Inside the Launch Abort System Facility (LASF) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, workers are completing the integration of a test version of the Orion crew module with the Launch Abort System (LAS) on May 18, 2019. The test vehicle and the LAS will be used for the Orion Ascent Abort-2 (AA-2) Flight Test. AA-2 is a full-stress test of the LAS, planned for July 2. AA-2 will launch from Space Launch Complex 46, carrying a fully functional LAS and a 22,000-pound Orion test vehicle to an altitude of 31,000 feet and traveling at more than 1,000 miles an hour. The test will verify the LAS can steer the crew module and astronauts aboard to safety if an emergency occurs during ascent on the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. NASA's Orion and Exploration Ground Systems programs, contractors Jacob's, Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman, in conjunction with the Air Force Space and Missile Center's Launch Operations branch and the 45th Space Wing are performing flight operations for AA-2.

Inside the Launch Abort System Facility (LASF) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, workers are completing the integration of a test version of the Orion crew module with the Launch Abort System (LAS) on May 18, 2019. The test vehicle and the LAS will be used for the Orion Ascent Abort-2 (AA-2) Flight Test. AA-2 is a full-stress test of the LAS, planned for July 2. AA-2 will launch from Space Launch Complex 46, carrying a fully functional LAS and a 22,000-pound Orion test vehicle to an altitude of 31,000 feet and traveling at more than 1,000 miles an hour. The test will verify the LAS can steer the crew module and astronauts aboard to safety if an emergency occurs during ascent on the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. NASA's Orion and Exploration Ground Systems programs, contractors Jacob's, Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman, in conjunction with the Air Force Space and Missile Center's Launch Operations branch and the 45th Space Wing are performing flight operations for AA-2.

Teams with NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems (EGS) and contractor Jacobs integrated the launch abort system (LAS) with the Orion spacecraft inside the Launch Abort System Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on July 23, 2021. Launching later this year, Artemis I will be a test of the Orion spacecraft and Space Launch System rocket as an integrated system ahead of crewed flights to the Moon. Although there will be no crew the Artemis I, the launch abort system will collect flight data during the ascent to space and then jettison from the spacecraft. Next, technicians will install four panels, or ogives, that make up the fairing assembly and protect the spacecraft from heat, air, and acoustic environments during its entry into orbit. Once final checkouts are complete, Orion will join the Space Launch System for integration.

Inside the Launch Abort System Facility (LASF) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, workers are completing the integration of a test version of the Orion crew module with the Launch Abort System (LAS) on May 18, 2019. In view are the LAS attitude control motor, jettison motor and abort motor. The test vehicle and the LAS will be used for the Orion Ascent Abort-2 (AA-2) Flight Test. AA-2 is a full-stress test of the LAS, planned for July 2. AA-2 will launch from Space Launch Complex 46, carrying a fully functional LAS and a 22,000-pound Orion test vehicle to an altitude of 31,000 feet and traveling at more than 1,000 miles an hour. The test will verify the LAS can steer the crew module and astronauts aboard to safety if an emergency occurs during ascent on the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. NASA's Orion and Exploration Ground Systems programs, contractors Jacob's, Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman, in conjunction with the Air Force Space and Missile Center's Launch Operations branch and the 45th Space Wing are performing flight operations for AA-2.

Inside the Launch Abort System Facility (LASF) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, workers are completing the integration of a test version of the Orion crew module with the Launch Abort System (LAS) on May 18, 2019. The test vehicle and the LAS will be used for the Orion Ascent Abort-2 (AA-2) Flight Test. AA-2 is a full-stress test of the LAS, planned for July 2. AA-2 will launch from Space Launch Complex 46, carrying a fully functional LAS and a 22,000-pound Orion test vehicle to an altitude of 31,000 feet and traveling at more than 1,000 miles an hour. The test will verify the LAS can steer the crew module and astronauts aboard to safety if an emergency occurs during ascent on the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. NASA's Orion and Exploration Ground Systems programs, contractors Jacob's, Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman, in conjunction with the Air Force Space and Missile Center's Launch Operations branch and the 45th Space Wing are performing flight operations for AA-2.

Teams with NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems (EGS) and contractor Jacobs integrated the launch abort system (LAS) with the Orion spacecraft inside the Launch Abort System Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on July 23, 2021. Launching later this year, Artemis I will be a test of the Orion spacecraft and Space Launch System rocket as an integrated system ahead of crewed flights to the Moon. Although there will be no crew the Artemis I, the launch abort system will collect flight data during the ascent to space and then jettison from the spacecraft. Next, technicians will install four panels, or ogives, that make up the fairing assembly and protect the spacecraft from heat, air, and acoustic environments during its entry into orbit. Once final checkouts are complete, Orion will join the Space Launch System for integration.

Inside the Launch Abort System Facility (LASF) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, workers are completing the integration of a test version of the Orion crew module with the Launch Abort System (LAS) on May 18, 2019. The test vehicle and the LAS will be used for the Orion Ascent Abort-2 (AA-2) Flight Test. AA-2 is a full-stress test of the LAS, planned for July 2. AA-2 will launch from Space Launch Complex 46, carrying a fully functional LAS and a 22,000-pound Orion test vehicle to an altitude of 31,000 feet and traveling at more than 1,000 miles an hour. The test will verify the LAS can steer the crew module and astronauts aboard to safety if an emergency occurs during ascent on the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. NASA's Orion and Exploration Ground Systems programs, contractors Jacob's, Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman, in conjunction with the Air Force Space and Missile Center's Launch Operations branch and the 45th Space Wing are performing flight operations for AA-2.

Workers have offloaded the abort motor for NASA’s Artemis 1 mission from a heavy transport truck inside the Launch Abort System Facility (LASF) at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on June 6, 2019. The abort motor, manufactured by Northrop Grumman, will be integrated with Orion subcomponents and prepared for Artemis 1. The abort motor is one of three motors located on the tower of the Launch Abort System (LAS). The LAS is designed to pull the Orion capsule and its crew away to safety if an emergency occurs during ascent of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. During Artemis 1, the uncrewed Orion spacecraft will launch atop the SLS from Launch Pad 39B at Kennedy. Orion will embark on an approximately three-week mission that will take the spacecraft thousands of miles past the Moon. Orion will return to Earth and splashdown in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California, where it will be retrieved and returned to Kennedy.

Inside the Launch Abort System Facility (LASF) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, a test version of the Orion crew module has been integrated with the Launch Abort System (LAS) on May 18, 2019. It is being lifted by crane for transfer to a KAMAG transporter. The test vehicle and the LAS will be used for the Orion Ascent Abort-2 (AA-2) Flight Test. AA-2 is a full-stress test of the LAS, planned for July 2. AA-2 will launch from Space Launch Complex 46, carrying a fully functional LAS and a 22,000-pound Orion test vehicle to an altitude of 31,000 feet and traveling at more than 1,000 miles an hour. The test will verify the LAS can steer the crew module and astronauts aboard to safety if an emergency occurs during ascent on the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. NASA's Orion and Exploration Ground Systems programs, contractors Jacob's, Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman, in conjunction with the Air Force Space and Missile Center's Launch Operations branch and the 45th Space Wing are performing flight operations for AA-2.

Inside the Launch Abort System Facility (LASF) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the fully assembled Orion spacecraft for the agency’s Artemis I mission is prepared for transport on Oct. 18, 2021. In the early morning hours of Oct. 19, Orion was moved from the LASF into the Vehicle Assembly Building, where teams with the agency’s Exploration Ground Systems and contractor Jacobs will lift and lower the spacecraft on top of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket to complete assembly of NASA’s Moon rocket. The first in an increasingly complex set of missions, Artemis I will be an integrated flight test for Orion and SLS ahead of crewed flights to the Moon.

