ARTEMIS II Mission Patch
NASA is launching a spaceship to the moon Wednesday and NASA’s Michoud Assembly facility in New Orleans played a major role in the Artemis II mission. NASA spokesperson Craig Betbeze says both of Artemis II’s propellant tanks were built at the rocket factory in New Orleans east.
“It’s 212 feet tall, 27 feet round, and it’s got two fuel tanks: It’s got a liquid oxygen tank and a liquid hydrogen tank. And combined, that carries 733 gallons of propellant that will launch the rocket into orbit,” Betbeze explained.
The Artemis II crew has four astronauts, and they will loop around the moon. It’s the first crewed lunar mission since 1972. The astronauts will be in what’s called the Orion Crew Module, which was designed by NASA and Lockheed Martin. Betbeze says about 2,000 workers at Lockheed had a role in the construction of this spaceship.
“Just thinking about it right now, to be honest with you, gives me chills. Seriously. The pride and dedication of our employees is second to none,” Betbeze said.
For more than 60 years, NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans and it’s known as “America’s rocket factory.” The government-owned manufacturing facility is one of the largest in the world. When NASA had the Space Shuttle, its external tank was built at Michoud. Betbeze says when the Space Shuttle was retired in 2010, the factory transitioned to the Artemis program.
“So, we had to re-tool the entire factory. New tools, new scaffolding, a whole new network. It would be like transitioning from building small sedans in an automotive factory to now building pickup trucks,” Betbeze said.
In 2028, NASA plans on putting astronauts back on the moon and the spacecraft that will take them their will have many of its essential components built at Michoud.
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