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Orlando Sentinel

Orlando Sentinel

‘Marching orders haven’t changed’: New Artemis mobile launcher takes shape amid uncertain future

Orlando Sentinel
Summary
Nutrition label

69% Informative

The Artemis program’s mobile launcher 2 is the platform atop which future versions of the powerful Space Launch System rocket will launch.

The project, which was initially a $383 million contract awarded in 2019 had an original delivery date of 2023 .

The lead contractor for the structure is Bechtel National Inc. , headquartered in Reston , Virginia , but founded in San Francisco in 1898 .

Nearly 78% of the steel for the whole project is already on site, Bechtel 's general manager says.

The first of those final seven modules will be placed before the end of the year , with the help of crane that will reach more than 500 feet tall.

“Construction is different than manufacturing,” general manager Mike Costas says.

The bigger rocket design was the reason ML2 needed to be constructed, which will end up being taller and wider than ML1.

The complexity in developing ML2 grew during the design phase after the launch of Artemis I.

The team working on ML2 say they hope to one day see it in action.

VR Score

76

Informative language

76

Neutral language

71

Article tone

informal

Language

English

Language complexity

40

Offensive language

not offensive

Hate speech

not hateful

Attention-grabbing headline

not detected

Known propaganda techniques

not detected

Time-value

short-lived

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