We celebrated America’s unrelenting drive for exploration, ingenuity and creativity while honoring our rich history. That spirit begins right here in our own backyard at Northrop Grumman, where the most powerful rocket boosters for human flight ever constructed are helping keep America at the forefront of innovation and space exploration.
These boosters will travel from Corinne, Utah to Florida aboard Union Pacific’s new America 250 commemorative locomotive, GE ET44AC No. 4547, celebrating the nation’s 250th anniversary.

Northrop Grumman Corporation

This week marked an exciting step on the road to Artemis III.
The boosters that will power the mission officially began their journey to the Kennedy Space Center, continuing in a spirit of exploration that feels especially meaningful as America approaches its 250th anniversary.
It’s a reminder that big missions like these are made possible by powerful propulsion, but also by the people and ambition driving exploration forward – the pinnacle of the American spirit.

Wow, Cool Picture! The Magazine Editor Paul Graf of N Scale Enthusiast Organization caught the "Artemis Special" leaving the Morton Thiokol Plant in Corinne Utah heading for KSC and the next Solid Booster flight. Its interesting that they are running spacer cars between each section now. Photo copyright by Paul Graf.

June 3, 2026: NASA’s Special passed the Depot at Cheyenne, WY

Yesterday's run of UP 4547 and 1616 with the NASA Artemis III Mission rocket Booster Train, at locations where I was the only photographer. Reportedly these units were removed from this train at North Platte. Captions with photos.

June 3, 2026: NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center

Key hardware for Artemis III is rolling down the rails.
Eight booster motor segments for the NASA Artemis III mission rolled out of Northrop Grumman’s Corinne, Utah, facility on June 2, hauled by Union Pacific’s new locomotive honoring America’s 250th anniversary.
Once at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, these segments will be stacked to form the two twin solid rocket boosters that will help launch the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket with the Orion spacecraft on top.

June 3, 2026: UP Special Train rolling through North Platte, NE on Wednesday.

Refueling at Union Pacific Bailey Yard en route to Florida from Utah to deliver parts to NASA for Artemis III.
SPECIAL ENGINES! President Trump and President Lincoln both contributed to transportation and exploration, and are being recognized on the engines leading this cargo shipment which will eventually go to outer space!
Thank you to Kel Dikeman for sharing these beautiful images! Midwest Media by Melanie

June 7, 2026: NS from Memphis, TN to Jacksonville, FL

NASA just announced the new crew for Artemis III, and Team NS is proud to be part of the “ground crew” behind their next mission.
This weekend, our railroaders safely delivered the remaining aft booster segments that will help power the next phase of lunar exploration. These segments provide the force needed to lift the rocket off the ground and begin the journey to space. We delivered the first two segments in late April and moved the rest this weekend in partnership with Union Pacific and Florida East Coast Railway.
Moves like this leave zero margin for error. Oversized, highly sensitive cargo requires precision at every step and coordination across every mile. And our crews delivered! The shipment traveled from Memphis, TN to Jacksonville, FL in about 33 hours, arriving safely, on schedule, and ready for what’s next?
Proud to deliver for Northrop Grumman and support the future of spaceflight. Next stop: the moon. NS copyright 8 pics

June 8, 2026: FEC's NASA08 with the Rocket Booster segments for Artemis rolls into Bunnell, FL.