The SLS Stages Intertank Structural Test Assembly (STA) is rolling off the NASA Pegasus Barge at the MSFC Dock enroute to the MSFC 4619 Load Test Annex test facility for qualification testing via MSFC West Test Area. STA approaches Test Stand 4693, SLS LH2 test Stand, on way to Bldg. 4619

The SLS Stages Intertank Structural Test Assembly (STA) arrives at MSFC

PHOTOGRAPH IN WEST TEST AREA OF THE "MIGHT EAGLE" LANDER

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Aerial photograph of the MSFC West Test area with the T-Stand in the foreground

2019 Aerial Photographs

Aerial photograph of the MSFC West Test Area with building 4666 on the right

2019 Aerial Photographs

PHIL HENDRIX, SPEAKS TO THE CROWD IN FRONT OF A STEEL BEAM DESTINED FOR TEST STAND 4693 DURING THE STRUCTURE'S TOPPING OUT CEREMONY APRIL 12.

PHIL HENDRIX AT TEST STAND 4693 TOPPING OUT

TIM FLORES SPEAKS TO THE CROWD IN FRONT OF A STEEL BEAM DESTINED FOR TEST STAND 4693 DURING THE STRUCTURE'S TOPPING OUT CEREMONY APRIL 12.

TIM FLORES AT TEST STAND 4693 TOPPING OUT

BOB DEVLIN, DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF MARSHALL'S OFFICE OF CENTER OPERATIONS, SPEAKS TO THE CROWD IN FRONT OF A STEEL BEAM DESTINED FOR TEST STAND 4693 DURING THE STRUCTURE'S TOPPING OUT CEREMONY APRIL 12.

TOPPING OUT OF TEST STAND 4693

HEATHER HANEY SIGNS FINAL BEAM TO BE PLACED ATOP TEST STAND 4693 DURING THE STRUCTURE'S TOPPING OUT CEREMONY

HEATHER HANEY SIGNS FINAL BEAM AT TEST STAND 4693

The Liquid Oxygen (LOX) tank was moved from the Pegasus barge to the west test area for placement in test stand.

LOX Tank Move From Barge Dock to Test Stand

NASA's Super Guppie flies over Marshall Space Flight Center's test stand 4693 in the west test area.

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JENNIFER PRUITT AND BUDDY CLARK SMILE FOR THE CAMERA BEFORE SIGNING THE FINAL BEAM TO BE PLACED ATOP TEST STAND 4693 DURING THE STRUCTURE'S TOPPING OUT CEREMONY

JENNIFER PRUITT AND BUDDY CLARK AT 4693 TOPPING OUT

The Liquid Oxygen (LOX) tank was moved from the Pegasus barge to the west test area for placement in test stand 4697.

LOX Tank Move From Barge Dock to Test Stand

Walt Disney toured the West Test Area during his visit to the Marshall Space Flight Center on April 13, 1965. The three in center foreground are Karl Heimburg, Director, Test Division; Dr. von Braun, Director, MSFC; and Walt Disney. The Dynamic Test Stand with the S-1C stage being installed is in the background.

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The Liquid Oxygen Test Article was lifted onto the Kmag. Various electronic components will be installed then the article will be moved into test stand 4697.

Liquid Oxygen Test Article Move in West Test Area

Students from the Tarik Black Foundation attend a STEM program at MSFC and visit SLS Test Stand 4693 in West Test Area. Gary Willis tells Tarik Black Foundation students about Test Stand 4693 and its importance in SLS development.

Tarik Black Foundation Students attend STEM program

Saturn Apollo Program

S-IB-211, the flight version of the Saturn IB launch vehicle's first (S-IVB) stage, on its way to Marshall Space Flight Center's (MSFC's) west test area. Between December 1967 and April 1968, the stage would undergo seven static test firings. The S-IB, developed by the MSFC and built by the Chrysler Corporation at the Michoud Assembly Facility near New Orleans, Louisiana, utilized eight H-1 engines and each produced 200,000 pounds of thrust.

