Space & Physics

Lagniappe for August 2024

Explore Lagniappe for August 2024 featuring: Gator Speaks The roll out of NASA’s SLS (Space Launch System) Artemis II core stage from NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans on July 16 brought warm feelings to this Gator heart of mine. It shows the continued progress toward the Artemis II test flight for NASA’s first […]

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Aug 5, 2024 - 21:00

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Lagniappe for August 2024

These images and videos show team members at Michoud Assembly Facility loading the first core stage that will help launch the first crewed flight of NASA’s SLS (Space Launch System) rocket for the agency’s Artemis II mission onto the Pegasus barge on Tuesday, July 16, 2024. The barge will ferry the core stage on a 900-mile journey from the agency’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans to its Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The core stage for the SLS mega rocket is the largest stage NASA has ever produced. At 212 feet tall, the stage consists of five major elements, including two huge propellant tanks that collectively hold more than 733,000 gallons of super chilled liquid propellant to feed four RS-25 engines at its base. During launch and flight, the stage will operate for just over eight minutes, producing more than 2 million pounds of thrust to help send a crew of four astronauts inside NASA’s Orion spacecraft onward to the Moon. All the major structures for every SLS core stage are fully manufactured at NASA Michoud. NASA is working to land the first woman, first person of color, and its first international partner astronaut on the Moon under Artemis. SLS is part of NASA’s backbone for deep space exploration, along with the Orion spacecraft and Gateway in orbit around the Moon and commercial human landing systems, next-generation space, next-generational spacesuits, and rovers on the lunar surface. SLS is the only rocket that can send Orion, astronauts, and supplies to the Moon in a single launch.

Explore the August 2024 issue, highlighting the announcement of the new NASA Stennis Deputy Director, the successful SLS (Space Launch System) core stage rollout for Artemis II, NASA’s participation at Essence, and more!

Explore Lagniappe for August 2024 featuring:

NASA’s Stennis Space Center Announces New Deputy Director
NASA Inspires at 2024 ESSENCE Fest in New Orleans
NASA Stennis Flashback

Gator Speaks

The roll out of NASA’s SLS (Space Launch System) Artemis II core stage from NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans on July 16 brought warm feelings to this Gator heart of mine.

It shows the continued progress toward the Artemis II test flight for NASA’s first crewed mission to the Moon under the Artemis campaign.

Gator Speaks

NASA/Stennis

The SLS core stage for NASA’s powerful rocket shows the collective strength of collaboration, including all 10 NASA centers and more than 1,100 companies across the United States who contributed to its production.

NASA Stennis is quite familiar with the SLS core stage for a couple of reasons.

The expert NASA Stennis test team knows all about the RS-25 engines helping power SLS since all RS-25 engines are tested and proven flight-worthy at NASA Stennis. Two huge propellant tanks that collectively hold more than 733,000 gallons of super-chilled liquid propellant feed four RS-25 engines at launch.

It will be quite a sight watching the SLS core stage produce more than 2 million pounds of thrust to propel astronauts toward the Moon in the Orion spacecraft.

NASA Stennis helped pave the way for a successful Artemis I launch by testing the first SLS core stage to collect data and ensure all was ready to go.

Now, crews are preparing the Thad Cochran Test Stand (B-2), where NASA Stennis tested the SLS core stage for Artemis I, for future testing of NASA’s exploration upper stage.

The new upper stage, in production at NASA Michoud, is part of the next evolution for SLS.

So, you see, the July roll out of the SLS core stage for Artemis II is much more than a chance to see the massive structure being moved.

It shows the passions and dreams of so many on the move.

It shows the creativity involved.

It shows how NASA continues building on decades of exploration experience to fuel America’s passion for discovery.

Go, Artemis! Go, NASA!

NASA Stennis Top News

NASA’s Stennis Space Center Announces New Deputy Director

NASA’s Stennis Space Center Director John Bailey announced Aug. 2 that longtime propulsion engineer/manager Christine Powell has been selected as deputy director of the south Mississippi propulsion site, effective Aug. 12.

NASA Inspires at 2024 ESSENCE Fest in New Orleans

NASA joined the self-designated “party with a purpose” to let participants in the 30^th ESSENCE Festival of Culture in New Orleans know there is space for everybody at the space agency.

NASA Stennis Flashback: Shuttle Team Achieves Unprecedented Milestone

As chief of test operations at NASA’s Stennis Space Center, Maury Vander has been involved in some long-duration propulsion hot fires – but he still struggles to describe a pair of 34-minute space shuttle main engine tests conducted onsite in August 1988.

