Tag: MAF
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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…
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Road to EM-1: NASA outlines hardware milestones to SLS debut flight
With approximately three years to go before the inaugural flight of the Space Launch System rocket, NASA has developed the integrated mission milestone processing flow for the EM-1 flight. The flow, which outlines all the necessary hardware processing milestones to a 2018 inaugural flight of SLS, helps solidify SLS’s path toward launch, including the pad processing timeline once the first…
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EM-1: MAF gearing up for SLS Core Stage production
NASA and Boeing are ramping up their preparations to begin full-scale production of the first Space Launch System (SLS) Core Stage assembly. The schedule calls for the completion of the Exploration Mission -1 (EM-1) Core Stage in time to be shipped to the Stennis Space Center for a full stage test firing in 2017. SLS…
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EM-1 Orion begins assembly as CDR process continues
The Exploration Mission -1 (EM-1) Orion is now being welded together at the Michoud Assembly Facility (MAF) in New Orleans ahead of its 2018 flight with the maiden launch of the Space Launch System (SLS). Orion is also in the process of completing its all-important paperwork, as the Critical Design Review (CDR) process continues ahead…
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NASA ready to power up the RS-25 engines for SLS
NASA is finally ready to begin the test fire and development program for the engines that will push the Space Launch System (SLS) uphill in 2018 and beyond. The RS-25 – formally known as the Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) – will enjoy a test program that will also evaluate higher inlet pressures and a state…
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Michoud proudly reveal monster welder for SLS cores
The Michoud Assembly Facility (MAF) is continuing its lengthy transition towards its new flagship role, marked by ribbon cutting event on Friday for a huge tool that will help construct the core stage of the Space Launch System (SLS). Known as the Vertical Assembly Center (VAC), the tool is the centerpiece of the new era for the…
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Pegasus Barge to begin renovations for SLS core shipping
NASA’s famous Pegasus Barge – best known for transporting External Tanks from the Michoud Assembly Facility (MAF) to the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) – is about to be handed over to a contractor for the modifications that will allow it to transport Space Launch System (SLS) Cores to Florida. The modifications will include the barge…
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Four Shuttle veterans selected to drive SLS uphill on maiden flight
The four RS-25 engines selected for the debut launch of the Space Launch System (SLS) are veteran Space Shuttle Main Engines (SSME) with a rich history of successful flight. The four engines will be delivered to the Michoud Assembly Facility in the second half of 2015, ahead of being installed on the core stage of…
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Praise for the MAF transition ahead of SLS production
NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden gained a close up and personal look at the ever-changing face of the famous Michoud Assembly Facility (MAF) on Monday. The former birthplace of Saturn stages and Shuttle External Tanks is ramping up towards its new role, producing the giant core stages for the Space Launch System (SLS). MAF Transition: The…
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SPMT: Providing transport to SLS core stages
NASA teams are finalizing the details on the Self Propelled Module Transporter (SPMT) that will allow for Space Launch System Structural Test Articles (STAs) and the Integrated Core Stage (ICS) to depart the Michoud Assembly Facility (MAF) en route to shipping to various NASA hubs, including the Kennedy Space Center (KSC). SPMT: SPMT’s are used all…