

NASA Connects All Major Structures of Artemis II Moon Rocket Core Stage. Teams with NASA and Boeing, the core stage lead contractor, at NASAs Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans have fully integrated all five major structures of the Space Launch System (SLS) rockets core stage for Artemis II, the first Artemis mission that will send four astronauts around the Moon and return them home. Technicians joined the engine section to the rest of the rocket stage March 17. Next, teams will integrate the four RS-25 engines to the engine section to complete the stage. Located at the bottom of the 212-foot-tall core stage, the engine section is the most complex and intricate part of the rocket stage, helping to power Artemis missions to the Moon. In addition to its miles of cabling and hundreds of sensors, the engine section is a crucial attachment point for the RS-25 engines and two solid rocket boosters that produce a combined 8.8 million pounds of thrust at liftoff. It houses the engines a

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- In Orbiter Processing Facility-1 at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida, technicians secure shuttle Endeavours left-hand orbital maneuvering system, or OMS, pod onto a transporter. It will then be moved to the Hypergol Maintenance Facility. The work is part of Endeavours transition and retirement processing. The spacecraft is being prepared for public display at the California Science Center in Los Angeles. Endeavour flew 25 missions, spent 299 days in space, orbited Earth 4,671 times and traveled 122, 883, 151 miles over the course of its 19-year career. Endeavours STS-134 and final mission was completed after landing on June 1, 2011.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In Orbiter Processing Facility Bay 3 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, United Space Alliance technicians lower space shuttle Discovery's Forward Reaction Control System, or FRCS, into position over the shuttle's frame.The FRCS is being reinstalled in the forward fuselage nose area of the shuttle after refurbishment. The FRCS provides the thrust for attitude (rotational) maneuvers (pitch, yaw and roll) and for small velocity changes along the orbiter axis (translation maneuvers). Discovery is being prepared for the STS-131 mission, the 33rd flight to the International Space Station. The seven-member STS-131 crew will deliver a Multi-Purpose Logistics Module filled with resupply stowage platforms and racks to be transferred to locations around the station. Three spacewalks will include work to attach a spare ammonia tank assembly to the station's exterior and return a European experiment from outside the station's Columbus module. Discovery's launch i

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Members of the news media peer down into space shuttle Endeavour's open payload bay inside Orbiter Processing Facility-2 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Ongoing transition and retirement activities are preparing the spacecraft for public display at the California Science Center in Los Angeles. Endeavour flew 25 missions during its 19-year career.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In NASA Kennedy Space Center's Orbiter Processing Facility bay 2, space shuttle Endeavour's Orbiter Boom Sensor System is lowered into position in the shuttle's payload bay. The OBSS is being reinstalled in the payload bay. The OBSS is being reinstalled in the payload bay. The OBSS is a 50-foot boom with a laser and cameras on it that astronauts use to inspect a shuttle's heat shield while in orbit. After returning from the STS-127 mission July 31, 2009, Endeavour now is being processed for the STS-130 mission targeted for Feb. 4, 2010. Endeavour will deliver to the International Space Station the Tranquility pressurized module that will provide room for many of the station's life support systems.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- On Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the doors of the payload canister open to reveal space shuttle Discovery's payload, the integrated truss structure S6 and solar arrays, for the STS-119 mission. The payload will be transferred into the Payload Changeout Room, or PCR. They will be installed in Discovery's payload bay after the shuttle rolls out to the launch pad. Launch of Discovery on the STS-119 mission is scheduled for Feb. 12. During Discovery's 14-day mission, the crew will install the S6 truss segment and its solar arrays to the starboard side of the station, completing the station's backbone, or truss.

Technicians at the Airbus facility in Bremen, Germany prepare the European Service Module for shipment to Kennedy Space Center on Nov. 1, 2018. The service module will depart Germany on November 5, 2018 and will arrive in the U.S. on November 6...For the first time, NASA will use a European-built system as a critical element to power an American spacecraft, extending the international cooperation of the International Space Station into deep space. The European Service Module is a unique collaboration across space agencies and industry including ESAs prime contractor, Airbus, and 10 European countries. The completion of service module work in Europe and shipment to Kennedy signifies a major milestone toward NASAs human deep space exploration missions to the Moon and beyond.

Technicians at the Airbus facility in Bremen, Germany prepare the European Service Module for shipment to Kennedy Space Center on Nov. 1, 2018. The service module will depart Germany on November 5, 2018 and will arrive in the U.S. on November 6...For the first time, NASA will use a European-built system as a critical element to power an American spacecraft, extending the international cooperation of the International Space Station into deep space. The European Service Module is a unique collaboration across space agencies and industry including ESAs prime contractor, Airbus, and 10 European countries. The completion of service module work in Europe and shipment to Kennedy signifies a major milestone toward NASAs human deep space exploration missions to the Moon and beyond.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- In Orbiter Processing Facility-1 at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida, workers monitor the progress as an overhead crane is moved into place around shuttle Endeavours left-hand orbital maneuvering system, or OMS, pod, to begin removal of the component. The work is part of Endeavours transition and retirement processing. The spacecraft is being prepared for public display at the California Science Center in Los Angeles. Endeavour flew 25 missions, spent 299 days in space, orbited Earth 4,671 times and traveled 122, 883, 151 miles over the course of its 19-year career. Endeavours STS-134 and final mission was completed after landing on June 1, 2011.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Inside Orbiter Processing Facility-1 at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida, United Launch Alliance technicians provide assistance as a large crane is lowered toward the right orbital maneuvering system, or OMS, pod for space shuttle Atlantis. It will be the last time an OMS pod is installed on Atlantis. The OMS provided the shuttle with thrust for orbit insertion, rendezvous and deorbit, and could provide up to 1,000 pounds of propellant to the aft reaction control system.The OMS is housed in two independent pods located on each side of the shuttles aft fuselage. Each pod contains one OMS engine and the hardware needed to pressurize, store and distribute the propellants to perform the velocity maneuvers. Atlantis OMS pods were removed and sent to the test facility at White Sands Space Harbor in New Mexico to be cleaned of residual toxic propellant. The work is part of the Space Shuttle Programs transition and retirement processing of the space shuttle fl

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