{"id":12731,"date":"2020-01-08T17:52:42","date_gmt":"2020-01-08T09:52:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp-productionenv-bjg9h2g2bgg5b8aa.southeastasia-01.azurewebsites.net\/news\/first-sls-core-stage-departs-factory\/"},"modified":"2020-01-08T17:52:42","modified_gmt":"2020-01-08T09:52:42","slug":"first-sls-core-stage-departs-factory","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/news\/first-sls-core-stage-departs-factory\/","title":{"rendered":"First SLS core stage departs factory"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The SLS core stage is powered by four Aerojet Rocketdyne RS-25 main engines. Credit: Stephen Clark \/ Spaceflight Now<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The heart of NASA\u2019s first flight-ready Space Launch System heavy-lift rocket emerged from its factory in New Orleans Wednesday morning for a barge trip to the Stennis Space Center in Mississippi for an eight-minute test-firing of its space shuttle-era hydrogen-fueled engines.<\/p>\n

The 212-foot-long (64.6-meter), 27.6-foot-wide (8.4-meter) core stage of the Space Launch System rolled out of its factory at the Michoud Assembly Facility, signaling a significant, but long-delayed milestone in the SLS program\u2019s eight-year history.<\/p>\n

Teams loaded the core stage into NASA\u2019s Pegasus barge to be ferried on a half-day journey to the Stennis Space Center in Mississippi.<\/p>\n

Spaceflight Now was at Michoud for Wednesday\u2019s rollout ceremony, which occurred with festive New Orleans flair. Some SLS team members wore shiny bead necklaces, and a \u201csecond line\u201d New Orleans drum and brass band accompanied the rocket on the trek out of the factory.<\/p>\n