Retiring Marshall Space Flight Center Director Todd May on top of test stand 4693 in MSFC's west test area with MSFC in the background

Todd May on top of SLS Test Stand 4693, view looking North

STEVEN SPRAYBERRY, ALICE DANIEL, CHRISTY BASHMAN, ALLEN SHELTON, BEVERELY COURREGE, MATHEW EXELL, JIM EMMENEGGER, IN VARIOUS SETUPS AT WEST TEST AREA CONTROL ROOM-B.

TEST STAND 4697 CONSTRUCTION

A CRANE MOVES THE FIRST STEEL TIER TO BE BOLTED INTO PLACE ON JAN. 6, FOR WELDING OF A SECOND NEW STRUCTURAL TEST STAND AT NASA'S MARSHALL SPACE FLIGHT CENTER IN HUNTSVILLE, ALABAMA -- CRITICAL TO DEVELOPMENT OF NASA'S SPACE LAUNCH SYSTEM. WHEN COMPLETED THIS SUMMER, THE 85-FOOT-TALL TEST STAND 4697 WILL USE HYDRAULIC CYLINDERS TO SUBJECT THE LIQUID OXYGEN TANK AND HARDWARE OF THE MASSIVE SLS CORE STAGE TO THE SAME LOADS AND STRESSES IT WILL ENDURE DURING A LAUNCH. THE STAND IS RISING IN MARSHALL'S WEST TEST AREA, WHERE WORK IS ALSO UNDERWAY ON THE 215-FOOT-TALL TOWERS OF TEST STAND 4693, WHICH WILL CONDUCT SIMILAR STRUCTURAL TESTS ON THE SLS CORE STAGE'S LIQUID HYDROGEN TANK. SLS, THE MOST POWERFUL ROCKET EVER BUILT, WILL CARRY ASTRONAUTS IN NASA'S ORION SPACECRAFT ON DEEP SPACE MISSIONS, INCLUDING THE JOURNEY TO MARS.

TEST STAND 4697 CONSTRUCTION

A CRANE MOVES THE FIRST STEEL TIER TO BE BOLTED INTO PLACE ON JAN. 6, FOR WELDING OF A SECOND NEW STRUCTURAL TEST STAND AT NASA'S MARSHALL SPACE FLIGHT CENTER IN HUNTSVILLE, ALABAMA -- CRITICAL TO DEVELOPMENT OF NASA'S SPACE LAUNCH SYSTEM. WHEN COMPLETED THIS SUMMER, THE 85-FOOT-TALL TEST STAND 4697 WILL USE HYDRAULIC CYLINDERS TO SUBJECT THE LIQUID OXYGEN TANK AND HARDWARE OF THE MASSIVE SLS CORE STAGE TO THE SAME LOADS AND STRESSES IT WILL ENDURE DURING A LAUNCH. THE STAND IS RISING IN MARSHALL'S WEST TEST AREA, WHERE WORK IS ALSO UNDERWAY ON THE 215-FOOT-TALL TOWERS OF TEST STAND 4693, WHICH WILL CONDUCT SIMILAR STRUCTURAL TESTS ON THE SLS CORE STAGE'S LIQUID HYDROGEN TANK. SLS, THE MOST POWERFUL ROCKET EVER BUILT, WILL CARRY ASTRONAUTS IN NASA'S ORION SPACECRAFT ON DEEP SPACE MISSIONS, INCLUDING THE JOURNEY TO MARS.

