NASA have unveiled the world's largest spacecraft welding tool that will help build the Space Launch System (SLS) intended to take humans to Mars.

Called the "Vertical Assembly Center" or VAC, this massive tool is located at the Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans.

The VAC is a 170-foot-tall, 78-foot-wide welding tool that will be used to build the core stage of the SLS rocket system. SLS will be the most powerful rocket yet built.

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The welder will play an important role in fusing the core parts of SLS together. SLS will most likely include another NASA technology milestone: 3D printed parts of the rocket system.

The VAC is a pivotal tool in constructing the SLS. This launch vehicle will cost more than US$7 billion to build. Construction of the SLS is expected to take from three to four years.

SLS towers 200 feet tall and has a diameter of 27.6 feet. This 70 metric ton initial rocket should be able to lift about 130 metric tons into space.

The SLS program's core stage and boosters have already completed critical design review and is continuing to make significant progress after NASA recently approved the SLS program's critical steps from formulation to development, said SLS program manager Todd May.

NASA considers this a major milestone for the program and proof the first new design for the SLS is ready for production.

NASA engineers have decided they are after all, going to need a giant welder.

NASA Administrator Charles Bolden said this rocket is regarded as a game changer in human deep space exploration.

SLS will pave way for NASA astronauts to investigate and observe asteroids and explore the surface of Mars.

Planned SLS missions include sending an uncrewed Orion-MPCV space ship on a trip around the moon in 2018 and in 2021 and sending four crew members to an asteroid that has been robotically captured and placed in lunar orbit.  

TagsNASA Reveals the World's Biggest Spacecraft Welding Machine, NASA, SLS, VAC, NASA SLS, vertical assembly center, space launch system NASA, NASA welding tool spacecraft