Teams with NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems (EGS) and contractor Jacobs integrated the launch abort system (LAS) with the Orion spacecraft inside the Launch Abort System Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on July 23, 2021. Launching later this year, Artemis I will be a test of the Orion spacecraft and Space Launch System rocket as an integrated system ahead of crewed flights to the Moon. Although there will be no crew the Artemis I, the launch abort system will collect flight data during the ascent to space and then jettison from the spacecraft. Next, technicians will install four panels, or ogives, that make up the fairing assembly and protect the spacecraft from heat, air, and acoustic environments during its entry into orbit. Once final checkouts are complete, Orion will join the Space Launch System for integration.

The jettison, abort, and attitude control motors for Artemis II are secured on a work stand inside the Launch Abort System Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Nov. 17, 2021. The motors will continue undergoing inspections, testing, and assembly ahead of the first crewed Artemis mission. The launch abort system is designed to protect astronauts if a problem arises during launch by pulling the Orion spacecraft away from a failing rocket. Artemis II will confirm all the Orion spacecraft’s systems operate as designed in the actual environment of deep space with astronauts aboard.

The third ogive fairing for the Orion spacecraft that will fly on the Artemis I mission is attached to the spacecraft’s launch abort system (LAS) inside the Launch Abort System Facility high bay at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Sept. 1, 2021. The ogives consist of four protective panels that will shield the crew module from the severe vibrations and sounds it will experience during launch. During Artemis missions, the 44-foot-tall LAS will detach from the spacecraft when it is no longer needed. Launching in 2021, Artemis I will be an uncrewed test of Orion and the Space Launch System rocket as an integrated system ahead of crewed flights to the Moon. Under Artemis, NASA aims to land the first woman and first person of color on the Moon and establish a long-term presence in lunar orbit.

Catherine Koerner, far left, NASA Orion Program manager, along with senior managers from Orion and Lockheed Martin, tour the Launch Abort System Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Oct. 6, 2020. Accompanying her from left, are Scott Wilson, NASA Kennedy Orion Production Operations manager; Carlos Garcia, NASA Kennedy Launch Abort System Assembly, Integration and Test lead and Resident office manager; and Mike Hawes, Lockheed Martin vice president and Orion Program manager. They are viewing the launch abort system for the Artemis I mission. Koerner also viewed the Orion spacecraft for the Artemis I and II missions in the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building. The first in a series of increasingly complex missions, Artemis I will test the Orion spacecraft and Space Launch System as an integrated system ahead of crewed flights to the Moon. Under the Artemis program, NASA will land the first woman and the next man on the Moon in 2024.

The test version of Orion attached to the Launch Abort System for the Ascent Abort-2 (AA-2) flight test exits the Launch Abort System Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on May 22, 2019. The flight test article will make the 21.5 mile trek to Space Launch Complex 46 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in preparation for its launch this summer. During AA-2, a test version of Orion will launch on a booster to more than six miles in altitude, where Orion’s launch abort system will pull the capsule and its crew away to safety if an emergency occurs during ascent on the Space Launch System rocket. The AA-2 elements will be stacked together at the launch pad over the next several weeks. The launch is planned for July 2 and is a critical safety test that helps pave the way for Artemis missions near the Moon, and will enable astronauts to set foot on the lunar surface by 2024.

Inside the Launch Abort System Facility (LASF) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, workers are completing the integration of a test version of the Orion crew module with the Launch Abort System (LAS) on May 18, 2019. The test vehicle and the LAS will be used for the Orion Ascent Abort-2 (AA-2) Flight Test. AA-2 is a full-stress test of the LAS, planned for July 2. AA-2 will launch from Space Launch Complex 46, carrying a fully functional LAS and a 22,000-pound Orion test vehicle to an altitude of 31,000 feet and traveling at more than 1,000 miles an hour. The test will verify the LAS can steer the crew module and astronauts aboard to safety if an emergency occurs during ascent on the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. NASA's Orion and Exploration Ground Systems programs, contractors Jacob's, Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman, in conjunction with the Air Force Space and Missile Center's Launch Operations branch and the 45th Space Wing are performing flight operations for AA-2.

The vehicle for Orion’s Ascent Abort-2 (AA-2) flight test exits the Launch Abort System Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on May 22, 2019. The flight test article will make the 21.5 mile trek to Space Launch Complex 46 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in preparation for its launch this summer. During AA-2, a test version of Orion will launch on a booster to more than six miles in altitude, where Orion’s launch abort system will pull the capsule away to demonstrate it can keep a future crew inside safe if an emergency occurs during ascent on the Space Launch System rocket. The AA-2 elements will be stacked together at the launch pad over the next several weeks. The launch is planned for July 2 and is a critical safety test that helps pave the way for Artemis missions near the Moon, and will enable astronauts to set foot on the lunar surface by 2024.

Inside the Launch Abort System Facility (LASF) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, workers are completing the integration of a test version of the Orion crew module with the Launch Abort System (LAS) on May 18, 2019. The test vehicle and the LAS will be used for the Orion Ascent Abort-2 (AA-2) Flight Test. AA-2 is a full-stress test of the LAS, planned for July 2. AA-2 will launch from Space Launch Complex 46, carrying a fully functional LAS and a 22,000-pound Orion test vehicle to an altitude of 31,000 feet and traveling at more than 1,000 miles an hour. The test will verify the LAS can steer the crew module and astronauts aboard to safety if an emergency occurs during ascent on the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. NASA's Orion and Exploration Ground Systems programs, contractors Jacob's, Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman, in conjunction with the Air Force Space and Missile Center's Launch Operations branch and the 45th Space Wing are performing flight operations for AA-2.

The jettison, abort, and attitude control motors for Artemis II are secured on a work stand inside the Launch Abort System Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Nov. 17, 2021. The motors will continue undergoing inspections, testing, and assembly ahead of the first crewed Artemis mission. The launch abort system is designed to protect astronauts if a problem arises during launch by pulling the Orion spacecraft away from a failing rocket. Artemis II will confirm all the Orion spacecraft’s systems operate as designed in the actual environment of deep space with astronauts aboard.

The abort motor for NASA’s Artemis 1 mission, is offloaded from a heavy transport truck inside the Launch Abort System Facility (LASF) at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on June 6, 2019. The abort motor, manufactured by Northrop Grumman, will be integrated with Orion subcomponents and prepared for Artemis 1. The abort motor is one of three motors located on the tower of the Launch Abort System (LAS). The LAS is designed to pull the Orion capsule and its crew away to safety if an emergency occurs during ascent of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. During Artemis 1, the uncrewed Orion spacecraft will launch atop the SLS from Launch Pad 39B at Kennedy. Orion will embark on an approximately three-week mission that will take the spacecraft thousands of miles past the Moon. Orion will return to Earth and splashdown in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California, where it will be retrieved and returned to Kennedy.

The fourth and final ogive fairing for the Orion spacecraft that will fly on the Artemis I mission is attached to the spacecraft’s launch abort system (LAS) inside the Launch Abort System Facility high bay at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Sept. 7, 2021. The ogives are protective panels that will shield the crew module from the severe vibrations and sounds it will experience during launch. During Artemis missions, the 44-foot-tall LAS will detach from the spacecraft when it is no longer needed. Launching in 2021, Artemis I will be an uncrewed test of Orion and the Space Launch System rocket as an integrated system ahead of crewed flights to the Moon. Under Artemis, NASA aims to land the first woman and first person of color on the Moon and establish a long-term presence in lunar orbit.

Inside the Launch Abort System Facility (LASF) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, a test version of the Orion crew module has been integrated with the Launch Abort System (LAS) on May 18, 2019. It is being lifted by crane for transfer to a KAMAG transporter. The test vehicle and the LAS will be used for the Orion Ascent Abort-2 (AA-2) Flight Test. AA-2 is a full-stress test of the LAS, planned for July 2. AA-2 will launch from Space Launch Complex 46, carrying a fully functional LAS and a 22,000-pound Orion test vehicle to an altitude of 31,000 feet and traveling at more than 1,000 miles an hour. The test will verify the LAS can steer the crew module and astronauts aboard to safety if an emergency occurs during ascent on the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. NASA's Orion and Exploration Ground Systems programs, contractors Jacob's, Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman, in conjunction with the Air Force Space and Missile Center's Launch Operations branch and the 45th Space Wing are performing flight operations for AA-2.

