Mobile Launcher 2

Sending astronauts to the Moon and Mars

Bechtel is proud to partner with NASA in their pursuit to safely send astronauts to the Moon and Mars in the Artemis IV mission and beyond.

Bechtel is designing, building, testing, and commissioning the Mobile Launcher 2 -- a new ground structure that will be used to support the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. The SLS rocket is an evolvable rocket designed to carry the Orion spacecraft, four astronauts, and their support equipment to the Moon. As the Artemis mission progresses, the SLS rocket will evolve to meet the demands of those missions. With Bechtel’s help, this mobile launcher will support the SLS rocket in the Artemis IV mission and beyond.

The Bechtel team is working from the Kennedy Space Center in Merritt Island, Florida, to bring the mobile launcher from design to liftoff by providing project management, architectural and engineering design, technical integration, fabrication, construction, testing, commissioning, and quality control services.

NASA has entrusted Bechtel to deliver critical infrastructure that is needed for the most important human space missions of this century. We are proud to progress the Artemis mission in its pursuit to return to the Moon, and further to Mars.

Bechtel brings its expertise and trusted network to this important mission

The Bechtel team brings its expertise and 125-year trusted perspective to the mobile launcher at every stage of the project, from design to construction and –soon– liftoff.

Not only is the Bechtel engineering team designing the structure that will operate as a launch platform for the SLS Rocket, but this same structure will also support multiple systems before launch, including power, communications, coolant, fuel, and stabilization for the rocket during the launch sequence.

Bechtel experts provide detailed analysis and innovative designs to the 390-foot tall specially-designed structure. The new launcher – which will be designed, built, and tested by the Bechtel team – will grow to more than 390 feet in height and withstand a launch environment of greater than 2,200 degrees Fahrenheit, blast pressures of more than 130 psi, and thrust of more than 8.9 million pounds to safely service the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket.

Bechtel’s team of skilled procurement professionals have awarded over $425 million dollars in procurements from across the country and around the world. Over 230 subcontractors and suppliers are joining Bechtel in supporting NASA and the Artemis mission.

Bechtel’s transition into the construction phase of the project brings our expertise in handling complex, large projects and hiring local talent to achieve these goals. During peak construction at ML2, over 500 craft professionals will be working to assemble the ground structure platform, starting with steel trusses at the base of the launcher, installing complex piping throughout, and ensuring the mobile launcher is prepared to connect to the SLS rocket as it launches to the Moon and Mars.

Materials used to assemble the mobile launcher have been sourced from more than 30 states, including steel trusses that have travelled from Iowa, Kansas, Utah, Louisiana, and South Carolina to the Construction Parksite in Merritt Island, Florida. Additionally, the mission to build the mobile launcher includes global support from suppliers in Brazil and Spain.

Engaging with the local community

Our Bechtel team is at its best when we partner with the local communities that we operate in. This includes engaging small and medium-sized businesses and giving back to the cities where we work and live. At ML2, Bechtel colleagues are connecting with the local Brevard County community.

The Bechtel Mobile Launcher 2 team has worked with several local community organizations, including: