Artemis III SLS Core Stage Joins Boosters

On October 28, 2026, NASA's 212-foot SLS core stage joined its twin solid rocket boosters inside the Vehicle Assembly Building. Technicians lifted the core from High Bay 2 using a one-of-a-kind beam, placing it onto the mobile launcher in High Bay 3. The short-stack configuration now awaits a tanking test on Launch Pad 39B. Liquid hydrogen and oxygen will fill only the core stage. Artemis III will carry Randy Bresnik, Frank Rubio, Andre Douglas, and ESA's Luca Parmitano aboard Orion. The crew will test rendezvous and docking with Blue Origin and SpaceX vehicles before a future Moon landing. This milestone underscores the partnership between NASA and commercial partners, bringing the crewed lunar mission one step closer to launch.