Boeing Ships Artemis III Core Stage Section to Accelerate Rocket Production
NEW ORLEANS—Boeing has shipped a major section of the Space Launch System (SLS) core stage for NASA’s Artemis III mission, marking a shift in how the company is assembling and delivering rocket components to support faster production timelines.
The structure, known as the “Top Four-Fifths” of the core stage, was rolled out from NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility and loaded onto the Pegasus barge for transport to Kennedy Space Center. The section includes the forward skirt, intertank, liquid oxygen tank and liquid hydrogen tank, but does not include the engine section.
The change in production strategy allows Boeing to ship core stage components before final engine integration, a move aimed at improving manufacturing flow and accelerating delivery schedules for future Artemis missions.
Once at Kennedy Space Center, the structure will be integrated vertically with the engine section as part of final assembly. The transport marks the first time Boeing has shipped an SLS core stage without its engine section, reflecting adjustments to the company’s manufacturing process.
The Artemis III mission, currently targeted for 2027, is expected to test docking capabilities between NASA’s Orion spacecraft and commercial systems designed to support lunar landings.
The updated production approach highlights efforts to streamline large-scale aerospace manufacturing, where coordination between fabrication, assembly and final integration plays a critical role in meeting program timelines.
The core stage section will travel approximately 900 miles by barge to Florida, where it will undergo final integration and preparation for launch.
VIDEO | Boeing Moves SLS Core Stage Section for Artemis III Assembly
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