Artemis III SLS Core Stage Joins Boosters at Kennedy
NASA’s Artemis III SLS core stage has been installed alongside its twin boosters at Kennedy Space Center, marking a key integration milestone ahead of the Moon mission.
Technicians at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center moved the 212-foot SLS core stage into High Bay 3 on Oct. 28 using a specialized lifting beam. The stage was carefully positioned next to the already stacked solid rocket boosters inside the Vehicle Assembly Building. This integration step follows months of assembly and testing to prepare the rocket for its lunar mission. The core stage will remain in the facility for final checkouts before rollout to the launch pad.
Teams plan to transport the fully assembled rocket to Launch Pad 39B for a critical tanking test. During the test, liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen will be loaded only into the core stage to validate fueling procedures. Launch teams will also rehearse countdown timelines and operational sequences to ensure readiness for the Artemis III mission.
The Artemis III mission will carry NASA astronauts Randy Bresnik, Frank Rubio, Andre Douglas, and ESA astronaut Luca Parmitano aboard the Orion spacecraft. Their flight will test Orion’s rendezvous and docking capabilities with commercial lunar landers from Blue Origin and SpaceX. These tests are essential for future crewed lunar landings under NASA’s Artemis program.
The SLS rocket’s core stage and boosters are now physically connected for the first time, a major integration milestone. This configuration will remain in place until final systems checks are completed. Once approved, the rocket will proceed to the launch pad for the tanking test and subsequent launch preparations.