NASA adds critical stage adapter to Artemis II Moon rocket

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Apr 15, 2025
NASA's Artemis II rocket has taken another step toward launch readiness with the installation of a major structural component. On April 12, technicians at the Kennedy Space Center's Vehicle Assembly Building successfully placed the launch vehicle stage adapter atop the core stage of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. The operation, conducted by NASA's Exploration Ground Systems Program, involved lifting the adapter nearly 250 feet using a 325-ton crane and carefully positioning it for integration.

This cone-shaped adapter plays a vital role by linking the SLS core stage to the interim cryogenic propulsion stage, which will provide thrust to carry Artemis II around the Moon. Beyond its structural function, the adapter shields critical avionics and electrical systems housed in the upper stage from intense vibration and sound pressure during launch.

Manufactured by Teledyne Brown Engineering under the Amentum Space Exploration Division's ESSCA contract, the adapter was constructed at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. Engineers used advanced robotic tools, including friction-stir welding systems, to fabricate the component. It was delivered to Kennedy Space Center aboard NASA's Pegasus barge in September 2024.

With the adapter now in place, the Artemis II assembly process moves to the next phase: stacking the interim cryogenic propulsion stage. Once fully assembled, the SLS will launch four astronauts on a 10-day mission around the Moon. As the first crewed mission of the Artemis program, Artemis II will test and validate the technologies required for future lunar landings and, ultimately, human exploration of Mars.