Overview
- The Space Launch System core stage for Artemis III, which rolled out at NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility, moved onto the Pegasus barge on Monday for transport to Kennedy Space Center.
- At Kennedy, teams will finish outfitting the stage, raise it upright in the Vehicle Assembly Building, and stack it with boosters under the Exploration Ground Systems program.
- Artemis II wrapped on April 10 with Orion splashing down near San Diego, and early checks found the heat shield behaved as expected as engineers continue detailed post‑flight reviews.
- NASA is probing a urine vent line issue seen during Artemis II and plans corrective actions before Artemis III to reduce risk for the next crewed mission.
- Artemis III is targeted for 2027 to test Orion’s rendezvous and docking with a commercial lander, using a 212‑foot core stage built by Boeing with four L3Harris RS‑25 engines that burn over eight minutes on more than 733,000 gallons of propellant.