Who Makes NASA's Rockets, And Where Are They Built?

For most of the history of humanity's operations in space, government agencies have taken on the brunt of operations. However, NASA gets help from outside manufacturers to build its rockets, working with partners such as Lockheed Martin, L3Harris, Boeing, and Airbus Defense. 

For example, several hardware components of NASA's Space Launch System (SLS), one of the most powerful rockets ever made that is scheduled to take people to the moon as part of the Artemis program, were built by Northrop Grumman in Utah before being transported to NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Meanwhile, NASA's Michoud Facility in New Orleans — which has operated as "America's Rocket Factory" for over 50 years and seen its work launched from NASA sites in Florida and California — produces the main core stage, which was designed and led by The Boeing Company. 

Once completed, it's then transported to Kennedy Space Center. After all of the components arrive at their destination in Florida, they're assembled vertically in NASA's humongous Vehicle Assembly Building. When everything is put together, it's ready for the launchpad.

While you might think it would be best to produce everything needed at Kennedy Space Center, that's not how NASA functions. NASA operates 10 field centers, with Kennedy Space Center being its premier multi-user spaceport. It works with around 100 private-sector partners at the site, employing nearly 250 partnership agreements. 

NASA's Booster Fabrication Facility near the spaceport's Launch Complex 39 at the Kennedy Space Center is where the aft skirt and forward assembly for the twin solid rocket boosters used in the SLS are manufactured, assembled, and refurbished. It's primarily operated by Northrop Grumman alongside NASA personnel. The site also upgrades boosters, and has worked on various systems dating back to the Space Shuttle Program.

Outside of the rockets and engines needed to send humanity back to the moon, the Artemis program features the Orion spacecraft, which will take astronauts to lunar orbit and return them to Earth. Various components are produced in a variety of locations by several firms. Lockheed Martin performs the primary welding for the Crew Module at the Michoud Assembly Facility, while Airbus Defense and Space produces the European Service Module at its facility in Bremen, Germany. The design work was conducted by Lockheed out of Littleton, Colorado, while various parts and subsystems were produced in California, New Jersey, and Washington State.