Center Activities

NASA Stennis Celebrates National Intern Day

Interns representing NASA and companies across the NASA Stennis federal city pose for a group photo inside StenniSphere in honor of National Intern Day. — Interns representing NASA and companies across the NASA Stennis federal city participate in National Intern Day activities at NASA Stennis on July 25. NASA has over 100 programs and opportunities to attract, engage, and educate students across the nation. Learn more about NASA internships here.
NASA/Danny Nowlin

Interns at NASA Stennis pose for photo in front of the Thad Cochran Test Stand — Interns at NASA Stennis visit the Thad Cochran Test Stand (B-1/B-2) on July 25 during a test complex tour on National Intern Day. As NASA continues to progress with the Artemis campaign, students across the nation are invited to join the journey. NASA’s internships aim to inspire the Artemis Generation to pursue STEM careers across the nation.
NASA/Danny Nowlin

NASA Stennis supervisors greet site interns in the parking lot before leading them on a tour of the Thad Cochran Test Stand — NASA Stennis supervisors talk with site interns before touring the Thad Cochran Test Stand (B-1/B-2) on July 25 as part of the National Intern Day celebration at the center.
NASA/Danny Nowlin

NASA Stennis Associate Director Rodney McKellip stands before a room filled with NASA interns — NASA Stennis Associate Director Rodney McKellip speaks with interns from across the NASA Stennis federal city on July 25 as part of National Intern Day at the center.
NASA/Danny Nowlin

Interns at NASA Stennis are seen watching The Color of Space documentary — Interns at NASA Stennis watch The Color of Space documentary featuring NASA astronaut Victor Glover during National Intern Day activities onsite July 25. Glover will be the first Black astronaut to travel around the Moon for NASA’s Artemis II mission.
NASA/Danny Nowlin

NASA Stennis intern Jordan Thomas is all smiles while visiting the Fred Haise Apollo Gallery at INFINITY Science Center during National Intern Day on July 25.
NASA/Kelly McCarthy

NASA Stennis federal city interns pose for a photo during their tour of INFINITY Science Center — NASA Stennis federal city interns tour INFINITY Science Center on July 25 during National Intern Day site activities. In addition to visiting INFINITY, the interns made stops at Aerojet Rocketdyne, an L3Harris Technologies company; Relativity Space; and the National Data Buoy Center, all located at NASA Stennis.
NASA/Kelly McCarthy

Navy Interns Tour NASA Stennis

Summer interns with the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory stand in front of the Thad Cochran Test Stand (B-1/B-2) on July 10. NASA Stennis crews are preparing the B-2 side of the stand for future testing of NASA’s exploration upper stage. The more powerful second stage is expected to fly on NASA’s SLS (Space Launch System) rocket for Artemis IV. The Naval Research Laboratory interns visited the stand during an afternoon tour of NASA Stennis. The Naval Research Laboratory is a tenant of the NASA Stennis federal city, where it provides advanced scientific capabilities required to bolster the nation’s position of global naval leadership.

NASA/Danny Nowlin

Louisiana Legislative Staff and Interns Visit NASA Stennis

Legislative staff and interns from the office of U.S. Rep. Garrett Graves of Louisiana stand in front of the Fred Haise Test Stand.

Legislative staff and interns from the office of U.S. Rep. Garrett Graves of Louisiana are pictured at the Fred Haise Test Stand at NASA Stennis on July 11. During the visit to the south Mississippi site, the group learned more about internship opportunities with NASA and NASA Stennis. In addition to touring the test complex where RS-25 engines are tested for future Artemis missions, the group visited the Aerojet Rocketdyne Engine Assembly Facility onsite. Aerojet Rocketdyne, an L3Harris Technologies company, manufactures RS-25 engines to help power NASA’s SLS (Space Launch System) rocket on Artemis missions to the Moon and beyond.

NASA/Danny Nowlin

Local School Leaders Visit NASA Stennis

Pearl River County Elementary School leaders visit the Thad Cochran Test Stand (B-1/B-2) and pose for a photo in front of it.

Pearl River County Elementary School leaders visit the Thad Cochran Test Stand (B-1/B-2) during a NASA Stennis tour on July 15. The school leaders received an overview of work conducted at NASA Stennis, including how the south Mississippi site is contributing to NASA’s return to the Moon through the Artemis campaign by testing engines and stages to help power the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket.

