NASA has reached a major milestone in the Artemis II mission—the rocket is now fully stacked and standing tall inside the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) at Kennedy Space Center (KSC). Over the weekend, ground teams hoisted the Orion spacecraft, named “Integrity”, atop the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, completing the assembly to its full height of 322 feet (98 meters).
“The last major hardware component before Artemis II launches early next year has been installed,” shared NASA Acting Administrator Sean Duffy on X. The stacking follows the transfer of the Orion spacecraft from a nearby processing facility, marking the final major integration milestone before the mission’s next phase of testing and rehearsal.
Currently targeting no earlier than February 5, 2026, Artemis II will be the first crewed mission to the Moon’s vicinity since 1972. This historic mission will send four astronauts on a journey around the Moon, testing every critical system in preparation for future lunar landings under NASA’s Artemis program. Upcoming milestones include a full countdown demonstration inside the VAB, where the crew will rehearse launch procedures ahead of liftoff.
Precision Hardware Supporting Artemis II
Futuramic is proud to support NASA’s Artemis missions through precision manufacturing and tooling for the Space Launch System Core Stage. Our recent contributions include the Strake hardware, a critical Boeing-designed component now installed on the Artemis II rocket at Kennedy Space Center.
In a recent note from Boeing, the team shared images of the completed Strake installation, stating: “Please share with your team and thank them for helping us get this hardware so fast to meet our launch operations schedule. In the picture of the SLS full stack, you can see the white painted Strakes on the Core Stage in the area of the Forward Booster section.”
As Jim Bennett from Futuramic explained: “The Strakes are the white vertical parts visible on the Core Stage. We also machined the rails that mount to the Intertank, where the Strakes are attached. These Strakes were designed to improve aerodynamic airflow and reduce that stress on the Intertank structure.”
This collaboration between NASA, Boeing, and Futuramic highlights the precision engineering and rapid response required to keep America’s return to the Moon on schedule.
Futuramic is honored to continue supporting the Artemis program, building the future of space exploration, today.