NASA Vertical Assembly Center, Michoud
The large Space Launch System print on the wall was placed there to show what is being built in this room.
Crew Module, Exploration Mission 2
The crew module being built for Artemis II.
VAC Cells
Cleaning and Welding cells inside the Vertical Assembly Center.
Cleaning Cell
Looking down into the massive cleaning cell inside NASA’s Vertical Assembly Center at the Michoud rocket factory. The massive washing facility is used to wash the insides of the Space Launch System(SLS) fuel tanks. The SLS rocket will be the worlds largest rocket ever built.
SLS Forward Skirt
The Forward Skirt is part of NASA’s Space Launch System. Housing flight computers, cameras and avionics it is pretty much the brain of the rocket. This photo was taken a couple weeks after it’s final assembly was completed at NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility. It will be used in Exploration Mission-1, launching from the Kennedy Space Center in June 2020. #5 in the following NASA Infographic: https://www.nasa.gov/exploration/systems/sls/multimedia/infographics/corestage101.html Space Launch System: https://www.nasa.gov/exploration/systems/sls/index.html
Vertical Weld Center
The VWC is a friction-stir-weld tool for wet and dry structures on the Space Launch System (SLS) core stage. It will weld barrel panels together to produce whole barrels for the two pressurized tanks, the intertank, the forward skirt and the aft engine section. More Info: https://www.nasa.gov/exploration/systems/sls/
Barrel Tools
More Info: https://www.nasa.gov/exploration/systems/sls/
Outside space parts
Space parts sitting outside the factory.
NASA Vertical Assembly Center (VAC) , Michoud Assembly Facility
Above the Vertical Assembly Center.
Welding Tool
Space Launch System: https://www.nasa.gov/exploration/systems/sls/
Space Robots
SLS Barrel interior
The inside of a Space Launch System barrel used for the liquid hydrogen tank. It’s made of AI 2219, an aerospace aluminum alloy. More Info: https://www.nasa.gov/exploration/systems/sls/
The wall of missions
The wall of missions-10
Verticle Assembly Center
Looking down from the top of the VAC.
Worlds largest welding tool
NASA's welding tool, one of the worlds largest. The massive tool was designed and built to weld together the domes, rings, and barrels that make up the core stage pieces of the Space Launch System (SLS). The size of this thing can’t be described or shown in a photo.
Space tool
Looking down from the top of NASA’s 170ft space tool that will weld together barrels, domes and tanks for the Space Launch System.
NASA Space Launch System Liquid Oxygen Tank
A SLS Liquid Oxygen tank being worked on. This tank will hold the "fuel" for the SLS core stage. Core Stage Infographic courtesy of NASA: https://www.nasa.gov/exploration/systems/sls/multimedia/infographics/corestage101.html Space Launch System: https://www.nasa.gov/exploration/systems/sls/index.html
SLS Fuel Tank Interior
The interior of the Space Launch System fuel tank, exterior is the previous photo. NASA Core Stage Infographic: https://www.nasa.gov/exploration/systems/sls/multimedia/infographics/corestage101.html Space Launch System: https://www.nasa.gov/exploration/systems/sls/index.html
Liquid Oxygen Tank
A Liquid Oxygen tank being worked on inside Cell A. It’s part of the Space Launch System Core Stage. The tank will hold 195,000 gallons of liquid oxygen cooled to -297 degrees Fahrenheit.
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Vertical Assembly Center stairs
Stairway inside the VAC.
Inside Michoud
Inside the Michoud Assembly Facility.
