December 2019 — Along a quiet stretch of pine-lined Highway 607 in Hancock County, Mississippi, a sign alerts motorists: Now Entering NASA/SSC Security Enforcement Area. Beyond this point lies the vast Stennis Space Center, where engines for Apollo, the Space Shuttle, and Artemis have been tested at full throttle. The reminder of security restrictions — paired with the speed limit notice — reflects how an otherwise ordinary southern highway doubles as the gateway to one of the most advanced propulsion test facilities in the world.

December 2019 — Nestled in the woods of Hancock County, Mississippi, the Stennis Space Center has been a cornerstone of NASA’s propulsion testing since the 1960s. The security gate, painted in the agency’s signature red, white, and blue, greets all who enter the sprawling complex where engines for Apollo, the Space Shuttle, and today’s Artemis missions have been put through their paces. The unassuming roadside checkpoint belies the scale of the technological achievements within, underscoring how a quiet patch of southern forest became central to America’s spaceflight history.

August 2018 — The NASA logo illuminated on the side of the Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans, Louisiana. Established during World War II and later repurposed for the Apollo and Space Shuttle programs, the vast complex continues to play a central role in U.S. space manufacturing. Today, Michoud supports construction of major components for NASA’s Artemis missions, including the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft.

August 2018 — Friction-stir-weld tool for wet and dry structures on the Space Launch System (SLS) core stage. It will weld barrel panels together to produce whole barrels for the two pressurized tanks, the intertank, the forward skirt and the aft engine section. More Info: https://www.nasa.gov/exploration/systems/sls/

August 2018 — Inside the Vertical Weld Center. The friction-stir-weld tool for wet and dry structures on the Space Launch System (SLS) core stage. It will weld barrel panels together to produce whole barrels for the two pressurized tanks, the intertank, the forward skirt and the aft engine section. More Info: https://www.nasa.gov/exploration/systems/sls/

August 2018 — Inside NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans, the Vertical Weld Center is shown — a precision friction-stir welding system used to join the massive aluminum alloy panels that form rocket fuel tanks and core stages for the Space Launch System. The bright blue and yellow structures are part of the tooling system that ensures millimeter-level accuracy during assembly, critical for the Artemis program’s deep space missions.

August 2018 — Inside the cavernous NASA Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans, the green-painted structure of a Space Launch System (SLS) rocket component dominates the factory floor. Surrounded by yellow access platforms and intricate piping, this section is part of the massive tooling infrastructure used to assemble and test rocket core stages. Overhead cranes and precision systems support Boeing’s production of “America’s Rocket,” with each stage destined for integration into NASA’s Artemis program to return humans to the Moon.

August 2018 — The interior of the Space Launch System (SLS) fuel tank at NASA Michoud Assembly Facility. NASA Core Stage Infographic: https://www.nasa.gov/exploration/systems/sls/multimedia/infographics/corestage101.html Space Launch System: https://www.nasa.gov/exploration/systems/sls/index.html

August 2018 — The forward skirt section of NASA’s Space Launch System is shown shortly after its final assembly at the Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans. This uppermost segment houses the rocket’s flight computers, avionics, and camera systems, forming the control center that guides the SLS during launch and ascent. Built for Artemis I (Exploration Mission-1), this structure would later be integrated into the core stage for its 2020 launch from Kennedy Space Center.

August 2018 — 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.

August 2018 — Precision barrel tooling used in the assembly of the Space Launch System (SLS) core stage stands on the production floor at NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans. These fixtures hold massive aluminum panels in place during the friction stir welding process, ensuring perfect alignment and uniform curvature for the rocket’s cylindrical sections. Behind the tooling, the metallic structure of a completed barrel segment can be seen, ready for the next stage of integration.

August 2018 — The inside of a Space Launch System (SLS) barrel used for the liquid hydrogen tank. It’s made of AI 2219, an aerospace aluminum alloy. More Info: https://www.nasa.gov/exploration/systems/sls/

August 2018 — A long corridor inside NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans showcases decades of spaceflight heritage through a display of mission patches and crew insignias. Each emblem represents a milestone in American aerospace history — from early shuttle missions to modern exploration programs. The polished concrete floors and fluorescent lighting emphasize the industrial precision of the facility, while the colorful insignias serve as a vivid reminder of the human stories behind the technology.

August 2018 — The large Space Launch System print on the wall was placed there to show what is being built in this room.