Louisiana’s Michoud Facility Powers NASA’s Artemis Moon Mission
NEW ORLEANS (press release) – Nearly 90 percent of the rocket powering the Artemis Moon Mission was manufactured at the Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans.
The Space Launch System rocket for the Artemis II Moon Mission is the most powerful ever built and relies heavily on structures and components manufactured in New Orleans, reinforcing the city’s essential role in human spaceflight.
“Artemis is not a one-off moment for this region; it is the continuation of a deep and durable economic engine,” said Michael Hecht, president and CEO of GNO, Inc. in a press release. “This is a sector that supports families with high-quality careers, sustains a broad network of contractors and suppliers and reinforces Greater New Orleans as a serious center for advanced manufacturing.
About the Michoud Facility
The Michoud Facility is part of a long-standing aerospace presence that has employed thousands of local workers and generated billions in economic impact for the region.
For more than six decades, the facility has been a cornerstone of America’s space program, supporting missions from Apollo to the Space Shuttle to today’s Artemis program.
GNO Inc. shares that the Michoud Facility remains one of the largest manufacturing sites of its kind in the world and continues to anchor a regional aerospace ecosystem that supports high-skill jobs, local suppliers and long-term economic growth across Southeast Louisiana.
According to GNO Inc., NASA’s long-standing presence has also delivered lasting economic value across Louisiana, as seen through a broad network of contractors and suppliers in the region who provide materials, services and skilled labor that help keep production and mission schedules on track.
“The NASA Michoud Assembly Facility is an 829-acre facility located near Downtown New Orleans, which has a national economic impact of over $507 million,” said Hansel Gill, director of the NASA Michoud Assembly Facility. “We are grateful for this opportunity to help strengthen our ties with the community.”
The Artemis II Moon Mission is a rare moment when a global headline is also a local story, built by New Orleans workers over decades at Michoud.
