SLS core segment completed

NEW ORLEANS -- The first liquid hydrogen tank barrel segment for the core stage of NASA's new launch vehicle, the Space Launch System (SLS), recently was completed at the agency's Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans. The segment validates the vertical weld center is working the way it should. The vertical weld center is a friction-stir-weld tool for wet and dry structures on the SLS core stage. Friction stir welding uses frictional heating, combined with forging pressure, to produce high-strength bonds virtually free of defects. NASA and Boeing engineers have been conducting friction-stir-welding tests at Michoud to ensure quality and safety of flight hardware. Boeing is the prime contractor for the SLS core stage, including its avionics. Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., manages the SLS program for NASA. (Source: Space Travel, 07/31/13)