Wednesday, September 2, 2026

An SRB for the Next SLS Rocket Continues to Grow Taller...

Inside the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the forward center segment for the Space Launch System's left solid rocket booster is now attached to the Artemis 3 flight hardware atop the Mobile Launcher...on September 1, 2026.
NASA / Cory S Huston

Artemis III LFC Booster Segment Mated (Photo Release)

Technicians inside the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida complete integration of the left forward center solid rocket booster segment onto the left center center booster segment for the Artemis III SLS (Space Launch System) rocket on the Mobile Launcher inside High Bay 3 - on Tuesday, September 1, 2026.

The twin boosters, comprising of five segments each and manufactured by Northrop Grumman in Utah, provide more than 75 percent of the SLS rocket’s total thrust at liftoff.

The Artemis III mission will launch crew in the Orion spacecraft on top of the SLS rocket to test rendezvous and docking capabilities between Orion and commercial spacecraft needed to land astronauts on the Moon.

Source: NASA.Gov

****

Inside the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the forward center segment for the Space Launch System's left solid rocket booster is now attached to the Artemis 3 flight hardware atop the Mobile Launcher...on September 1, 2026.
NASA / Cory S Huston

Tuesday, September 1, 2026

The Third SLS Core Stage Booster Has Reached a Big Milestone...

Inside Kennedy Space Center's Vehicle Assembly Building in Florida, the fourth and final RS-25 engine is attached to the core stage booster for Artemis 3's Space Launch System rocket...on September 1, 2026.
NASA / Clayton Rougelot

Artemis III RS-25 Engine Processing: #4 Lift (Photo Release)

Technicians complete installation of all four RS-25 SLS (Space Launch System) rocket engines on the work stand for integration with the Artemis III core stage rocket on Tuesday, September 1, 2026, inside the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

During Artemis III, the four RS-25 engines will launch SLS, the Orion spacecraft and its crew of four into low-Earth orbit, generating more than two million pounds of thrust at liftoff.

Source: NASA.Gov

****

Inside Kennedy Space Center's Vehicle Assembly Building in Florida, the fourth and final RS-25 engine is attached to the core stage booster for Artemis 3's Space Launch System rocket...on September 1, 2026.
NASA / Clayton Rougelot