SLS Core Stage Barrel Tooling at NASA Michoud Facility

Precision barrel tooling for the Space Launch System (SLS) core stage is positioned on the production floor at NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans, Louisiana. This specialized infrastructure is crucial for the assembly of the massive rocket, which supports the Artemis missions to the Moon. The fixtures precisely hold large aluminum panels during the friction stir welding process, ensuring the perfect alignment and uniform curvature required for the rocket’s cylindrical sections. NASA Michoud Assembly Facility has a long history of producing large-scale space structures, including components for the Saturn V and Space Shuttle programs. In the background, a completed barrel segment awaits further integration, highlighting the facility's ongoing contribution to 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.