Space Launch System

Short description: NASA super heavy-lift expendable launch vehicle used in the Artemis Program

Space Launch System

SLS with the Orion spacecraft launching from Pad 39B for Artemis II

Function| Super heavy-lift launch vehicle
Manufacturer|

* Aerojet Rocketdyne
* Boeing
* Northrop Grumman
* United Launch Alliance

Country of origin| United States
Project cost| US$31.6 billion as of 2025 (excluding Orion)
Cost per launch| US$2.5 billion (excluding Orion)
Cost per year| US$2.6 billion (FY23) (excluding Orion)
Size
Height| 98 m (322 ft)
Diameter| 8.4 m (27.6 ft)[1]
Mass| 2,610,000 kg (5,750,000 lb)[2]
Stages| ​2 1⁄2
Thrust| 39 MN (8,800,000 lbf)
Capacity
Payload to LEO| 95,000 kg (209,000 lb)[3]
Payload to TLI| 27,000 kg (59,500 lb)
Associated rockets
Comparable|

* Energia
* Falcon Heavy
* Long March 9
* N1
* Saturn V
* Starship

Launch history
Status| Active
Launch sites| Kennedy, LC-39B
Total launches| 2
Successes| 2
First flight| November 16, 2022
Last flight| April 1, 2026 (most recent)
Notable payloads| Orion (crew of 4)
Boosters – five-segment SRB
No. boosters| 2
Length| 54 m (177 ft)[4]
Diameter| 3.7 m (12 ft)
Gross mass| 730,000 kg (1,600,000 lb)[4]
Thrust|

* SL: 14.6 MN (3,280,000 lbf)
* vac: 16 MN (3,600,000 lbf)[5]

Total thrust|

* SL: 29.2 MN (6,560,000 lbf)
* vac: 32 MN (7,200,000 lbf)

Specific impulse| 269 s (2.64 km/s)
Burn time| 126 seconds
Fuel| APCP (Al / AP / PBAN)
First stage – Core
Length| 64.6 m (212 ft)
Diameter| 8.4 m (28 ft)
Empty mass| 97,940 kg (215,910 lb)[6]
Gross mass| 1,085,410 kg (2,392,910 lb)
Propellant mass|

* LH2: 144,000 kg (317,000 lb)
* LOX: 840,000 kg (1,860,000 lb)[7]

Engines| 4 × RS-25
Thrust|

* SL: 7.4 MN (1,672,000 lbf)
* vac: 9.1 MN (2,049,200 lbf)[8]

Specific impulse|

* SL: 366 s (3.59 km/s)
* vac: 452 s (4.43 km/s)

Burn time| 480 seconds
Fuel| LH2 / LOX
Second stage – ICPS
Length| 13.7 m (45 ft)[9]
Diameter|

* LH2 tank: 5 m (16 ft)
* LOX tank: 3.2 m (10 ft)[10]

Empty mass| 3,490 kg (7,690 lb)[11]
Gross mass| 32,066 kg (70,693 lb)
Engines| 1 × RL10
Thrust| 110.1 kN (24,800 lbf)
Specific impulse| 465.5 s (4.565 km/s)[12]
Burn time| 1,125 seconds
Fuel| LH2 / LOX
Second stage – Centaur V (Planned)
Length|

* CV-L: 10.66 m (35 ft)
* CV-HE: 12.6 m (41 ft)[13]

Diameter| 5.4 m (17.7 ft)
Empty mass| CV-HE: 7,100 kg (15,700 lb)[14]
Gross mass| CV-HE: 53,600 kg (118,200 lb)[14]
Engines|

* 2 × RL10C[15]
* 2 × RL10E (planned upgrade)[16]

Thrust|

* RL10C: 203.6 kN (45,780 lbf)
* RL10E: 214.6 kN (48,240 lbf)[17]

Specific impulse|

* RL10C: 453.8 s (4.450 km/s)
* RL10E: 460.9 s (4.520 km/s)[17]

Burn time| CV-HE: 1,077 seconds[18]
Fuel| LOX / LH

The Space Launch System (SLS) is an American two-stage super heavy-lift expendable launch vehicle used by NASA. The primary launch vehicle for the Artemis program, SLS is designed to launch the four-person Orion spacecraft. The rocket first launched in November 2022, carrying the uncrewed Artemis I mission. Its only crewed launch has been for the Artemis II lunar flyby in April 2026, becoming the second launch vehicle to carry humans beyond low Earth orbit (LEO), after NASA's Saturn V of the Apollo program.

