NASA began collecting rockets for the Artemis Moon mission

The first booster part of the Space Launch System (SLS) was stacked on top of a mobile launcher at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida earlier this week in preparation for its first flight. NASA said Tuesday.

A total of 10 component twin solid rocket boosters will be built before its first lift off, which is expected next year.

The rocket is an important part of NASA’s Artemis Moon research program, which aims to send the first woman and the next man to the moon by 2024. NASA officials also hope that SLS will be used to reach Mars and other “deep space destinations”.

NASA's Artemis I mission is expected to launch astronauts in 2021 without two test flights around the moon.

Once fully assembled, NASA says the SLS rocket will stand taller than the Statue of Liberty, and the Saturn attached to the Apnilo rockets will weigh about 15% more than the rocket. 50 years ago, it became the most powerful rocket ever.

However, the project has remained Extended by delays and cost increases.

NASA, European space agency Artemis Gateway to cooperate on the lunar orbit

“Putting the first piece of the RSS rocket on a mobile launcher marks a major milestone for the Artemis program,” said Andrew Shrobel, operations operations manager with Jacobs, a company working with NASA on the Artemis program. .

Eight countries sign NASA's Artemis agreement to lead cooperative exploration of the moon

“It shows that the mission is really taking shape and will soon move towards the launch pad.”

NASA’s Artemis I mission is expected to begin in 2021 Without astronauts with two test flights around the moon. Artemis II with astronauts in 2023 Artemis III is going to launch with spacecraft in preparation to bring astronauts to the lunar surface.

Artemis is named after the Greek goddess and is the twin sister of Apollo.