Major Artemis III update: NASA ships core stage to Kennedy Space Center for next Moon mission

NASA rolled out the largest section of its Space Launch System rocket from the Michoud Assembly Facility on Monday. This core stage will power Artemis III, the agency’s next crewed mission to the Moon. About four-fifths of the massive core stage was moved out of the facility and loaded onto NASA’s Pegasus barge for transport to Kennedy Space Center. Standing 212 feet tall, the SLS core stage is equipped with four RS-25 engines and generates more than 8 million pounds of thrust—enough to send astronauts toward the Moon and support NASA’s long-term goal of reaching Mars. The Artemis III mission is currently targeted for launch in 2027. It will build on Artemis II, which concluded on April 10.