SLS Core Stage Pathfinder Barge Arrives at KSC

NASA's Pegasus Barge, which has a storied history of supporting the Space Shuttle Program, arrived at the Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39B turn basin wharf, carrying its first load in support of the agency's Artemis missions. The upgraded 310-foot-long barge arrived Friday, Sept. 27, ferrying the 212-foot-long Space Launch System (SLS) core stage pathfinder. Weighing in at 228,000 pounds, the pathfinder is a full-scale mockup of the rocket's core stage. The pathfinder will be utilized by the Exploration Ground Systems Program and their contractor, Jacobs, to practice offloading, moving and stacking maneuvers, utilizing important ground support equipment to train employees and certify all the equipment works properly. The pathfinder will stay at Kennedy for approximately one month before trekking back to NASA's Michoud Assembly Facility in Louisiana.