Ground and spacecraft systems at Kennedy Space Center and NASA's Michoud Assembly Facility are conducting integrated tests on electronics, power systems, and flight software to ensure readiness for the upcoming Artemis I launch.

NASA's new Space Launch System (SLS) rocket relies heavily on advanced avionics and software, which act as the 'brain' of the rocket to manage its complex flight systems during launch and space travel.

The booster avionics, responsible for 80 percent of control during the first two minutes of flight, have been tested thoroughly and will soon be installed at Kennedy Space Center for functional checks before launch.

The booster avionics system, which completed system-level qualification testing at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in October 2017, verifies critical functions such as booster ignition, flight control, and core stage separation.

During flight, the core stage's flight computers serve as the primary controllers for the first eight minutes, coordinating with avionics systems that handle navigation, engine performance, and communication with the Orion spacecraft.

Core stage avionics, including systems like inertial navigation, power management, and sensors, have been tested at NASA facilities to ensure they can withstand the harsh conditions of launch.

All avionics systems, including those for the booster and core stage, are undergoing integration and testing to confirm seamless communication with each other, the Orion spacecraft, and ground control.

Extensive simulated flight tests with software are used to validate system performance under both normal and abnormal conditions, ensuring the Artemis I mission is fully prepared.

Each RS-25 engine has a dedicated flight controller that has been qualified through hot-fire testing and is ready for assembly, ensuring optimal engine performance during launch.