NASA
Earlier this week, the structural test articles (STA) for the Space Launch System's (SLS) final two components for Artemis 1 were stacked on the rocket inside the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) at NASA's Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Florida.
As shown in these photos, the STA for the Orion stage adapter (OSA)—in which the real flight hardware itself is currently in storage at KSC's Multi-Payload Processing Facility a few miles away—was attached to SLS on August 9. Presumably, the Mass Simulator for Orion (MSO) was placed atop the Artemis 1 rocket soon afterwards.
The OSA STA and MSO will remain on the Space Launch System as two major demonstrations—the Umbilical Release and Retract Test (or URRT...which will ensure that the mobile launcher's umbilical arms detach and swing away from SLS in a quick but safe manner at liftoff) and Integrated Modal Test (or IMT...which will be similar to the modal test that examined the SLS Core Stage's structural dynamics during its Green Run campaign at NASA's Stennis Space Center in Mississippi last year)—are conducted on the rocket inside the VAB.
Once the URRT and IMT are completed, the mobile launcher's umbilical arms will be re-attached to SLS and the actual Orion spacecraft and stage adapter (with various CubeSats installed inside it) will be brought into the VAB and mated to the Artemis 1 rocket. This milestone will take place later next month.
The SLS will then be rolled out to KSC's Launch Complex 39B for a multi-week Wet Dress Rehearsal...prior to being sent back to the VAB for final ordnance installation and other launch preps.
Liftoff of Artemis 1 is still scheduled for no earlier than November 22.
NASA
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