Technicians Lift, Prepare Artemis III SLS Intertank for Next Phase of Production at NASA Michoud

Technicians at NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans lift the intertank of the SLS (Space Launch System)’s core stage for NASA’s Artemis III mission to move it to another location in the 43-acre factory for further inspection and production. The intertank is the backbone of the rocket’s core stage and is located between the mega rocket’s liquid hydrogen tank and liquid oxygen tank. In addition to joining the rocket’s two massive propellant tanks, the intertank houses avionics and electronics and serves as an attachment point for the rocket’s two solid rocket boosters positioned on either side of the core stage. The liquid hydrogen tank and liquid oxygen tank hold 733,000 gallons of super-cold propellant to power the stage’s four RS-25 engines needed for liftoff. Together, the rocket’s four RS-25 engines and two solid rocket boosters provide more than 8.8 million pounds to launch NASA’s and Artemis missions to the Moon. NASA is working to land the first woman and first person of color on the Moon under Artemis. SLS is part of NASA’s backbone for deep space exploration, along with Orion and the Gateway in orbit around the Moon. SLS is the only rocket that can send Orion, astronauts, and supplies to the Moon in a single mission.