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson, center, tours the Launch Abort System Facility (LASF) during a visit to the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on July 27, 2021. To his right is Kennedy Deputy Director Kelvin Manning. Recently, teams with NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems and contractor Jacobs integrated the launch abort system with the Orion spacecraft inside the LASF as preparations for Artemis I continue. The first in an increasingly complex set of missions, Artemis I will test the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft as an integrated system prior to crewed flights to the Moon. Through Artemis, NASA will land the first woman and first person of color on the lunar surface, as well as establish a sustainable presence on and around the Moon.

Catherine Koerner, far right, NASA Orion Program manager, along with senior managers from Orion and Lockheed Martin, tour the Launch Abort System Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Oct. 6, 2020. Accompanying her from left, are Carlos Garcia, NASA Kennedy Launch Abort System Assembly, Integration and Test lead and Resident office manager; Scott Wilson, NASA Kennedy Orion Production Operations manager; Jim Skaggs, Kennedy Operations senior manager with Lockheed Martin; Jules Schneider, Kennedy Assembly, Test and Launch Operations director with Lockheed Martin; Mike Hawes, Lockheed Martin vice president and Orion Program manager; and Annette Hasbrook, Orion Program assistant manager. They are viewing the launch abort system for the Artemis II mission. Koerner also viewed the Orion spacecraft for the Artemis I and II missions in the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building. The first in a series of increasingly complex missions, Artemis I will test the Orion spacecraft and Space Launch System as an integrated system ahead of crewed flights to the Moon. Under the Artemis program, NASA will land the first woman and the next man on the Moon in 2024.

Inside the Launch Abort System Facility (LASF) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, workers are completing the integration of a test version of the Orion crew module with the Launch Abort System (LAS) on May 18, 2019. The test vehicle and the LAS will be used for the Orion Ascent Abort-2 (AA-2) Flight Test. AA-2 is a full-stress test of the LAS, planned for July 2. AA-2 will launch from Space Launch Complex 46, carrying a fully functional LAS and a 22,000-pound Orion test vehicle to an altitude of 31,000 feet and traveling at more than 1,000 miles an hour. The test will verify the LAS can steer the crew module and astronauts aboard to safety if an emergency occurs during ascent on the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. NASA's Orion and Exploration Ground Systems programs, contractors Jacob's, Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman, in conjunction with the Air Force Space and Missile Center's Launch Operations branch and the 45th Space Wing are performing flight operations for AA-2.

The abort motor for NASA’s Artemis 1 mission, is offloaded from a heavy transport truck inside the Launch Abort System Facility (LASF) at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on June 6, 2019. The abort motor, manufactured by Northrop Grumman, will be integrated with Orion subcomponents and prepared for Artemis 1. The abort motor is one of three motors located on the tower of the Launch Abort System (LAS). The LAS is designed to pull the Orion capsule and its crew away to safety if an emergency occurs during ascent of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. During Artemis 1, the uncrewed Orion spacecraft will launch atop the SLS from Launch Pad 39B at Kennedy. Orion will embark on an approximately three-week mission that will take the spacecraft thousands of miles past the Moon. Orion will return to Earth and splashdown in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California, where it will be retrieved and returned to Kennedy.

The test version of Orion attached to the Launch Abort System for the Ascent Abort-2 (AA-2) flight test exited the Launch Abort System Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on May 22, 2019. The flight test article will make the 21.5 mile trek to Space Launch Complex 46 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in preparation for its launch this summer. During AA-2, a test version of Orion will launch on a booster to more than six miles in altitude, where Orion’s launch abort system will pull the capsule and its crew away to safety if an emergency occurs during ascent on the Space Launch System rocket. The AA-2 elements will be stacked together at the launch pad over the next several weeks. The launch is planned for July 2 and is a critical safety test that helps pave the way for Artemis missions near the Moon, and will enable astronauts to set foot on the lunar surface by 2024.

The jettison motor for Orion’s Launch Abort System (LAS) is shown inside the Launch Abort System Facility (LASF) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The motor, which arrived at Kennedy on Sept. 10, 2018, will be stored in the LASF until processing for a full-stress test of the LAS called Ascent Abort-2 (AA-2), scheduled for April 2019. Designed and built by NASA and Lockheed Martin, the LAS will protect astronauts if a problem arises during launch by pulling the spacecraft away from a failing rocket. The jettison motor is one of three solid propellant rocket motors in the LAS (the abort motor and attitude control motor are the other two). The jettison motor will pull the LAS away from the crew module, allowing Orion’s parachutes to deploy and the spacecraft to safely land in the ocean.

Inside the Launch Abort System Facility (LASF) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, a test version of the Orion crew module has been integrated with the Launch Abort System (LAS) on May 18, 2019. The test vehicle and the LAS will be used for the Orion Ascent Abort-2 (AA-2) Flight Test. AA-2 is a full-stress test of the LAS, planned for July 2. AA-2 will launch from Space Launch Complex 46, carrying a fully functional LAS and a 22,000-pound Orion test vehicle to an altitude of 31,000 feet and traveling at more than 1,000 miles an hour. The test will verify the LAS can steer the crew module and astronauts aboard to safety if an emergency occurs during ascent on the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. NASA's Orion and Exploration Ground Systems programs, contractors Jacob's, Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman, in conjunction with the Air Force Space and Missile Center's Launch Operations branch and the 45th Space Wing are performing flight operations for AA-2.

Inside the Launch Abort System Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, work is underway Aug. 21, 2019, to integrate segments of the launch abort system for the agency’s uncrewed flight test, Artemis I. During crewed launches of the Orion spacecraft atop the Space Launch System rocket, the LAS will protect the crew module and astronauts aboard to safety if an emergency occurs during launch.

The third ogive fairing for the Orion spacecraft that will fly on the Artemis I mission is attached to the spacecraft’s launch abort system (LAS) inside the Launch Abort System Facility high bay at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Sept. 1, 2021. The ogives consist of four protective panels that will shield the crew module from the severe vibrations and sounds it will experience during launch. During Artemis missions, the 44-foot-tall LAS will detach from the spacecraft when it is no longer needed. Launching in 2021, Artemis I will be an uncrewed test of Orion and the Space Launch System rocket as an integrated system ahead of crewed flights to the Moon. Under Artemis, NASA aims to land the first woman and first person of color on the Moon and establish a long-term presence in lunar orbit.

The abort motor for NASA’s Artemis 1 mission, secured in a heavy transport truck, arrives at the Launch Abort System Facility (LASF) at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on June 6, 2019. The abort motor, manufactured by Northrop Grumman, will be offloaded and moved into the LASF where it will be integrated with Orion subcomponents and prepared for Artemis 1. The abort motor is one of three motors located on the tower of the Launch Abort System (LAS). The LAS is designed to pull the Orion capsule and its crew away to safety if an emergency occurs during ascent of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. During Artemis 1, the uncrewed Orion spacecraft will launch atop the SLS from Launch Pad 39B at Kennedy. Orion will embark on an approximately three-week mission that will take the spacecraft thousands of miles past the Moon. Orion will return to Earth and splashdown in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California, where it will be retrieved and returned to Kennedy.

The fourth and final ogive fairing for the Orion spacecraft that will fly on the Artemis I mission is attached to the spacecraft’s launch abort system (LAS) inside the Launch Abort System Facility high bay at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Sept. 7, 2021. The ogives are protective panels that will shield the crew module from the severe vibrations and sounds it will experience during launch. During Artemis missions, the 44-foot-tall LAS will detach from the spacecraft when it is no longer needed. Launching in 2021, Artemis I will be an uncrewed test of Orion and the Space Launch System rocket as an integrated system ahead of crewed flights to the Moon. Under Artemis, NASA aims to land the first woman and first person of color on the Moon and establish a long-term presence in lunar orbit.

