NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems recently announced they were joining with and connecting the Lockheed Martin-developed Orion spacecraft for the upcoming Artemis II mission.
The Orion spacecraft Integrity was transported to the Vehicle Assembly Building at the Kennedy Space Center where it was placed on top of the SLS rocket in High Bay 3. The move marks a major milestone for the Artemis II mission. NASA is working with industry experts toward a manned launch to the moon early next year.
“Integration of SLS and Orion represents a major milestone in our progress on Artemis,” Acting NASA Administrator and U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said. “Soon, we will be launching four astronauts around the Moon for the first time in over half a century on Artemis II — the latest demonstration of American dominance in space.”
After connecting the systems, teams will make electrical and data connections between Orion and SLS, along with umbilical connections from the mobile launch platform to the spacecraft. Tests of the integrated systems will be conducted prior to a wet dress rehearsal next year, officials said.
“The full stack of Orion on the SLS is a truly spectacular sight,” Robert Lightfoot, president of Lockheed Martin Space said. “Our teams have been working tirelessly to finalize these last steps and ensure Orion takes the crew to the Moon and brings them home safely.”