NASA’s Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft is photographed at Launch Pad 39B at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida ahead of NASA’s Artemis I launch.
Credits: NASA
Exploration Ground Systems, based at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, develops and operates the systems and facilities needed to process and launch rockets and spacecraft for NASA’s Artemis missions. EGS plays a primary role in assembly, launch, and recovery of rockets and spacecraft. EGS has helped transform Kennedy Space Center from a historically government-only launch complex to a spaceport that can handle several different kinds of spacecraft and rockets – both government and commercial.
Unlike previous work focusing on a single kind of launch vehicle, such as the Saturn V or space shuttle, EGS is preparing the infrastructure to support several different kinds of spacecraft and rockets that are in development, including NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft for Artemis I. A key aspect of the program’s approach to long term sustainability and affordability is to make processing and launch infrastructure available to commercial and other government customers, thereby distributing the cost among multiple users and reducing the cost of access to space.
To meet this challenge, EGS has upgraded Launch Pad 39B, the crawler-transporters, the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB), the Launch Control Center’s Young-Crippen Firing Room 1, the mobile launcher (ML), and other facilities.
NASA’s Artemis I mission lifted off on Nov. 16, 2022, from Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Complex 39B. This video includes highlights from the event.
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NASA Image Library
View and download captivating imagery from NASA's image library.
Facilities Used for SLS and Orion
Learn about the different facilities used to process NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft.
The Crawlers
Learn more about the 6.6-million-pound machine used to carry SLS and Orion to the launch pad.
Mobile Launcher
Learn all about the ground structure used to assemble, process, and launch SLS and Orion.
Launch Pad 39B
Learn about modifications made to Kennedy's Launch Pad 39B to support launching the world's most powerful rocket.
Orion Recovery
Learn about how teams recover the Orion capsule following its return to Earth.
Launch Control Center
Learn about the Launch Control Center at Kennedy and its suite of complex software, linking launch team operators sitting inside Firing Room 1 to SLS and Orion.
Vehicle Assembly Building
Learn more about how SLS was assembled inside the Vehicle Assembly Building – the same facility that was used to assemble the Saturn V rocket for Apollo missions to the Moon.
Artemis II Engagement Kit
This interactive guide is intended to serve as a resource tool for members of the community to learn how they can engage with the launch of Artemis II.
