Artemis III SLS Core Stage Integrated with Boosters at Kennedy Space Center

NASA has reached a major milestone in its Artemis III mission, the first crewed lunar landing since Apollo. On Oct. 28, technicians at Kennedy Space Center in Florida integrated the 212-foot Space Launch System (SLS) core stage with its twin solid rocket boosters inside the Vehicle Assembly Building's High Bay 3. The core stage was moved from High Bay 2 using a specialized lifting beam, marking the first time the massive rocket component has been mated with the boosters. This integration is a critical step toward stacking the full SLS rocket, which will eventually carry the Orion spacecraft and its crew to the Moon. The Artemis III mission aims to land the first woman and first person of color on the lunar surface, specifically near the lunar South Pole. The SLS core stage, built by Boeing, houses the rocket's main propulsion system and avionics, and its successful integration demonstrates progress in NASA's deep space exploration plans. With this milestone, NASA moves closer to the first crewed Artemis launch, currently targeted for no earlier than 2026.