Nasa has launched a spacecraft welding tool, the Vertical Assembly Center, at its Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans, US.
The 170ft-tall welding facility is said to be the largest-of-its-kind, and is part of various tools designed to weld the core stage of deep space rocket, the Space Launch System (SLS).
SLS’s core stage will store cryogenic liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen for the rocket’s four RS-25 engines.
The Vertical Assembly Center will join domes, rings and barrels to complete the tanks or dry structure assemblies as well as evaluate the completed welds.
SLS programme manager Todd May said: "The SLS Programme continues to make significant progress.
"The core stage and boosters have both completed critical design review, and NASA recently approved the SLS Programme’s progression from formulation to development.
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By GlobalData"This is a major milestone for the programme and proof the first new design for SLS is mature enough for production."
Nasa administrator Charles Bolden said: "This rocket is a game changer in terms of deep space exploration and will launch Nasa astronauts to investigate asteroids and explore the surface of Mars while opening new possibilities for science missions, as well."
Work on other welding tools is ongoing and welding of all the rings using the Segmented Ring Tool have been recently completed for the first flight of SLS.
The rings are designed to provide rigidity between domes and barrels forming the five major core stage structures, including the forward skirt, the liquid oxygen tank, the intertank, the liquid hydrogen tank and the engine section.
Image: The Vertical Assembly Center is part of tools designed to weld the core stage of the SLS. Photo: courtesy of Nasa.
