File:Technicians Apply Thermal Protection Material to NASA Moon Rocket Hardware (MSFC 042623 4707 LVSA III TPS Application - 2).jpg

English: These photos show the launch vehicle stage adapter (LVSA) of NASA’s SLS (Space Launch System) rocket for Artemis III before technicians at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, applied the thermal protection system to it. Artemis III will land astronauts on the Moon to advance long-term lunar exploration and scientific discover and inspire the Artemis Generation. Teams at Marshall began applying the thermal protection system material in the spring of 2023. Unlike other parts of the SLS rocket, the thermal protection system material for the LVSA is applied entirely by hand using a spray gun. During application, the technicians use a thin measuring rod to gauge the proper thickness. Once the thermal protection system has cured, certain areas are sanded down to meet parameters. The entire process takes several months. The LVSA is fully manufactured at Marshall by NASA, lead contractor Teledyne Brown Engineering, and the Jacobs Space Group’s ESSCA contract. The LVSA for Artemis III is the last of its kind as future SLS rockets will transition to its next, more powerful Block 1B configuration beginning with Artemis IV. NASA is working to land the first woman and first person of color on the Moon under Artemis. SLS is part of NASA’s backbone for deep space exploration, along with the Orion spacecraft, advanced spacesuits and rovers, the Gateway in orbit around the Moon, and commercial human landing systems. SLS is the only rocket that can send Orion, astronauts, and supplies to the Moon in a single mission.