Artemis I core stage finally pointing in the right direction at Kennedy Space Center

Engineers have hoisted the core stage of NASA's mega-rocket, the Space Launch System, vertical ready to bolt on its boosters and roll the stack to the launchpad later this year. The milestone has been a while coming in a programme beset by delays and difficulty, both engineering and financial. Engineers with Exploration …

[Anonymous Coward]

Vertical

As one who has spent the last year primarily horizontal, I applaud Artemis' new found verticality.

I look forward to the whole stack being assembled and hope the flight goes well.

Although, if I'm honest, given the program's history, I doubt they will make the November date.

[W.S.Gosset]

Re: Vertical

> given the program's history, I doubt they will make the November date.

Sure, they will!

Just not in November.

[Joe W]

Re: Vertical

November, but which year?

[Red Ted]

Re: Vertical

Perhaps November will be one of those really long months in the same way as March 2020 want on and on until some time in July!

[S4qFBxkFFg]

Re: Vertical

Once the solid fuel boosters are stacked, they need to be used within a certain time (several months, AFAIR), so there is a limit to how long it can stand there doing nothing.

I'm sure the contractors involved are hoping for the limit to be busted, so they can present a menu listing all the expensive options for remediation.

"Would sir care for the erection of a full-height non-destructive testing scanning rig, or perhaps for peace of mind, we can do the full lowering, disassembly to booster segments, manual inspection, and restacking?"

[John Brown (no body)]

Re: Vertical

"Although, if I'm honest, given the program's history, I doubt they will make the November date."

Let's hope they aren't planning on Nov. 5th. We in the UK know what happens to rockets launched on that date! See icon!