Development of SLS began in 2011 as a congressionally mandated replacement for the retiring Space Shuttle program and the cancelled Ares I and Ares V launch vehicles of the Constellation program, incorporating some hardware from both programs. Costing US$31.6 billion as of 2025, the project has been criticized for mismanagement, budget overruns, and delays, but ultimately succeeded in human spaceflight in 2026.

All SLS launches take place from Launch Complex 39B at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The new Boeing-built core stage is powered by four ex-Shuttle RS-25 engines. Attached to the core are two Northrop Grumman five-segment Solid Rocket Boosters, built for the Ares vehicles, tested on Ares I-X, developed from the Shuttle's four-segment SRB. SLS currently uses the Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage (ICPS) as its second stage, for the insertions to low Earth orbit and trans-lunar injection. ICPS uses the RL10 engine, and was derived from the Delta Cryogenic Second Stage designed by Japan's space agency. Aerojet Rocketdyne builds the RS-25 and RL10 engines.

Starting from Artemis V, no earlier than late 2028, SLS will use the Centaur V upper stage, developed for the Vulcan Centaur, instead of ICPS. NASA previously planned to upgrade SLS from its current Block 1 configuration to a Block 1B and Block 2, but cancelled these plans in February 2026, aiming to standardize on Block 1, to "reduce risk and maintain schedule stability". Block 1B was to use the Exploration Upper Stage, and Block 2 would have used new solid rocket boosters.

While SLS has the highest liftoff thrust of any rocket to ever carry humans, 39 meganewtons (8,800,000 pounds-force),[lower-alpha 1][19] SLS's payload capacity to trans-lunar injection of 27 metric tons (59,525 lb) is only around half that of the Saturn V's 48.6 metric tons (107,145 lb) payload.[20][21][22][23] Thus for Artemis lunar landings, beginning with Artemis IV targeted early 2028, Orion is planned to dock with the Human Landing System (HLS) in lunar orbit or low Earth orbit, separately launched on a non-SLS rocket;[24] SpaceX's Starship HLS and Blue Origin's Blue Moon are under development as HLS vehicles.[25]

Its next scheduled flight is Artemis III, a 2027 low Earth orbit docking test between Orion and HLS vehicles. Beginning with Artemis V, NASA will transfer SLS operations to the Deep Space Transport LLC, a commercial launch provider consortium of Boeing and Northrop Grumman.

## Contents

* 1 Components
* 1.1 Core stage
* 1.2 Solid rocket boosters
* 1.2.1 Shuttle-derived
* 1.2.2 BOLE
* 1.3 Upper stage
* 1.3.1 Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage
* 1.3.2 Exploration Upper Stage (cancelled)
* 1.3.3 Centaur V (future)
* 1.4 Block variants
* 2 Development
* 2.1 Funding
* 2.1.1 Budget
* 2.2 Early plans
* 2.2.1 EUS options
* 2.2.2 SRB tests
* 2.3 Proposed cancellation
* 3 Launch costs
* 4 Operation
* 4.1 Construction
* 4.1.1 Construction of core stage
* 4.2 Launches
* 4.2.1 Usage beyond Artemis
* 5 Criticism
* 5.1 Funding
* 5.2 Management
* 5.3 Proposed alternatives
* 6 See also
* 7 Notes
* 8 References
* 9 External links

## Components

The SLS is a Space Shuttle-derived launch vehicle. Its first stage consists of a central core stage powered by four engines, flanked by two space shuttle-derived solid rocket boosters.[26][27][28][29]

NASA had planned to introduce upgraded variants of the rocket. The Block 1B configuration was to incorporate a larger, purpose-built upper stage, while the Block 2 configuration was to feature newly developed solid rocket boosters. On February 26, 2026, NASA announced that it would standardize the Block 1 configuration and pursue alternative upper-stage options.[30][31][32]

