Bechtel today announced continued progress on NASA’s mobile launcher 2 as steel arrived on site for the first time earlier this month. Through our partnership with NASA, Bechtel is constructing mobile launcher 2 for Artemis missions. Mobile launcher 2 will be used to assemble and process the next iterations of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket for Artemis IV to travel to the Moon and eventually Mars.
“The success of the completed Integrated Critical Design Review (ICDR) and now our first steel delivery are two recent milestones that reflect the team’s dedication and drive,” said Bechtel Project Manager, Felice Presti. “We remain committed to our mission of permanently changing the landscape at Kennedy, and supporting the proud history and legacy of our customer, NASA.”
Two Top Hat trusses used to assemble the foundation of the base arrived from Paxton Vierling Steel (PVS) on Monday, May 8, 2023. These pieces were fabricated by PVS in Carter Lake, Iowa, and were coated by PK Industrial in Augusta, Kansas, before being transported to Kennedy.
These trusses represent the first permanent steel for the mobile launcher, which will eventually be bolted to other trusses. These other trusses are currently going through final assembly at W International in South Carolina, before arriving at Kennedy Space Center later this month via barge. The complexity of the work being done for mobile launcher 2 demands capable and experienced suppliers to meet the precise requirements for custom and dynamic materials needed to build the mobile launcher.
