NASA's Giant Fuel Tank Prepares to Land Astronauts on the Moon
Key Ideas
- NASA's Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans moved a liquid hydrogen tank for the SLS rocket into the final assembly area for the Artemis III mission.
- The tank, standing at 130 feet tall, will be outfitted with critical systems to support the mission to land astronauts near the Moon’s South Pole.
- The mission is scheduled for 2027 and will involve SpaceX's Starship HLS as the lunar lander to support the journey from lunar orbit to the Moon's surface and back.
- The SLS rocket will launch the Orion crew capsule to propel the mission into lunar orbit using its 8.8 million pounds of thrust.
The article showcases the progress made by NASA at the Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans in preparing a giant liquid hydrogen tank for the Artemis III mission. The tank, standing at 130 feet tall, has undergone the application of a thermal protection system and is now being equipped with critical systems. The mission, scheduled for 2027, aims to land astronauts near the Moon’s South Pole using SpaceX's Starship HLS as the lunar lander. The SLS rocket will launch the Orion crew capsule, leveraging its substantial thrust to propel the mission into lunar orbit. This development marks a significant step forward in NASA's efforts to land astronauts on the Moon as part of the Artemis program.