The jettison motor for Orion’s Launch Abort System (LAS) is shown inside the Launch Abort System Facility (LASF) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The motor, which arrived at Kennedy on Sept. 10, 2018, will be stored in the LASF until processing for a full-stress test of the LAS called Ascent Abort-2 (AA-2), scheduled for April 2019. Designed and built by NASA and Lockheed Martin, the LAS will protect astronauts if a problem arises during launch by pulling the spacecraft away from a failing rocket. The jettison motor is one of three solid propellant rocket motors in the LAS (the abort motor and attitude control motor are the other two). The jettison motor will pull the LAS away from the crew module, allowing Orion’s parachutes to deploy and the spacecraft to safely land in the ocean.

Technicians and engineers with Exploration Ground Systems and Jacobs connect the second ogive fairing for Orion’s Artemis I mission to the launch abort system (LAS) inside the Launch Abort System Facility high bay at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Aug. 23, 2021. The ogives consist of four protective panels that will shield the crew module from the severe vibrations and sounds it will experience during launch. During Artemis missions, the 44-foot-tall LAS will detach from the spacecraft when it is no longer needed. Launching in 2021, Artemis I will be an uncrewed test of the Orion spacecraft and Space Launch System rocket as an integrated system ahead of crewed flights to the Moon. Under Artemis, NASA aims to land the first woman and first person of color on the Moon and establish sustainable lunar exploration.

Inside the Launch Abort System Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, work is underway Aug. 21, 2019, to integrate segments of the launch abort system for the agency’s uncrewed flight test, Artemis I. During crewed launches of the Orion spacecraft atop the Space Launch System rocket, the LAS will protect the crew module and astronauts aboard to safety if an emergency occurs during launch.

Workers have offloaded the abort motor for NASA’s Artemis 1 mission from a heavy transport truck inside the Launch Abort System Facility (LASF) at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on June 6, 2019. The abort motor, manufactured by Northrop Grumman, will be integrated with Orion subcomponents and prepared for Artemis 1. The abort motor is one of three motors located on the tower of the Launch Abort System (LAS). The LAS is designed to pull the Orion capsule and its crew away to safety if an emergency occurs during ascent of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. During Artemis 1, the uncrewed Orion spacecraft will launch atop the SLS from Launch Pad 39B at Kennedy. Orion will embark on an approximately three-week mission that will take the spacecraft thousands of miles past the Moon. Orion will return to Earth and splashdown in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California, where it will be retrieved and returned to Kennedy.

The launch abort tower on NASA’s Artemis II Orion spacecraft is pictured inside the Launch Abort System Facility at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2025, after teams with NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems Program installed the tower on Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025. Positioned at the top of Orion, the 44-foot-tall launch abort system is designed to carry the crew to safety in the event of an emergency during launch or ascent, with its three solid rocket motors working together to propel Orion – and astronauts inside – away from the rocket for a safe landing in the ocean, or detach from the spacecraft when it is no longer needed. The final step to complete integration will be the installation of the ogive fairings, which are four protective panels that will shield the crew module from the severe vibrations and sounds it will experience during launch. 

The launch abort tower on NASA’s Artemis II Orion spacecraft is pictured inside the Launch Abort System Facility at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2025, after teams with NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems Program installed the tower on Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025. Positioned at the top of Orion, the 44-foot-tall launch abort system is designed to carry the crew to safety in the event of an emergency during launch or ascent, with its three solid rocket motors working together to propel Orion – and astronauts inside – away from the rocket for a safe landing in the ocean, or detach from the spacecraft when it is no longer needed. The final step to complete integration will be the installation of the ogive fairings, which are four protective panels that will shield the crew module from the severe vibrations and sounds it will experience during launch. 

Teams with NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems completed installation of two ogive fairings onto the launch abort system inside the Launch Abort System Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2025. The ogives consist of four protective panels that will shield the crew module from the severe vibrations and sounds it will experience during launch. Positioned at the top of Orion, the 44-foot-tall launch abort system is designed to carry the crew to safety in the event of an emergency during launch or ascent, with its three solid rocket motors working together to propel Orion – and astronauts inside – away from the rocket for a safe landing in the ocean, or detach from the spacecraft when it is no longer needed.

Teams with NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems completed installation of two ogive fairings onto the launch abort system inside the Launch Abort System Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2025. The ogives consist of four protective panels that will shield the crew module from the severe vibrations and sounds it will experience during launch. Positioned at the top of Orion, the 44-foot-tall launch abort system is designed to carry the crew to safety in the event of an emergency during launch or ascent, with its three solid rocket motors working together to propel Orion – and astronauts inside – away from the rocket for a safe landing in the ocean, or detach from the spacecraft when it is no longer needed.

Teams with NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems completed installation of two ogive fairings onto the launch abort system inside the Launch Abort System Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2025. The ogives consist of four protective panels that will shield the crew module from the severe vibrations and sounds it will experience during launch. Positioned at the top of Orion, the 44-foot-tall launch abort system is designed to carry the crew to safety in the event of an emergency during launch or ascent, with its three solid rocket motors working together to propel Orion – and astronauts inside – away from the rocket for a safe landing in the ocean, or detach from the spacecraft when it is no longer needed.

Teams with NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems attached the fourth and final ogive fairing for the launch abort system of the Orion spacecraft for the Artemis II mission. The fully installed fairings were photographed inside the Launch Abort System Facility high bay at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Sept. 17, 2025. The ogives are protective panels that will shield the crew module from the severe vibrations and sounds it will experience during launch, while the 44-foot-tall launch abort system will detach from the spacecraft after launch when it is no longer needed.

Teams with NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems attached the fourth and final ogive fairing for the launch abort system of the Orion spacecraft for the Artemis II mission. The fully installed fairings were photographed inside the Launch Abort System Facility high bay at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Sept. 17, 2025. The ogives are protective panels that will shield the crew module from the severe vibrations and sounds it will experience during launch, while the 44-foot-tall launch abort system will detach from the spacecraft after launch when it is no longer needed.

Teams with NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems attached the fourth and final ogive fairing for the launch abort system of the Orion spacecraft for the Artemis II mission. The fully installed fairings were photographed inside the Launch Abort System Facility high bay at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Sept. 17, 2025. The ogives are protective panels that will shield the crew module from the severe vibrations and sounds it will experience during launch, while the 44-foot-tall launch abort system will detach from the spacecraft after launch when it is no longer needed.

Teams with NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems attached the fourth and final ogive fairing for the launch abort system of the Orion spacecraft for the Artemis II mission. The fully installed fairings were photographed inside the Launch Abort System Facility high bay at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Sept. 17, 2025. The ogives are protective panels that will shield the crew module from the severe vibrations and sounds it will experience during launch, while the 44-foot-tall launch abort system will detach from the spacecraft after launch when it is no longer needed.

Teams with NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems attached the fourth and final ogive fairing for the launch abort system of the Orion spacecraft for the Artemis II mission. The fully installed fairings were photographed inside the Launch Abort System Facility high bay at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Sept. 17, 2025. The ogives are protective panels that will shield the crew module from the severe vibrations and sounds it will experience during launch, while the 44-foot-tall launch abort system will detach from the spacecraft after launch when it is no longer needed.

Technicians and engineers with Exploration Ground Systems and Jacobs connect the second ogive fairing for Orion’s Artemis I mission to the launch abort system (LAS) inside the Launch Abort System Facility high bay at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Aug. 23, 2021. The ogives consist of four protective panels that will shield the crew module from the severe vibrations and sounds it will experience during launch. During Artemis missions, the 44-foot-tall LAS will detach from the spacecraft when it is no longer needed. Launching in 2021, Artemis I will be an uncrewed test of the Orion spacecraft and Space Launch System rocket as an integrated system ahead of crewed flights to the Moon. Under Artemis, NASA aims to land the first woman and first person of color on the Moon and establish sustainable lunar exploration.

