Inside NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans, an advanced robotic welding system—developed by Genesis Systems Group and Boeing—assembles major components for the Space Launch System (SLS) core stage. Using friction stir welding, the robot precisely joins massive aluminum panels into the rocket’s fuel tanks and structural sections. The process ensures unmatched strength and reliability, critical for the launch vehicle that powers NASA’s Artemis missions to the Moon and beyond.
Related photographs from the NASA Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans, where NASA’s Space Launch System core stages are assembled for Artemis missions.
Photo taken in August 2018. © 2026 Chad Davis
