NASA Barge Pegasus at Michoud Assembly Facility, Louisiana

The NASA transport barge Pegasus is moored at the Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans, Louisiana, a critical site for space vehicle manufacturing. This specialized vessel is engineered to transport the massive 212-foot-long core stages of the Space Launch System (SLS), featuring a climate-controlled cargo hold and a retractable bow door. Originally used for Space Shuttle external tanks, the Pegasus was extensively refitted and lengthened in 2014 to support NASA’s Artemis program. It now serves as a vital logistical link, moving rocket components from the Gulf Coast manufacturing site to the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Related photographs from the NASA Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans, where NASA’s Space Launch System core stages are assembled for Artemis missions.