The test version of Orion attached to the Launch Abort System for the Ascent Abort-2 (AA-2) flight test exits the Launch Abort System Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on May 22, 2019. The flight test article will make the 21.5 mile trek to Space Launch Complex 46 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in preparation for its launch this summer. During AA-2, a test version of Orion will launch on a booster to more than six miles in altitude, where Orion’s launch abort system will pull the capsule and its crew away to safety if an emergency occurs during ascent on the Space Launch System rocket. The AA-2 elements will be stacked together at the launch pad over the next several weeks. The launch is planned for July 2 and is a critical safety test that helps pave the way for Artemis missions near the Moon, and will enable astronauts to set foot on the lunar surface by 2024.

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson, right, tours the Launch Abort System Facility (LASF) during a visit to the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on July 27, 2021. In the background to the right of Nelson is Kennedy Deputy Director Kelvin Manning. Recently, teams with NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems and contractor Jacobs integrated the launch abort system with the Orion spacecraft inside the LASF as preparations for Artemis I continue. The first in an increasingly complex set of missions, Artemis I will test the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft as an integrated system prior to crewed flights to the Moon. Through Artemis, NASA will land the first woman and first person of color on the lunar surface, as well as establish a sustainable presence on and around the Moon.

Inside the Launch Abort System Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, work is underway Aug. 21, 2019, to integrate segments of the launch abort system for the agency’s uncrewed flight test, Artemis I. During crewed launches of the Orion spacecraft atop the Space Launch System rocket, the LAS will protect the crew module and astronauts aboard to safety if an emergency occurs during launch.

Inside the Launch Abort System Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, work is underway Aug. 21, 2019, to integrate segments of the launch abort system for the agency’s uncrewed flight test, Artemis I. During crewed launches of the Orion spacecraft atop the Space Launch System rocket, the LAS will protect the crew module and astronauts aboard to safety if an emergency occurs during launch.

The jettison motor for Orion’s Launch Abort System (LAS) is shown inside the Launch Abort System Facility (LASF) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The motor, which arrived at Kennedy on Sept. 10, 2018, will be stored in the LASF until processing for a full-stress test of the LAS called Ascent Abort-2 (AA-2), scheduled for April 2019. Designed and built by NASA and Lockheed Martin, the LAS will protect astronauts if a problem arises during launch by pulling the spacecraft away from a failing rocket. The jettison motor is one of three solid propellant rocket motors in the LAS (the abort motor and attitude control motor are the other two). The jettison motor will pull the LAS away from the crew module, allowing Orion’s parachutes to deploy and the spacecraft to safely land in the ocean.

Workers offload the abort motor for NASA’s Artemis 1 mission from a heavy transport truck inside the Launch Abort System Facility (LASF) at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on June 6, 2019. The abort motor, manufactured by Northrop Grumman, will be integrated with Orion subcomponents and prepared for Artemis 1. The abort motor is one of three motors located on the tower of the Launch Abort System (LAS). The LAS is designed to pull the Orion capsule and its crew away to safety if an emergency occurs during ascent of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. During Artemis 1, the uncrewed Orion spacecraft will launch atop the SLS from Launch Pad 39B at Kennedy. Orion will embark on an approximately three-week mission that will take the spacecraft thousands of miles past the Moon. Orion will return to Earth and splashdown in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California, where it will be retrieved and returned to Kennedy.

Inside the Launch Abort System Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, work is underway Aug. 21, 2019, to integrate segments of the launch abort system for the agency’s uncrewed flight test, Artemis I. During crewed launches of the Orion spacecraft atop the Space Launch System rocket, the LAS will protect the crew module and astronauts aboard to safety if an emergency occurs during launch.

Orion is Coming out of the LASF

The third ogive fairing for the Orion spacecraft that will fly on the Artemis I mission is attached to the spacecraft’s launch abort system (LAS) inside the Launch Abort System Facility high bay at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Sept. 1, 2021. The ogives consist of four protective panels that will shield the crew module from the severe vibrations and sounds it will experience during launch. During Artemis missions, the 44-foot-tall LAS will detach from the spacecraft when it is no longer needed. Launching in 2021, Artemis I will be an uncrewed test of Orion and the Space Launch System rocket as an integrated system ahead of crewed flights to the Moon. Under Artemis, NASA aims to land the first woman and first person of color on the Moon and establish a long-term presence in lunar orbit.

Technicians and engineers with Exploration Ground Systems and Jacobs connect the second ogive fairing for Orion’s Artemis I mission to the launch abort system (LAS) inside the Launch Abort System Facility high bay at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Aug. 23, 2021. The ogives consist of four protective panels that will shield the crew module from the severe vibrations and sounds it will experience during launch. During Artemis missions, the 44-foot-tall LAS will detach from the spacecraft when it is no longer needed. Launching in 2021, Artemis I will be an uncrewed test of the Orion spacecraft and Space Launch System rocket as an integrated system ahead of crewed flights to the Moon. Under Artemis, NASA aims to land the first woman and first person of color on the Moon and establish sustainable lunar exploration.

Inside the Launch Abort System Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, work is underway Aug. 21, 2019, to integrate segments of the launch abort system for the agency’s uncrewed flight test, Artemis I. During crewed launches of the Orion spacecraft atop the Space Launch System rocket, the LAS will protect the crew module and astronauts aboard to safety if an emergency occurs during launch.

Inside the Launch Abort System Facility (LASF) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the fully assembled Orion spacecraft for the agency’s Artemis I mission is prepared for transport on Oct. 18, 2021. In the early morning hours of Oct. 19, Orion was moved from the LASF into the Vehicle Assembly Building, where teams with the agency’s Exploration Ground Systems and contractor Jacobs will lift and lower the spacecraft on top of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket to complete assembly of NASA’s Moon rocket. The first in an increasingly complex set of missions, Artemis I will be an integrated flight test for Orion and SLS ahead of crewed flights to the Moon.

The jettison motor for Orion’s Launch Abort System (LAS) is shown inside the Launch Abort System Facility (LASF) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The motor, which arrived at Kennedy on Sept. 10, 2018, will be stored in the LASF until processing for a full-stress test of the LAS called Ascent Abort-2 (AA-2), scheduled for April 2019. Designed and built by NASA and Lockheed Martin, the LAS will protect astronauts if a problem arises during launch by pulling the spacecraft away from a failing rocket. The jettison motor is one of three solid propellant rocket motors in the LAS (the abort motor and attitude control motor are the other two). The jettison motor will pull the LAS away from the crew module, allowing Orion’s parachutes to deploy and the spacecraft to safely land in the ocean.

Workers begin checkouts of the abort motor for NASA’s Artemis 1 mission inside the Launch Abort System Facility (LASF) at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on June 6, 2019. The abort motor, manufactured by Northrop Grumman, will be integrated with Orion subcomponents and prepared for Artemis 1. The abort motor is one of three motors located on the tower of the Launch Abort System (LAS). The LAS is designed to pull the Orion capsule and its crew away to safety if an emergency occurs during ascent of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. During Artemis 1, the uncrewed Orion spacecraft will launch atop the SLS from Launch Pad 39B at Kennedy. Orion will embark on an approximately three-week mission that will take the spacecraft thousands of miles past the Moon. Orion will return to Earth and splashdown in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California, where it will be retrieved and returned to Kennedy.

The launch abort tower on NASA’s Artemis II Orion spacecraft is pictured inside the Launch Abort System Facility at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2025, after teams with NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems Program installed the tower on Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025. Positioned at the top of Orion, the 44-foot-tall launch abort system is designed to carry the crew to safety in the event of an emergency during launch or ascent, with its three solid rocket motors working together to propel Orion – and astronauts inside – away from the rocket for a safe landing in the ocean, or detach from the spacecraft when it is no longer needed. The final step to complete integration will be the installation of the ogive fairings, which are four protective panels that will shield the crew module from the severe vibrations and sounds it will experience during launch. 

