Tag: MAF
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Preparing the adaptor – LVSA readies for SLS debut
NASA is getting ready to apply spray-on foam insulation (SOFI) to the outside of the Launch Vehicle Stage Adapter (LVSA) that will fly as a part of the Space Launch System (SLS) launch vehicle on Exploration Mission-1 (EM-1). The LVSA is a roughly thirty feet by thirty feet conical spacer structure that connects the top of…
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SLS Core Stage Pathfinder prepares for barge ride to MAF
A full-scale model of a Space Launch System (SLS) Core Stage, called the Core Stage Pathfinder, was recently completed at a plant in Northern Alabama, and will soon be shipped and turned over to NASA. A ceremony was held to mark the completion of construction and assembly of the gigantic steel article at G&G Steel’s…
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SLS Core Stage team recovering from consequences of weld pin change
NASA and Space Launch System (SLS) Core Stage prime contractor Boeing recently resumed welding elements for the launch vehicle’s first flight after a technical issue suspended welding last year. A change to a welding tool in the Vertical Assembly Center (VAC) at the Michoud Assembly Facility (MAF) in New Orleans, Louisiana, had unintended consequences that…
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Pegasus trip to Marshall for SLS engine section STA
As the facility continues repairs of tornado damaged infrastructure and looks to find workspace for displaced tenants, NASA, Space Launch System (SLS) Core Stage prime contractor Boeing, and facility operations and maintenance contractor Syncom Space Services are ready to ship the first SLS hardware element from the Michoud Assembly Facility (MAF) in New Orleans, Louisiana…
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MAF recovering from tornado strike, aims to protect SLS critical path
While NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility (MAF) continues to work through a recovery effort following last month’s tornado, Steve Doering, SLS Stages Element Manager, has provided a recent assessment of the damage. He also overviewed the initial recovery efforts and mitigation work against potential impacts on the core stage production critical paths for the Space Launch…
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MAF hit by tornado; all personnel safe as damage assessments begin
NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility (MAF) has been hit by a tornado in the early afternoon hours of Tuesday. The immediate extent of damage and injuries is not yet known, though video and photos on social media show several overturned vehicles and severely damage buildings. MAF is currently being used by NASA for construction of the core stage of the…
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Proof is in the Core as SLS pushes towards maiden launch
The first fully-welded Space Launch System (SLS) Core Stage propellant tank was recently moved to its proof testing facility at the Michoud Assembly Facility (MAF), to begin final preparations for the first set of tests to begin. The liquid hydrogen (LH2) qualification tank will be a pathfinder for Core Stage prime contractor Boeing and NASA…
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Boeing and NASA prepare for the assembly of the first SLS rocket
Prime contractor Boeing recently discussed the current progress of assembly and production for the first Core Stage elements of NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS). With assembly of the major structures almost complete, all the different first-time pieces are working their way along parallel paths at the Michoud Assembly Facility (MAF) in New Orleans, Louisiana, as…
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MAF Roadmap: Preparing the SLS first core stages for testing and flight
The Structural Test Articles (STA) that will make up the first core stage of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket is in the final phase of construction at the Michoud Assembly Facility (MAF) in New Orleans. Focus is now switching to the welds on the core that will create the first flight core that will launch…
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NASA facilities, teams ramp up SLS flight production for 2018 maiden flight
NASA is ramping up production of hardware and flight elements for the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, set to make its debut flight in 2018, as various construction and processing facilities around the U.S. turn hard-earned testing into flight products for the EM-1 (Exploration Mission 1) mission that will test most of SLS’s systems as it…