### Core stage

Main article: Astronomy:Space Launch System core stage

The SLS core stage rolling out of the Michoud Assembly Facility

The SLS core stage is built by Boeing at NASA's Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans. It measures 65 meters (213 ft) in length and 8.4 meters (28 ft) in diameter, matching the diameter of the Space Shuttle external tank to allow NASA to leverage Shuttle-era experience. The stage is visually similar to the Shuttle tank due to its rust-colored spray-on insulation.[33][34]

The stage contains liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen propellant tanks, the attach points for the solid rocket boosters, avionics, equipment for autogenous pressurization of the tanks, and the Main Propulsion System (MPS), an assembly of four RS-25 engines with associated plumbing and hydraulic gimbal actuators. The first core stages reused MPS plumbing removed from the three remaining Space Shuttle orbiters following their decommissioning. The core stage, when combined with the solid rocket boosters, is capable of propelling the Orion spacecraft into a highly elliptical orbit without the upper stage firing, though the upper stage is required for trans-lunar injection.[26][35][36]

The core stage structure is primarily made of 2219 aluminum alloy, and compared to the Space Shuttle external tank, several manufacturing improvements were incorporated.[37][38][39] Production began in 2014, but delays in manufacturing, testing, and integration postponed the readiness of the first flight article by several years. It uses ten barrel-shaped main sections, four domes, and seven rings.[40]

The first four SLS missions will each use four of the remaining fourteen RS-25D engines left over from the Space Shuttle program. The final two engines needed were assembled from existing RS-25D spare parts.[41] Aerojet Rocketdyne refurbished these engines with modernized controllers, expanded throttle capability, and additional insulation to handle the higher thermal environment caused by proximity to the solid rocket boosters.[42] Later flights will transition to the RS-25E, optimized for expendable use, being faster to build and costing 30% less.[43][44] Thrust for the refurbished RS-25D engines has been increased from 492,000 to 513,000 lbf (2,188 to 2,281 kN), while the RS-25E is rated at 522,000 lbf (2,321 kN) per engine.[45][46] The first test firing of an RS-25E occurred in June 2025 and was declared successful.[47]

The SLS uses a conical frustum-shaped interstage known as the Launch Vehicle Stage Adapter (LVSA) between the core stage and the narrower diameter upper stage. The LVSA consists of sixteen aluminum-lithium panels made of 2195 aluminum alloy and is built by Teledyne Brown Engineering.[48] The first unit cost approximately $60 million, with the next two costing $85 million combined.[49]

### Solid rocket boosters

#### Shuttle-derived

File:Artemis II Preflight (NHQ202603300013).jpgSLS of Artemis II, with side view showing one of the two boosters

The first eight SLS flights are planned to use two five-segment solid rocket boosters derived from the four-segment Space Shuttle Solid Rocket Booster manufactured by Northrop Grumman. The booster for the SLS incorporates casing segments previously flown as part of the Shuttle program, with the addition of a center segment to increase performance. The boosters feature updated avionics and lighter insulation but do not include a parachute recovery system, as they are expended after launch.[50]

The boosters are filled with an ammonium perchlorate composite propellant, consisting of aluminum powder (fuel) and ammonium perchlorate (oxidizer), bound together with polybutadiene acrylonitrile. The mixture has a rubber eraser-like consistency and is cast into each segment.[51]

At liftoff, the two boosters together produce more than 75 percent of the total thrust required to propel SLS. The five-segment configuration provides approximately 25 percent greater total impulse than the Shuttle-era boosters.[52][53]

The available inventory of Shuttle-era booster casing segments limits use of this configuration to eight SLS flights.[54]

#### BOLE

File:NASA, Northrop Grumman Test Fire SLS BOLE Booster (C0180 00 01 41 23 Still002 Edit).jpgTest fire of BOLE prototype, June 2025

The Booster Obsolescence and Life Extension (BOLE) program was announced in 2019 to develop replacement solid rocket boosters for SLS once the supply of Shuttle-derived hardware is exhausted. In 2021, NASA awarded Northrop Grumman a $3.2 billion contract to produce Shuttle-derived boosters for five missions (Artemis IV–VIII) and to design, develop, and test the new BOLE booster.[55]

