NASA engineers have finished assembling the Space Launch System that will take astronauts back to the Moon. The rocket is taller than the Statue of Liberty.<\/b>
\nNASA has finished assembling the first of its massive Space Launch System (SLS) rockets that will carry astronauts back to the Moon. The agency\u2019s engineers lowered the 212-feet-tall core stage of SLS between smaller twin booster rockets at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Friday, according to the BBC. SLS is the first rocket of NASA\u2019s Artemis-1 mission \u2014 which will lay the foundation for eventually sending astronauts to the Moon and establishing a colony on the lunar surface. Its inaugural launch is slated for later this year and will carry Orion, NASA\u2019s crew vehicle, into space for testing. No astronauts will be on board for its maiden flight, though \u2014 which makes sense. NASA probably wants to make sure everything is in working order before we put human beings on top of an ungodly massive and powerful rocket and send them to the Moon. The first crewed missions are slated for 2023. Here\u2019s what it looks like in all its assembled glory: Now that it\u2019s assembled, SLS stands taller than the Statue of Liberty without its pedestal and weighs a whopping 5.75 million pounds, according to NASA. It\u2019ll need to be big and sturdy too since it\u2019ll produce 8.8 million pounds of maximum thrust as it leaves Earth\u2019s orbit. The two boosters will give the rocket most of its thrust as it initially takes off. The massive core stage contains propellant tanks along with four engines to take it the rest of the way out of orbit. It is an extremely exciting time to be a space exploration fan. Not only will the Artemis missions take astronauts back to the Moon, but they\u2019ll be building lunar colonies so scientists will have a sustainable research environment on the lunar surface. The mission will also provide NASA will valuable data and insights to inform future missions to Mars \u2014 and how we eventually build martian colonies. READ MORE: SLS: First view of Nasa\u2019s assembled \u2018megarocket\u2019 [ BBC] More on Artemis: NASA Is Planning to Land on Far Side of the Moon for the First Time As a Futurism reader, we invite you join the Singularity Global Community, our parent company\u2019s forum to discuss futuristic science & technology with like-minded people from all over the world. It\u2019s free to join, sign up now!<\/p>\n