NASA begins assembly of the rocket for Artemis III

The NASA has begun assembling the rocket it will use for the Artemis III mission, with the recent arrival of one of the segments of the solid rocket booster at the agency's integration facility at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

The lower segment of the left solid rocket booster (SRB) arrived this week at the agency's Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB). The mission aims for a crewed launch scheduled for mid to late 2027.

Progress on the assembly of the Artemis III rocket

The solid rocket segment arrived at the VAB as reported by NASA Kennedy in a social media post. This is one of the two SRBs that will be placed on either side of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket.

Both boosters together provide 7.2 million pounds of thrust, more than 75% of the rocket's total power at launch. “The assembly of the rocket will begin soon as we prepare to send the crew aboard Orion to test the docking capabilities needed for future lunar landings”, NASA stated in its announcement.

How long will it take to complete the assembly

The complete assembly of the SLS for Artemis II took about a year once all components arrived at the VAB. That same timeframe gives Artemis III some leeway, although the total assembly of the rocket may not start immediately.

The central stage of the SLS for Artemis III arrived at the VAB in May, although unlike Artemis II, it was delivered without the engine section. Once that piece is attached, it may take time before other components are assembled to the main vehicle.

The NASA goal before the end of the year

The administrator of the NASA, Jared Isaacman, indicated that the agency aims to complete a wet dress rehearsal of the rocket before the end of the year. Meanwhile, other components of the SLS and segments of the solid boosters will continue to arrive at the VAB.

Technical characteristics of the solid boosters

Each solid rocket booster (SRB) measures approximately 177 feet (54 meters) in height. They are composed of polybutadiene acrylonitrile (PBAN), ammonium perchlorate, and aluminum powder, bringing their combined weight to 3.2 million pounds (1.45 million kg).

Unlike liquid-fueled engines, once the solid booster is ignited, it cannot be turned off. Without these boosters, the four RS-25 engines of the central stage of the SLS would not have enough power to lift off from the rocket.

What objectives does the Artemis III mission have

Artemis III will be the second crewed mission of the Artemis program, NASA's initiative to return astronauts to the Moon. Although this mission will not land on the lunar surface, it will advance the hardware and technologies needed for future missions.

Like in Artemis II (which transported four astronauts on a 10-day mission around the Moon in April), the crew of Artemis III will travel aboard the Orion spacecraft, powered by the SLS. However, this time they will not fly beyond low Earth orbit.

The docking tests with the lunar modules

The four-person crew will spend about two weeks testing rendezvous and docking procedures with the prototypes of the two lunar modules of Artemis, privately contracted by NASA.

• The agency is working with SpaceX and Blue Origin for the development of those vehicles

• First, they will dock with the Blue Moon module from Blue Origin

• The astronauts will be able to enter the Blue Moon cabin and test parts of the lunar EVA suit

• Then a rendezvous will take place with the Starship from SpaceX

SpaceX indicated that it will use a test version of the Starship V3 equipped with a docking adapter, although without a crew cabin or complete life support system in time for the Artemis III launch.

When will the first lunar landing of the Artemis program occur

If the NASA manages to maintain the current schedule, the first lunar landing of the Artemis program will take place with the Artemis IV mission, which is scheduled for launch in late 2028.