TEST STAND 4697 CONSTRUCTION

A CRANE MOVES THE FIRST STEEL TIER TO BE BOLTED INTO PLACE ON JAN. 6, FOR WELDING OF A SECOND NEW STRUCTURAL TEST STAND AT NASA'S MARSHALL SPACE FLIGHT CENTER IN HUNTSVILLE, ALABAMA -- CRITICAL TO DEVELOPMENT OF NASA'S SPACE LAUNCH SYSTEM. WHEN COMPLETED THIS SUMMER, THE 85-FOOT-TALL TEST STAND 4697 WILL USE HYDRAULIC CYLINDERS TO SUBJECT THE LIQUID OXYGEN TANK AND HARDWARE OF THE MASSIVE SLS CORE STAGE TO THE SAME LOADS AND STRESSES IT WILL ENDURE DURING A LAUNCH. THE STAND IS RISING IN MARSHALL'S WEST TEST AREA, WHERE WORK IS ALSO UNDERWAY ON THE 215-FOOT-TALL TOWERS OF TEST STAND 4693, WHICH WILL CONDUCT SIMILAR STRUCTURAL TESTS ON THE SLS CORE STAGE'S LIQUID HYDROGEN TANK. SLS, THE MOST POWERFUL ROCKET EVER BUILT, WILL CARRY ASTRONAUTS IN NASA'S ORION SPACECRAFT ON DEEP SPACE MISSIONS, INCLUDING THE JOURNEY TO MARS.

TEST STAND 4697 CONSTRUCTION

A CRANE MOVES THE FIRST STEEL TIER TO BE BOLTED INTO PLACE ON JAN. 6, FOR WELDING OF A SECOND NEW STRUCTURAL TEST STAND AT NASA'S MARSHALL SPACE FLIGHT CENTER IN HUNTSVILLE, ALABAMA -- CRITICAL TO DEVELOPMENT OF NASA'S SPACE LAUNCH SYSTEM. WHEN COMPLETED THIS SUMMER, THE 85-FOOT-TALL TEST STAND 4697 WILL USE HYDRAULIC CYLINDERS TO SUBJECT THE LIQUID OXYGEN TANK AND HARDWARE OF THE MASSIVE SLS CORE STAGE TO THE SAME LOADS AND STRESSES IT WILL ENDURE DURING A LAUNCH. THE STAND IS RISING IN MARSHALL'S WEST TEST AREA, WHERE WORK IS ALSO UNDERWAY ON THE 215-FOOT-TALL TOWERS OF TEST STAND 4693, WHICH WILL CONDUCT SIMILAR STRUCTURAL TESTS ON THE SLS CORE STAGE'S LIQUID HYDROGEN TANK. SLS, THE MOST POWERFUL ROCKET EVER BUILT, WILL CARRY ASTRONAUTS IN NASA'S ORION SPACECRAFT ON DEEP SPACE MISSIONS, INCLUDING THE JOURNEY TO MARS.

Aerial photograph of MSFC test stand 4693 with the Liquid Hydrogen test article (LH2) in the stand

2019 Aerial Photographs

SOIL UNLOAD FOR THE SIMULATED PLANETARY BODY FIELD IN THE WEST TEST AREA. AREA TO BE USED FOR TESTING OF THE MIGHTY EAGLE LANDER

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TARA MARSHALL, LEFT, A MARSHALL ENGINEER, TALKS ABOUT THE INSTALLATION OF A PRESSURIZATION CONTROL PANEL AT TEST STAND 4693 WITH MIKE NICHOLS, LEAD TEST ENGINEER FOR THE SPACE LAUNCH SYSTEM LIQUID HYDROGEN TANK STRUCTURAL TEST ARTICLE.

TARA MARSHALL AND MIKE NICHOLS AT TEST STAND 4693

ASTRONAUTS BARRY "BUTCH” WILMORE, VICTOR GLOVER, DON PETTIT AN

ROBERT BOBO, LEFT, AND MIKE NICHOLS TALK BENEATH THE 221-FOOT-TALL TEST STAND 4693, THE LARGEST OF TWO NEW SPACE LAUNCH SYSTEM TEST STANDS AT MSFC. BOBO MANAGES SLS STRUCTURAL STRENGTH TESTING, AND NICHOLS IS LEAD TEST ENGINEER FOR THE SLS LIQUID HYDROGEN TANK.

