SLS Liquid Hydrogen Tank Barrel Interior, NASA Michoud

This photograph shows the interior of a Space Launch System (SLS) liquid hydrogen tank barrel at NASA's Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans, Louisiana. This component is a critical part of the SLS core stage, designed to hold super-cold liquid hydrogen, one of the propellants for the rocket's engines. Constructed from AI 2219, a specialized aerospace aluminum alloy, the barrel's robust design ensures structural integrity under extreme conditions. The SLS rocket is central to NASA's Artemis program, which aims to return humans to the Moon and prepare for future missions to Mars. The Michoud Assembly Facility plays a vital role in the manufacturing and assembly of large-scale space structures for American space exploration. Related photographs from the NASA Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans, where NASA’s Space Launch System core stages are assembled for Artemis missions.