NASA/Danny Nowlin

NASA Associate Administrator Visits NASA Stennis

NASA Associate Administrator Jim Free stands with leaders from NASA Stennis and the NASA Shared Services Center during a visit on July 16 to the south Mississippi site. Free also met with representatives of commercial companies engaged in onsite propulsion activities. Pictured left to right is Jill Castiglione, NASA Stennis executive assistant; Troy Frisbie, NASA Stennis chief of staff; Nikki Tubbs, NASA Shared Services Center director of support operations; Anita Harrell, NASA Shared Services Center executive director; Free; John Bailey, NASA Stennis director; Rodney McKellip, NASA Stennis associate director; Troy Taylor, NASA Shared Services Center deputy director of service delivery; and Jessie Shiyou, NASA Shared Services Center executive assistant.

NASA/Danny Nowlin

Congressional Staff Visit NASA Stennis

Congressional staff delegates representing eight states along with NASA and U.S. Air Force representatives pose for a photo while visiting the Thad Cochran Test Stand

Congressional staff delegates representing eight states (Alabama, California, Colorado, Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, New Jersey, and New York), along with NASA and U.S. Air Force representatives, tour the Thad Cochran Test Stand (B-2) at NASA Stennis on July 16. The visit provided an opportunity for the group to learn about propulsion test work carried out onsite by NASA and commercial companies.

NASA/Danny Nowlin

NASA Stennis Participates in Hancock County Groundbreaking

NASA Stennis break ground with officials from Hancock County

NASA Stennis breaks ground with officials from Hancock County on July 18 for the Stennis Wastewater Conveyance Project at the Northern Wastewater Treatment Plant in Kiln, Mississippi. The groundbreaking represented launch of an agreement described as a win-win situation for Hancock County and NASA Stennis. Upon completion of the project, the county will assume responsibility for servicing wastewater from the NASA center. The new agreement will enable the county to utilize its existing facility more efficiently, while also allowing NASA Stennis to devote more center resources its mission work. Groundbreaking participants include (left to right): Hancock County supervisor Chuck Clark, District 3; Hancock County supervisor Bo Ladner, District 5; Hancock County Water & Sewer District Chair Farron Hoda; state Rep. Brent Anderson, Mississippi District 122; Mayor Mike Favre, Bay St. Louis, Mississippi; NASA Stennis Associate Director Rodney McKellip; Hancock County Board President Scotty Adam (District 4 supervisor); state Sen. Philman Ladner, Mississippi District 46; NASA Stennis project manager Brittany Bouche; Mayor Jay Trapani, Waveland, Mississippi; and Hancock County Utility Authority Executive Director David Pitalo.

NASA/Troy Frisbie

Java with John Hosts NASA Stennis Supervisors

NASA Stennis Director John Bailey sits with NASA Stennis supervisors

NASA Stennis Director John Bailey hosts a Java with John session with NASA Stennis supervisors on July 24. Java with John is an ongoing employee-led discussion in a relaxed environment aimed to foster a culture where all are welcome to share what matters most to their work at NASA Stennis.

NASA/Danny Nowlin

NASA in the News

Employee Profile: Kim Johnson

NASA employee Kim Johnson’s desire for growth has taken her many places and continues unabated at NASA’s Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi.

Kim Johnson, wearing a black blouse, poses near a tree outside of Building 1111 at Stennis Space Center which can be seen in the background.

Kim Johnson supports NASA’s mission as a contracting officer at NASA’s Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi.

NASA/Danny Nowlin

Additional Resources

Catching up with Stennis Space Center’s new director – WXXV News 25 (wxxv25.com)
New and Notables: John Bailey – Biz New Orleans
Good Things with Rebecca Turner – SuperTalk Mississippi (interview with NASA Stennis employees Lee English Jr. and Noah English)
Certifying Artemis Rocket Engines – NASA (Houston, We Have a Podcast segment featuring NASA Stennis engineers Chip Ellis and Bradley Tyree)
NASA Stennis Overview – Going Further (video)

Subscription Info

Lagniappe is published monthly by the Office of Communications at NASA’s Stennis Space Center. The NASA Stennis office may be contacted by at 228-688-3333 (phone); ssc-office-of-communications@mail.nasa.gov (email); or NASA OFFICE OF COMMUNICATIONS, Attn: LAGNIAPPE, Mail code IA00, Building 1111 Room 173, Stennis Space Center, MS 39529 (mail).

The Lagniappe staff includes: Managing Editor Lacy Thompson, Editor Bo Black, and photographer Danny Nowlin.

To subscribe to the monthly publication, please email the following to ssc-office-of-communications@mail.nasa.gov – name, location (city/state), email address.