ROBERT BOBO AND MIKE NICHOLS AT TEST STAND 4693

BOEING HIGH CAPACITY FUEL TANK BEING READIED FOR PLACEMENT ON WEST TEST AREA TEST STAND IN ANTICIPATION OF FURTHER TESTING.

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AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHS OF MSFC-4554 AND 4555 WEST TEST AREA

2016 MSFC AERIALS

SLS Payload Adapter Moved for Testing at NASA Marshall photo 4

These photos and videos show how crews at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, moved and installed the payload adapter that will be used in the Block 1B configuration of the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket from Building 4708, where it was manufactured, into Structural Test Stand 4697 at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center on March 13. Teams at Marshall will begin structural testing the engineering development unit of the payload adapter – an exact replica of the flight version of the hardware – this spring. The cone-shaped payload adapter is about 8.5 feet tall and features two metal rings and eight composite panels. The adapter, which will debut on NASA’s Artemis IV mission, is an evolution from the Orion stage adapter used in the Block 1 configuration of the first three Artemis missions. It will be housed inside the universal stage adapter atop the rocket’s more powerful in-space stage, called the exploration upper stage. The payload adapter, like the launch vehicle stage adapter and the Orion stage adapter, is fully manufactured and tested at Marshall, which manages the SLS Program. NASA is working to land the first woman, first person of color, and its first international partner astronaut on the Moon under Artemis. SLS is part of NASA’s backbone for deep space exploration, along with the Orion spacecraft and Gateway in orbit around the Moon and commercial human landing systems, next-generational spacesuits, and rovers on the lunar surface. SLS is the only rocket that can send Orion, astronauts, and supplies to the Moon in a single launch.

SLS Payload Adapter Moved for Testing at NASA Marshall photo 1

These photos and videos show how crews at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, moved and installed the payload adapter that will be used in the Block 1B configuration of the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket from Building 4708, where it was manufactured, into Structural Test Stand 4697 at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center on March 13. Teams at Marshall will begin structural testing the engineering development unit of the payload adapter – an exact replica of the flight version of the hardware – this spring. The cone-shaped payload adapter is about 8.5 feet tall and features two metal rings and eight composite panels. The adapter, which will debut on NASA’s Artemis IV mission, is an evolution from the Orion stage adapter used in the Block 1 configuration of the first three Artemis missions. It will be housed inside the universal stage adapter atop the rocket’s more powerful in-space stage, called the exploration upper stage. The payload adapter, like the launch vehicle stage adapter and the Orion stage adapter, is fully manufactured and tested at Marshall, which manages the SLS Program. NASA is working to land the first woman, first person of color, and its first international partner astronaut on the Moon under Artemis. SLS is part of NASA’s backbone for deep space exploration, along with the Orion spacecraft and Gateway in orbit around the Moon and commercial human landing systems, next-generational spacesuits, and rovers on the lunar surface. SLS is the only rocket that can send Orion, astronauts, and supplies to the Moon in a single launch.

SLS Payload Adapter Moved for Testing at NASA Marshall photo 5

These photos and videos show how crews at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, moved and installed the payload adapter that will be used in the Block 1B configuration of the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket from Building 4708, where it was manufactured, into Structural Test Stand 4697 at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center on March 13. Teams at Marshall will begin structural testing the engineering development unit of the payload adapter – an exact replica of the flight version of the hardware – this spring. The cone-shaped payload adapter is about 8.5 feet tall and features two metal rings and eight composite panels. The adapter, which will debut on NASA’s Artemis IV mission, is an evolution from the Orion stage adapter used in the Block 1 configuration of the first three Artemis missions. It will be housed inside the universal stage adapter atop the rocket’s more powerful in-space stage, called the exploration upper stage. The payload adapter, like the launch vehicle stage adapter and the Orion stage adapter, is fully manufactured and tested at Marshall, which manages the SLS Program. NASA is working to land the first woman, first person of color, and its first international partner astronaut on the Moon under Artemis. SLS is part of NASA’s backbone for deep space exploration, along with the Orion spacecraft and Gateway in orbit around the Moon and commercial human landing systems, next-generational spacesuits, and rovers on the lunar surface. SLS is the only rocket that can send Orion, astronauts, and supplies to the Moon in a single launch.

