Inside NASA’s Pegasus Barge Cargo Hold

The interior of NASA’s Pegasus barge shows its cavernous cargo bay, designed to carry the massive Space Launch System (SLS) rocket stages from New Orleans to Florida. The reinforced hull and climate-controlled enclosure protect rocket components from Gulf Coast humidity and salt exposure during transit. Originally built in 1999 to move Space Shuttle external tanks, Pegasus was lengthened and upgraded in 2014 to accommodate the larger Artemis-era core stages. The vessel remains a vital part of NASA’s logistics network, connecting Michoud Assembly Facility with Kennedy Space Center via a 900-mile inland and coastal route. Related photographs from the NASA Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans, where NASA’s Space Launch System core stages are assembled for Artemis missions.