The BOLE design replaces Shuttle-era steel motor cases with carbon-fiber composite cases, which are lighter and stronger. It also substitutes the hydraulic thrust vector control system with an electronic system and uses a different propellant formulation derived from Northrop Grumman's commercial solid rocket motors.[55]

Each BOLE booster is designed to produce approximately 3.9 million lbf (17 MN) of thrust,[55] about 19 percent greater than the five-segment Shuttle-derived boosters, thereby increasing overall payload capability.[56][57][58]

As of 2025,[update] BOLE remains in development. A prototype was test-fired in June 2025 but experienced a nozzle failure approximately 15 seconds before the end of the motor firing. However, the long-term future of the program is uncertain: SLS was authorized for only five flights at that time, and no funding has been provided for production of operational BOLE boosters.[55]

### Upper stage

#### Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage

The Artemis I ICPS under construction

The Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage (ICPS) is the upper stage used on the initial Block 1 configuration of the SLS. Three ICPS units were built by United Launch Alliance (ULA), a joint venture of Boeing and Lockheed Martin. The ICPS is derived from the Delta Cryogenic Second Stage (DCSS), incorporating minimal modifications for integration with SLS. Following the discontinuation of the DCSS, further ICPS production is no longer available as an option.

The ICPS flown on Artemis I was powered by a single RL10B-2 engine, also built by Aerojet Rocketdyne. The ICPS units flown on Artemis II and planned for use on Artemis IV use a single RL10C-2.[59][60][61]

Artemis III will have no ICPS, as it is only a mission to low Earth orbit (LEO), and instead its ICPS will be used for Artemis IV.[62]

#### Exploration Upper Stage (cancelled)

The Exploration Upper Stage (EUS) was originally planned to debut on Artemis IV as the upper stage for the Block 1B configuration.[63] It would have shared the 8.4-meter (28 ft) diameter of the SLS core stage and be powered by four RL10C-3 engines,[64] with a later upgrade to improved RL10C-X engines.[65] Although the EUS progressed through design review, it did not enter full-scale hardware production and was ultimately canceled in February 2026, prior to flight.[66]

#### Centaur V (future)

In February 2026, NASA announced plans to standardize the SLS on the Block 1 configuration and discontinue development of the EUS. With production of the DCSS ended, NASA selected an existing commercially developed upper stage for missions following depletion of the ICPS stock: ULA's Centaur V, which uses a pair of RL10 engines and is expected to provide modestly improved performance over the ICPS.[66][67]

### Block variants

Block  | Boosters  | Core engines  | Upper stage  | Liftoff thrust  | Payload mass to...

|
|
|
|
|

LEO | TLI
1  | 5-segment Shuttle-derived boosters | RS-25D[68] | ICPS with RL10C-2[59][lower-alpha 2] | 39 MN (8,800,000 lbf)[69] | 95,000 kg (209,000 lb)[70] | >27,000 kg (59,500 lb)[71]
1B  | EUS with RL10C-3  | 105,000 kg (231,000 lb)[72] | 42,000 kg (92,500 lb)[lower-alpha 3][71]
RS-25E[44]
2  | BOLE[54] | 53 MN (11,900,000 lbf)[70] | 130,000 kg (290,000 lb)[72] | >46,000 kg (101,400 lb)[lower-alpha 3][71]
Formerly planned evolution of SLS from Block 1 configuration to various configurations. All variants beyond Block 1 have been cancelled.

## Development

### Funding

During the joint Senate-NASA presentation in September 2011, it was stated that the SLS program had a projected development cost of US$18 billion through 2017, with $10 billion for the SLS rocket, $6 billion for the Orion spacecraft, and $2 billion for upgrades to the launch pad and other facilities at Kennedy Space Center.[73][74] These costs and schedules were considered optimistic in an independent 2011 cost assessment report by Booz Allen Hamilton for NASA.[75] An internal 2011 NASA document estimated the cost of the program through 2025 to total at least $41 billion for four 209,000 lb (95 t) launches (1 uncrewed, 3 crewed),[76][77] with the 290,000 lb (130 t) version ready no earlier than 2030.[78] The Human Exploration Framework Team estimated unit costs for 'Block 0' at $1.6 billion and Block 1 at $1.86 billion in 2010.[79] However, since these estimates were made, the Block 0 SLS vehicle was dropped in late 2011, and the design was not completed.[26]