Inside the Launch Abort System Facility (LASF) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, a test version of the Orion crew module has been integrated with the Launch Abort System (LAS) on May 18, 2019. The test vehicle and the LAS will be used for the Orion Ascent Abort-2 (AA-2) Flight Test. AA-2 is a full-stress test of the LAS, planned for July 2. AA-2 will launch from Space Launch Complex 46, carrying a fully functional LAS and a 22,000-pound Orion test vehicle to an altitude of 31,000 feet and traveling at more than 1,000 miles an hour. The test will verify the LAS can steer the crew module and astronauts aboard to safety if an emergency occurs during ascent on the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. NASA's Orion and Exploration Ground Systems programs, contractors Jacob's, Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman, in conjunction with the Air Force Space and Missile Center's Launch Operations branch and the 45th Space Wing are performing flight operations for AA-2.

Inside the Launch Abort System Facility (LASF) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, a test version of the Orion crew module has been integrated with the Launch Abort System (LAS) on May 18, 2019. It is being lifted by crane for transfer to a KAMAG transporter. The test vehicle and the LAS will be used for the Orion Ascent Abort-2 (AA-2) Flight Test. AA-2 is a full-stress test of the LAS, planned for July 2. AA-2 will launch from Space Launch Complex 46, carrying a fully functional LAS and a 22,000-pound Orion test vehicle to an altitude of 31,000 feet and traveling at more than 1,000 miles an hour. The test will verify the LAS can steer the crew module and astronauts aboard to safety if an emergency occurs during ascent on the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. NASA's Orion and Exploration Ground Systems programs, contractors Jacob's, Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman, in conjunction with the Air Force Space and Missile Center's Launch Operations branch and the 45th Space Wing are performing flight operations for AA-2.

The jettison motor for Orion’s Launch Abort System (LAS) is shown inside the Launch Abort System Facility (LASF) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The motor, which arrived at Kennedy on Sept. 10, 2018, will be stored in the LASF until processing for a full-stress test of the LAS called Ascent Abort-2 (AA-2), scheduled for April 2019. Designed and built by NASA and Lockheed Martin, the LAS will protect astronauts if a problem arises during launch by pulling the spacecraft away from a failing rocket. The jettison motor is one of three solid propellant rocket motors in the LAS (the abort motor and attitude control motor are the other two). The jettison motor will pull the LAS away from the crew module, allowing Orion’s parachutes to deploy and the spacecraft to safely land in the ocean.

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson, second from left, tours the Launch Abort System Facility during a visit to the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on July 27, 2021. In view is the Orion spacecraft with the newly integrated launch abort system atop as preparations for Artemis I continue. The first in an increasingly complex set of missions, Artemis I will test the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft as an integrated system prior to crewed flights to the Moon. Through Artemis, NASA will land the first woman and first person of color on the lunar surface, as well as establish a sustainable presence on and around the Moon.

In this view from above inside the Launch Abort System Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, work is underway Aug. 21, 2019, to integrate segments of the launch abort system for the agency’s uncrewed flight test, Artemis I. During crewed launches of the Orion spacecraft atop the Space Launch System rocket, the LAS will protect the crew module and astronauts aboard to safety if an emergency occurs during launch.

The launch abort motor is integrated with the jettison motor for Orion’s launch abort system (LAS) for Artemis II, inside the Launch Abort System Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on April 15, 2020. The launch abort and jettison motors are two of three motors on the LAS. The LAS will be positioned atop the Orion crew module and is designed to protect astronauts if a problem arises during launch by pulling the spacecraft away from a failing rocket. Artemis II will take the first humans in orbit around the Moon in the 21st century.

Catherine Koerner, NASA Orion Program manager, along with senior managers from Orion and Lockheed Martin, tour the Launch Abort System Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Oct. 6, 2020. Pictured with Mike Hawes, Lockheed Martin vice president and Orion Program manager, they are viewing the launch abort system for the Artemis I mission. Koerner also viewed the Orion spacecraft for the Artemis I and II missions in the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building. The first in a series of increasingly complex missions, Artemis I will test the Orion spacecraft and Space Launch System as an integrated system ahead of crewed flights to the Moon. Under the Artemis program, NASA will land the first woman and the next man on the Moon in 2024.

Inside the Launch Abort System Facility (LASF) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, workers are completing the integration of a test version of the Orion crew module with the Launch Abort System (LAS) on May 18, 2019. The test vehicle and the LAS will be used for the Orion Ascent Abort-2 (AA-2) Flight Test. AA-2 is a full-stress test of the LAS, planned for July 2. AA-2 will launch from Space Launch Complex 46, carrying a fully functional LAS and a 22,000-pound Orion test vehicle to an altitude of 31,000 feet and traveling at more than 1,000 miles an hour. The test will verify the LAS can steer the crew module and astronauts aboard to safety if an emergency occurs during ascent on the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. NASA's Orion and Exploration Ground Systems programs, contractors Jacob's, Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman, in conjunction with the Air Force Space and Missile Center's Launch Operations branch and the 45th Space Wing are performing flight operations for AA-2.

Orion is Coming out of the LASF

The abort motor for NASA’s Artemis 1 mission is offloaded from a heavy transport truck inside the Launch Abort System Facility (LASF) at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on June 6, 2019. The abort motor, manufactured by Northrop Grumman, will be integrated with Orion subcomponents and prepared for Artemis 1. The abort motor is one of three motors located on the tower of the Launch Abort System (LAS). The LAS is designed to pull the Orion capsule and its crew away to safety if an emergency occurs during ascent of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. During Artemis 1, the uncrewed Orion spacecraft will launch atop the SLS from Launch Pad 39B at Kennedy. Orion will embark on an approximately three-week mission that will take the spacecraft thousands of miles past the Moon. Orion will return to Earth and splashdown in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California, where it will be retrieved and returned to Kennedy.

The jettison motor for Orion’s Launch Abort System (LAS) is shown inside the Launch Abort System Facility (LASF) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The motor, which arrived at Kennedy on Sept. 10, 2018, will be stored in the LASF until processing for a full-stress test of the LAS called Ascent Abort-2 (AA-2), scheduled for April 2019. Designed and built by NASA and Lockheed Martin, the LAS will protect astronauts if a problem arises during launch by pulling the spacecraft away from a failing rocket. The jettison motor is one of three solid propellant rocket motors in the LAS (the abort motor and attitude control motor are the other two). The jettison motor will pull the LAS away from the crew module, allowing Orion’s parachutes to deploy and the spacecraft to safely land in the ocean.

The test version of Orion attached to the Launch Abort System for the Ascent Abort-2 (AA-2) flight test is ready to exit the Launch Abort System Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on May 22, 2019. The flight test article will make the 21.5 mile trek to Space Launch Complex 46 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in preparation for its launch this summer. During AA-2, a test version of Orion will launch on a booster to more than six miles in altitude, where Orion’s launch abort system will pull the capsule and its crew away to safety if an emergency occurs during ascent on the Space Launch System rocket. The AA-2 elements will be stacked together at the launch pad over the next several weeks. The launch is planned for July 2 and is a critical safety test that helps pave the way for Artemis missions near the Moon, and will enable astronauts to set foot on the lunar surface by 2024.

The jettison motor for Orion’s Launch Abort System (LAS) is shown inside the Launch Abort System Facility (LASF) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The motor, which arrived at Kennedy on Sept. 10, 2018, will be stored in the LASF until processing for a full-stress test of the LAS called Ascent Abort-2 (AA-2), scheduled for April 2019. Designed and built by NASA and Lockheed Martin, the LAS will protect astronauts if a problem arises during launch by pulling the spacecraft away from a failing rocket. The jettison motor is one of three solid propellant rocket motors in the LAS (the abort motor and attitude control motor are the other two). The jettison motor will pull the LAS away from the crew module, allowing Orion’s parachutes to deploy and the spacecraft to safely land in the ocean.

