MilestoneOctober 13, 2026 · updated October 16, 2026

NASA completes Artemis III booster stacking for upcoming tanking test

Teams at Kennedy Space Center have assembled the solid rocket booster segments on the mobile launcher in preparation for a pad tanking test.

Artemis III Booster Stacking Coverage - RH Aft Assembly
Artemis III Booster Stacking Coverage - RH Aft Assembly · NASA/Ben Smegelsky, Public domain (NASA)

Integration of the final solid rocket booster motor segments for NASA's Artemis III Space Launch System rocket has been completed at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The boosters were assembled on the mobile launcher in a short stack configuration specifically prepared for an upcoming pad tanking test.

Technicians also completed the installation of all four RS-25 engines on the rocket's core stage. These milestone steps move the Artemis program closer to testing fuel loading and pad operations ahead of the crewed lunar landing mission.

See Artemis III in the map