SLS Core Stage I-STIR Friction-Stir Welding Tool, NASA Michoud

The I-STIR friction-stir welding tool operates within the NASA Michoud Assembly Facility in Louisiana. This specialized machinery is essential for constructing the Space Launch System (SLS) core stage. It precisely welds barrel panels to form the large cylindrical sections for the two pressurized tanks, the intertank, the forward skirt, and the aft engine section. This advanced manufacturing process supports the development of the SLS, a critical component of NASA's Artemis program for human 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.