Catherine Koerner, second from right, NASA Orion Program manager, along with senior managers from Orion and Lockheed Martin, tour the Launch Abort System Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Oct. 6, 2020. Accompanying her from left, are Scott Wilson, NASA Kennedy Orion Production Operations manager; Annette Hasbrook, Orion Program assistant manager; and Mike Hawes, Lockheed Martin vice president and Orion Program manager. They are viewing the launch abort system for the Artemis II mission. Koerner also viewed the Orion spacecraft for the Artemis I and II missions in the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building. The first in a series of increasingly complex missions, Artemis I will test the Orion spacecraft and Space Launch System as an integrated system ahead of crewed flights to the Moon. Under the Artemis program, NASA will land the first woman and the next man on the Moon in 2024.

The jettison motor for Orion’s Launch Abort System (LAS) is shown inside the Launch Abort System Facility (LASF) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The motor, which arrived at Kennedy on Sept. 10, 2018, will be stored in the LASF until processing for a full-stress test of the LAS called Ascent Abort-2 (AA-2), scheduled for April 2019. Designed and built by NASA and Lockheed Martin, the LAS will protect astronauts if a problem arises during launch by pulling the spacecraft away from a failing rocket. The jettison motor is one of three solid propellant rocket motors in the LAS (the abort motor and attitude control motor are the other two). The jettison motor will pull the LAS away from the crew module, allowing Orion’s parachutes to deploy and the spacecraft to safely land in the ocean.

Inside the Launch Abort System Facility (LASF) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, a test version of the Orion crew module has been integrated with the Launch Abort System (LAS) on May 18, 2019. It is being lifted by crane for transfer to a KAMAG transporter. The test vehicle and the LAS will be used for the Orion Ascent Abort-2 (AA-2) Flight Test. AA-2 is a full-stress test of the LAS, planned for July 2. AA-2 will launch from Space Launch Complex 46, carrying a fully functional LAS and a 22,000-pound Orion test vehicle to an altitude of 31,000 feet and traveling at more than 1,000 miles an hour. The test will verify the LAS can steer the crew module and astronauts aboard to safety if an emergency occurs during ascent on the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. NASA's Orion and Exploration Ground Systems programs, contractors Jacob's, Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman, in conjunction with the Air Force Space and Missile Center's Launch Operations branch and the 45th Space Wing are performing flight operations for AA-2.

Inside the Launch Abort System Facility (LASF) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, a test version of the Orion crew module has been integrated with the Launch Abort System (LAS) on May 18, 2019. The test vehicle and the LAS will be used for the Orion Ascent Abort-2 (AA-2) Flight Test. AA-2 is a full-stress test of the LAS, planned for July 2. AA-2 will launch from Space Launch Complex 46, carrying a fully functional LAS and a 22,000-pound Orion test vehicle to an altitude of 31,000 feet and traveling at more than 1,000 miles an hour. The test will verify the LAS can steer the crew module and astronauts aboard to safety if an emergency occurs during ascent on the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. NASA's Orion and Exploration Ground Systems programs, contractors Jacob's, Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman, in conjunction with the Air Force Space and Missile Center's Launch Operations branch and the 45th Space Wing are performing flight operations for AA-2.

The launch abort motor is integrated with the jettison motor for Orion’s launch abort system (LAS) for Artemis II, inside the Launch Abort System Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on April 15, 2020. The launch abort and jettison motors are two of three motors on the LAS. The LAS will be positioned atop the Orion crew module and is designed to protect astronauts if a problem arises during launch by pulling the spacecraft away from a failing rocket. Artemis II will take the first humans in orbit around the Moon in the 21st century. In view, at far left, is the Launch Abort System for Artemis I, the first uncrewed mission of Orion atop the Space Launch System rocket.

The test version of Orion attached to the Launch Abort System for the Ascent Abort-2 (AA-2) flight test exits the Launch Abort System Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on May 22, 2019. The flight test article will make the 21.5 mile trek to Space Launch Complex 46 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in preparation for its launch this summer. During AA-2, a test version of Orion will launch on a booster to more than six miles in altitude, where Orion’s launch abort system will pull the capsule and its crew away to safety if an emergency occurs during ascent on the Space Launch System rocket. The AA-2 elements will be stacked together at the launch pad over the next several weeks. The launch is planned for July 2 and is a critical safety test that helps pave the way for Artemis missions near the Moon, and will enable astronauts to set foot on the lunar surface by 2024.

The test version of Orion attached to the Launch Abort System for the Ascent Abort-2 (AA-2) flight test exits the Launch Abort System Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on May 22, 2019. The flight test article will make the 21.5 mile trek to Space Launch Complex 46 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in preparation for its launch this summer. During AA-2, a test version of Orion will launch on a booster to more than six miles in altitude, where Orion’s launch abort system will pull the capsule and its crew away to safety if an emergency occurs during ascent on the Space Launch System rocket. The AA-2 elements will be stacked together at the launch pad over the next several weeks. The launch is planned for July 2 and is a critical safety test that helps pave the way for Artemis missions near the Moon, and will enable astronauts to set foot on the lunar surface by 2024.

Workers help offload the abort motor for NASA’s Artemis 1 mission from a heavy transport truck inside the Launch Abort System Facility (LASF) at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on June 6, 2019. The abort motor, manufactured by Northrop Grumman, will be integrated with Orion subcomponents and prepared for Artemis 1. The abort motor is one of three motors located on the tower of the Launch Abort System (LAS). The LAS is designed to pull the Orion capsule and its crew away to safety if an emergency occurs during ascent of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. During Artemis 1, the uncrewed Orion spacecraft will launch atop the SLS from Launch Pad 39B at Kennedy. Orion will embark on an approximately three-week mission that will take the spacecraft thousands of miles past the Moon. Orion will return to Earth and splashdown in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California, where it will be retrieved and returned to Kennedy.

Workers offload the abort motor for NASA’s Artemis 1 mission from a heavy transport truck inside the Launch Abort System Facility (LASF) at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on June 6, 2019. The abort motor, manufactured by Northrop Grumman, will be integrated with Orion subcomponents and prepared for Artemis 1. The abort motor is one of three motors located on the tower of the Launch Abort System (LAS). The LAS is designed to pull the Orion capsule and its crew away to safety if an emergency occurs during ascent of the Space Launch System (SLS). During Artemis 1, the uncrewed Orion spacecraft will launch atop the SLS from Launch Pad 39B at Kennedy. Orion will embark on an approximately three-week mission that will take the spacecraft thousands of miles past the Moon. Orion will return to Earth and splashdown in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California, where it will be retrieved and returned to Kennedy.

Catherine Koerner, third from right, NASA Orion Program manager, along with senior managers from Orion and Lockheed Martin, tour the Launch Abort System Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Oct. 6, 2020. Accompanying her from left, are Jim Skaggs, Kennedy Operations senior manager with Lockheed Martin; Jules Schneider, Kennedy Assembly, Test and Launch Operations director with Lockheed Martin; Mike Hawes, Lockheed Martin vice president and Orion Program manager; Scott Wilson, NASA Kennedy Orion Production Operations manager; and Annette Hasbrook, Orion Program assistant manager. They are viewing the launch abort system for the Artemis II mission. Koerner also viewed the Orion spacecraft for the Artemis I and II missions in the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building. The first in a series of increasingly complex missions, Artemis I will test the Orion spacecraft and Space Launch System as an integrated system ahead of crewed flights to the Moon. Under the Artemis program, NASA will land the first woman and the next man on the Moon in 2024.

Inside the Launch Abort System Facility (LASF) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the fully assembled Orion spacecraft for the agency’s Artemis I mission is prepared for transport on Oct. 18, 2021. In the early morning hours of Oct. 19, Orion was moved from the LASF into the Vehicle Assembly Building, where teams with the agency’s Exploration Ground Systems and contractor Jacobs will lift and lower the spacecraft on top of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket to complete assembly of NASA’s Moon rocket. The first in an increasingly complex set of missions, Artemis I will be an integrated flight test for Orion and SLS ahead of crewed flights to the Moon.

