For the first time in more than 50 years, humans are on their way toward the Moon for a fly-by mission to Flight test NASA’s lunar equipment. It wouldn’t be possible with IAM Union members
The Artemis II mission is sending four astronauts in an Orion space capsule on a 250,000 mile journey. The Space Launch System (SLS) is the lifting rocket that sends Orion and the Astronauts on their way. Much of the SLS is proven rocket hardware that was used in the Atlas rockets from the Apollo mission era, and the Space Shuttle era that lasted 30 years in between Apollo and Artemis.
The SLS consists of a core stage, a slightly larger version of the Space Shuttle external fuel tank, and two enhanced solid rocket boosters, just like the Space Shuttle program. At the bottom of the core stage are four RS-25D engines originally built for the Space Shuttle. Those engines were built by IAM Local 971 members in Florida.
United Launch Alliance (ULA) workforce are proud members of IAM Local 610 and Local 2061 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Local 971 in Jupiter, Fla., and Local 44 members in Decatur, Ala.
Every journey starts with a first step, and the Artemis program relies on a lot of IAM Union work to launch from the pad, travel safely in outer space, and return safely. We will try to credit all the programs that include IAM members involved in this launch, but with so many members involved, we can only hope to not miss some of our members.
- IAM Local 971 members have manufactured the L3 Harris’ RL10 engine which has played a vital role in placing hundreds of military, government and commercial satellites into Earth’s orbit.
- IAM Local 610 members process the stage once it arrives in Florida. ULA has built three ICPS stages for each of the first three Artemis missions to the Moon through a collaborative partnership with Boeing.
- Once the ICPS manufacturing is complete in Decatur, Ala., IAM Local 44 members load it on a barge and then sail with the ICPS to Port Canaveral.
- Local 610 members assist with offload of the ICPS and then transport it to a ULA facility for processing. Lastly, Local 610 members will transport the ICPS to the Vehicle Assembly Building where they will assist in mating the ICPS into its position above the core stage and becoming part of the SLS.
- IAM members of Local 2061 process the hardware for the Artemis program, transport the hardware, stack the vehicle, and move the vehicle, SLS, to the pad via the crawler transporter.that work for Amentum & Astrion under the Consolidated Operations, Management, Engineering and Test (COMET) contract. They also maintain all the ground support equipment for the vehicle to include the egress (escape) system on the mobile launcher. This system is a slide wire basket the vehicle crew (astronauts) would use in case of an emergency.
- IAM Local 2061 members at Amentum also support the BOSS Contract. This contract includes services for operations, maintenance, and engineering of facilities at the John F. Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. For Artemis, members operate & maintain electrical systems, HVAC systems, fire suppression systems and the water for the sound suppression system that protects both the vehicle and launch pad during launch from damage.
- IAM Local 2061 members working for Amentum/Solution One Industries support the KPLSS II Contract. That contract includes manufacturing, processing, and distribution of hazardous, high-pressure gases, cryogenic fluids, hypergols, and other materials to spaceport customers. It also provides life support services to customers working in toxic or oxygen-deficient environments, Propellant Handler Suits (SCAPE, Self Contained Atmospheric Protective Ensemble) for technicians to work with toxic hypergols and stage emergency egress equipment at the pad. Portable Air Ventilators for the astronauts to keep them cool during transport to the pad and service an emergency oxygen system that astronauts wear during launch and landing.
- IAM members also support Herndon Solutions Group/InoMedic Health Applications, Inc. – NEMCON Contract. The NASA Environmental and Medical Contract (NEMCON) includes Aerospace Medicine, Occupational Medicine, Industrial Hygiene, Health Physics, and Environmental and Ecological Services.
- IAM members support Astrion; the NASA Laboratory Support Services and Operations (LASSO) II contract which operates and maintains a diverse set of laboratories, developmental shops and test facilities that will support programs and projects at the Florida spaceport. For Artemis support, Local 2061 members will commercially clean components/hardware to the required specifications in order to be used as ground support or be installed on the vehicle itself. They are also responsible for sampling and testing all the gasses, fuels and liquids to verify they meet the required specifications before they can be used with the Artemis program.
- Other IAM members working for Amentum – Space Force Range Contract (SFRC) support the United States Space Force (USSF) Eastern and Western Ranges with range operations, maintenance, sustainment, and integration (OMS&I) activities. Collectively referred to as the Launch and Test Range System (LTRS), the Eastern and Western Ranges (ER/WR) function as a system of systems that support launch and test activities.
