NASA’s New Mobile Launcher Stacks Up for Future Artemis Missions

The foundation is set at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida for launching crewed missions aboard the agency’s larger and more powerful SLS Block 1B rocket in support ofand future missions. On May 9, 2024, teams with NASA’s EGS Program and contractor Bechtel National Inc.

On Thursday, May 9, 2024, teams with NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems Program and primary contractor, Bechtel National, Inc., continue moving the base structure of mobile launcher 2 to a permanent mount structure where assembly will be completed at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Four self-propelled modular transporters were driven underneath the sides of the steel assembly and then lowered the base onto eight surrounding jacks. Once secured, teams removed the transporters and used jacks to raise the base 18 feet to allow for crawler access underneath the structure.

“The jack & set milestone is a huge accomplishment for the NASA and Bechtel team,” said Darrell Foster, ground systems integration manager for NASA’s EGS Program. “It represents the hard work of hundreds of people – not only in the field putting the pieces together, but engineers and analysts who custom designed this structure, subcontracting buyers and delivery managers who drove the process to get the materials to the site, and the several offsite fabrication shops across the country.

With NASA’s iconic Vehicle Assembly Building in the background, teams with the agency’s Exploration Ground Systems Program and primary contractor, Bechtel National, Inc. continue construction on the base of the platform for the new mobile launcher at Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Wednesday, April 24, 2024.

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