The fourth and final ogive fairing for the Orion spacecraft that will fly on the Artemis I mission is attached to the spacecraft’s launch abort system (LAS) inside the Launch Abort System Facility high bay at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Sept. 7, 2021. The ogives are protective panels that will shield the crew module from the severe vibrations and sounds it will experience during launch. During Artemis missions, the 44-foot-tall LAS will detach from the spacecraft when it is no longer needed. Launching in 2021, Artemis I will be an uncrewed test of Orion and the Space Launch System rocket as an integrated system ahead of crewed flights to the Moon. Under Artemis, NASA aims to land the first woman and first person of color on the Moon and establish a long-term presence in lunar orbit.

The abort motor for NASA’s Artemis 1 mission, secured in a heavy transport truck, arrives at the Launch Abort System Facility (LASF) at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on June 6, 2019. The abort motor, manufactured by Northrop Grumman, will be offloaded and moved into the LASF where it will be integrated with Orion subcomponents and prepared for Artemis 1. The abort motor is one of three motors located on the tower of the Launch Abort System (LAS). The LAS is designed to pull the Orion capsule and its crew away to safety if an emergency occurs during ascent of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. During Artemis 1, the uncrewed Orion spacecraft will launch atop the SLS from Launch Pad 39B at Kennedy. Orion will embark on an approximately three-week mission that will take the spacecraft thousands of miles past the Moon. Orion will return to Earth and splashdown in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California, where it will be retrieved and returned to Kennedy.

The jettison motor for Orion’s Launch Abort System (LAS) is shown inside the Launch Abort System Facility (LASF) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The motor, which arrived at Kennedy on Sept. 10, 2018, will be stored in the LASF until processing for a full-stress test of the LAS called Ascent Abort-2 (AA-2), scheduled for April 2019. Designed and built by NASA and Lockheed Martin, the LAS will protect astronauts if a problem arises during launch by pulling the spacecraft away from a failing rocket. The jettison motor is one of three solid propellant rocket motors in the LAS (the abort motor and attitude control motor are the other two). The jettison motor will pull the LAS away from the crew module, allowing Orion’s parachutes to deploy and the spacecraft to safely land in the ocean.

In this view from above inside the Launch Abort System Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, work is underway Aug. 21, 2019, to integrate segments of the launch abort system for the agency’s uncrewed flight test, Artemis I. During crewed launches of the Orion spacecraft atop the Space Launch System rocket, the LAS will protect the crew module and astronauts aboard to safety if an emergency occurs during launch.

The vehicle for Orion’s Ascent Abort-2 (AA-2) flight test exits the Launch Abort System Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on May 22, 2019. The flight test article will make the 21.5 mile trek to Space Launch Complex 46 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in preparation for its launch this summer. During AA-2, a test version of Orion will launch on a booster to more than six miles in altitude, where Orion’s launch abort system will pull the capsule away to demonstrate it can keep a future crew inside safe if an emergency occurs during ascent on the Space Launch System rocket. The AA-2 elements will be stacked together at the launch pad over the next several weeks. The launch is planned for July 2 and is a critical safety test that helps pave the way for Artemis missions near the Moon, and will enable astronauts to set foot on the lunar surface by 2024.

The Orion spacecraft for NASA’s Artemis I mission, fully assembled with its launch abort system, has moved out of the Launch Abort System Facility at Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Oct. 19, 2021. Orion is on its way to the Vehicle Assembly Building where it will join the already stacked flight hardware and be raised into position atop the Space Launch System rocket in High Bay 3. Launching in 2021, Artemis I will be an uncrewed test flight of the Orion spacecraft and Space Launch System rocket as an integrated system ahead of crewed flights to the Moon. Under Artemis, NASA aims to land the first woman and first person of color on the Moon and establish sustainable lunar exploration.

The Orion spacecraft for NASA’s Artemis I mission, fully assembled with its launch abort system, is moved into the transfer aisle of the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) at Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Oct. 19, 2021. In the VAB, Orion will join the already stacked flight hardware and be raised into position atop the Space Launch System rocket in High Bay 3. Launching in 2021, Artemis I will be an uncrewed test flight of the Orion spacecraft and Space Launch System rocket as an integrated system ahead of crewed flights to the Moon. Under Artemis, NASA aims to land the first woman and first person of color on the Moon and establish sustainable lunar exploration.

Inside the Launch Abort System Facility (LASF) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the Launch Abort System (LAS) for the Orion spacecraft that will launch on Artemis I, the first of the Artemis series, awaits final processing with the spacecraft. The LAS was processed and prepared inside the LASF. During crewed launches of the Orion spacecraft atop the Space Launch System rocket, the LAS will protect the crew module and astronauts aboard to safety if an emergency occurs during launch.

Inside the Launch Abort System Facility (LASF) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the Launch Abort System (LAS) for the Orion spacecraft that will launch on Artemis I, the first of the Artemis series, awaits final processing with the spacecraft. The LAS was processed and prepared inside the LASF. During crewed launches of the Orion spacecraft atop the Space Launch System rocket, the LAS will protect the crew module and astronauts aboard to safety if an emergency occurs during launch.

In this view from above inside the Launch Abort System Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the Launch Abort System (LAS) for the Orion spacecraft that will launch on Artemis I, the first uncrewed mission of the Artemis series, awaits final processing with the spacecraft. The LAS was processed and prepared inside the LASF. During crewed launches of the Orion spacecraft atop the Space Launch System rocket, the LAS will protect the crew module and astronauts aboard to safety if an emergency occurs during launch.

The Orion spacecraft for NASA’s Artemis I mission, fully assembled with its launch abort system, has moved out of the Launch Abort System Facility at Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Oct. 19, 2021. Orion is on its way to the Vehicle Assembly Building where it will join the already stacked flight hardware and be raised into position atop the Space Launch System rocket in High Bay 3. Launching in 2021, Artemis I will be an uncrewed test flight of the Orion spacecraft and Space Launch System rocket as an integrated system ahead of crewed flights to the Moon. Under Artemis, NASA aims to land the first woman and first person of color on the Moon and establish sustainable lunar exploration.

The Orion spacecraft for NASA’s Artemis I mission, fully assembled with its launch abort system, begins the move out of the Launch Abort System Facility at Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Oct. 19, 2021. Orion will be transported to the Vehicle Assembly Building where it will join the already stacked flight hardware and be raised into position atop the Space Launch System rocket in High Bay 3. Launching in 2021, Artemis I will be an uncrewed test flight of the Orion spacecraft and Space Launch System rocket as an integrated system ahead of crewed flights to the Moon. Under Artemis, NASA aims to land the first woman and first person of color on the Moon and establish sustainable lunar exploration.

The last of three motors required to assemble the Launch Abort System for NASA’s Artemis II mission, the attitude control motor (ACM), arrives at Kennedy Space Center in Florida on August 28. The attitude control motor (ACM) was delivered by truck from Northrop Grumman’s manufacturing facility in Maryland, to the Launch Abort System Facility (LASF) at Kennedy. During launch of Orion atop the agency’s Space Launch System rocket, the LAS motors work together to separate the spacecraft from the rocket in the unlikely event of an emergency during launch. The LAS includes three motors – the launch abort motor, the jettison motor, and the attitude control motor—that once activated, will steer the spacecraft carrying the astronauts to safety. The ACM operates to keep Orion’s crew module on a controlled flight path in the event it needs to jettison and steer away from the rocket. Artemis II is the first crewed flight in a series of increasingly complex missions to the Moon that will lay the foundation for exploration of Mars and beyond. Artemis II will confirm all of the Orion spacecraft’s systems operate as designed in the actual environment of deep space with astronauts aboard. As part of the Artemis program, NASA will send the first woman and next man to the Moon in 2024.