Rocket Science in 60 Seconds: Insulating NASA’s Moon Rocket

Rocket Science in 60 Seconds gives you an inside look at work being done at NASA to explore deep space. Amy Buck is an engineer for NASA’s Space Launch System Program at the agency’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. In this episode, she explains what the launch vehicle stage adapter is for the SLS rocket and how the thermal protection system protects the different elements of the rocket, like the LVSA, from extreme forces and temperatures during launch and flight. Please note: This video was originally produced and published in February 2018 when foam was being applied to the launch vehicle stage adapter for Artemis I. Engineers are currently manufacturing hardware for NASA’s Artemis II and III missions, the first crewed missions of the Artemis program. For more information about SLS, visit