SLS Payload Adapter Moved for Testing at NASA Marshall photo 3

These photos and videos show how crews at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, moved and installed the payload adapter that will be used in the Block 1B configuration of the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket from Building 4708, where it was manufactured, into Structural Test Stand 4697 at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center on March 13. Teams at Marshall will begin structural testing the engineering development unit of the payload adapter – an exact replica of the flight version of the hardware – this spring. The cone-shaped payload adapter is about 8.5 feet tall and features two metal rings and eight composite panels. The adapter, which will debut on NASA’s Artemis IV mission, is an evolution from the Orion stage adapter used in the Block 1 configuration of the first three Artemis missions. It will be housed inside the universal stage adapter atop the rocket’s more powerful in-space stage, called the exploration upper stage. The payload adapter, like the launch vehicle stage adapter and the Orion stage adapter, is fully manufactured and tested at Marshall, which manages the SLS Program. NASA is working to land the first woman, first person of color, and its first international partner astronaut on the Moon under Artemis. SLS is part of NASA’s backbone for deep space exploration, along with the Orion spacecraft and Gateway in orbit around the Moon and commercial human landing systems, next-generational spacesuits, and rovers on the lunar surface. SLS is the only rocket that can send Orion, astronauts, and supplies to the Moon in a single launch.

SLS Payload Adapter Moved for Testing at NASA Marshall photo 2

These photos and videos show how crews at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, moved and installed the payload adapter that will be used in the Block 1B configuration of the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket from Building 4708, where it was manufactured, into Structural Test Stand 4697 at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center on March 13. Teams at Marshall will begin structural testing the engineering development unit of the payload adapter – an exact replica of the flight version of the hardware – this spring. The cone-shaped payload adapter is about 8.5 feet tall and features two metal rings and eight composite panels. The adapter, which will debut on NASA’s Artemis IV mission, is an evolution from the Orion stage adapter used in the Block 1 configuration of the first three Artemis missions. It will be housed inside the universal stage adapter atop the rocket’s more powerful in-space stage, called the exploration upper stage. The payload adapter, like the launch vehicle stage adapter and the Orion stage adapter, is fully manufactured and tested at Marshall, which manages the SLS Program. NASA is working to land the first woman, first person of color, and its first international partner astronaut on the Moon under Artemis. SLS is part of NASA’s backbone for deep space exploration, along with the Orion spacecraft and Gateway in orbit around the Moon and commercial human landing systems, next-generational spacesuits, and rovers on the lunar surface. SLS is the only rocket that can send Orion, astronauts, and supplies to the Moon in a single launch.

LH2 STA in NASA Marshall Space Flight Center West Test Area Test Stand.

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TEST FLIGHT OF MSFC'S "MIGHTY EAGLE" ROBOTIC LANDER IN THE WEST TEST AREA. AUGUST 28, 2012

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Overall view of test stand 4693 in the west test area. The stand is scheduled to have another 3 story section added

Test Stand 4693 under construction

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NASA astronaut Butch Wilmore in a group photograph with construction workers building SLS test stand 4693 in the West test area of the Marshall Space Flight Center

Butch Wilmore group photo with construction workers

Marshall Space Flight Center Employee and VIP Tours of Test Stan

More than 700 NASA Marshall Space Flight Center team members, Boeing employees, Team Redstone participants and local officials filled 17 buses Feb. 6 to view the liquid hydrogen tank structural test article installed in Test Stand 4693 at Marshall. The 149-foot liquid hydrogen tank structural test article is the largest piece of structural test hardware for the core stage of NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS). At 221 feet tall, Test Stand 4693 is the largest test stand at Marshall -- as well as one of the newest. During testing, dozens of hydraulic cylinders in the test stand will push and pull on the tank to simulate the stresses and loads it will endure during liftoff and flight for lunar missions.