Life without cranes would be a real drag. On March 14, teams used massive cranes to lift the Artemis II SLS (Space Launch System) core stage out of the Vehicle Assembly Building’s (VAB) High Bay 2 and positioned it horizontally in the transfer aisle. Previously in a stand that allowed engineers 360-degree access to the rocket, teams vertically hoisted the 212-foot-tall (approx. 65 meters) core stage, which weighs about 219,000 pounds (about 99,000 kilograms) with its engines. This move prepares the core stage for integration with other elements of the rocket later this month. While in the transfer aisle, technicians will conduct final checkouts of the core stage before it is integrated with the completed twin solid rocket booster segments. During integration operations, teams with NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems Program will lift and secure the rocket stage atop mobile launcher 1 inside High Bay 3 in the VAB. Next year, the Artemis II mission will carry four astronauts – NASAAstro...