In September 2012, an SLS deputy project manager stated that $500 million is a reasonable target average cost per flight for the SLS program.[80] In 2013, the Space Review estimated the cost per launch at $5 billion, depending on the rate of launches.[81][82] NASA announced in 2013 that the European Space Agency will build the Orion service module.[83] In August 2014, as the SLS program passed its Key Decision Point C review and was deemed ready to enter full development, costs from February 2014 until its planned launch in September 2018 were estimated at $7.021 billion.[84] Ground systems modifications and construction would require an additional $1.8 billion over the same time.[85]

In October 2018, NASA's Inspector General reported that the Boeing core stage contract had made up 40% of the $11.9 billion spent on the SLS as of August 2018. By 2021, development of the core stage was expected to have cost $8.9 billion, twice the initially planned amount.[86] In December 2018, NASA estimated that yearly budgets for the SLS will range from $2.1 to $2.3 billion between 2019 and 2023.[87]

In March 2019, the Trump administration released its fiscal year 2020 budget request for NASA, which notably proposed dropped funding for the Block 1B and 2 variants of SLS. Congressional action ultimately included the funding in the passed budget.[88]

On May 1, 2020, NASA awarded a contract extension to Aerojet Rocketdyne to manufacture 18 additional RS-25 engines with associated services for $1.79 billion, bringing the total RS-25 contract value to almost $3.5 billion.[89][44]

#### Budget

NASA has spent $31.5 billion on SLS development from 2011 through 2025, in nominal dollars. This is equivalent to $38.7 billion in 2026 dollars using the NASA New Start Inflation Indices.[90]

Fiscal year | Funding  | Source

|
|

In Nominal (millions)  | In 2026[90] (millions)
2011  | $1,536.1  | $2,217.8  | Actual[91]
2012  | $1,497.5  | $2,139.3  | Actual[92]
2013  | $1,414.9  | $1,991.4  | Actual[93]
2014  | $1,600.0  | $2,208.5  | Actual[94]
2015  | $1,678.6  | $2,271.3  | Actual[95]
2016  | $1,971.9  | $2,636.3  | Actual[96]
2017  | $2,127.1  | $2,784.5  | Actual[97]
2018  | $2,150.0  | $2,744.9  | Actual[98]
2019  | $2,144.0  | $2,685.4  | Actual[99]
2020  | $2,528.1  | $3,097.8  | Actual[100]
2021  | $2,555.0  | $3,016.7  | 2021 Operating Plan in 2023 budget[101]
2022  | $2,600.0  | $2,903.9  | 2022 Operating Plan in 2024 budget[102]
2023  | $2,566.8  | $2,754.1  | FY 2023 Op Plan in FY 2025 Budget Request[103]
2024  | $2,600.0  | $2,720.4  | FY 2024 Op Plan in FY 2026 Budget Request[104]
2025  | $2,501.8  | $2,558.6  | FY 2025 Spend Plan[105]
Total  | $31,471.8  | $38,730.9  |

Included in the above SLS costs above are the $412 million contract for the Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage (ICPS),[106] and the costs of developing the Exploration Upper Stage (EUS), which are detailed in the table below. Excluded from the SLS cost above are the costs to assemble, integrate, prepare and launch the SLS and its payloads, funded separately in the NASA Exploration Ground Systems program, running about $600 million per year in 2021,[107][108] and rising to $910 million for 2025.[105]

Also excluded are payloads that launch on the SLS, such as the Orion crew capsule, the predecessor programs that contributed to the development of the SLS, such as the Ares V cargo launch vehicle project, funded from 2008 to 2010 for a total of $70 million,[109] and the Ares I crew launch vehicle, funded from 2006 to 2010 for a total of $4.8 billion[109][110] in development, including the 5-segment Solid Rocket Boosters used on the SLS.[111]

Despite calls from the Trump administration to terminate the SLS program after Artemis III, the 2025 One Big Beautiful Bill Act included $4.1 billion to fund SLS rockets for the Artemis IV and V missions, with mandated minimum spending of $1.025 billion per year from FY 2026 through 29.[112] However, as a compromise, lawmakers suggested eliminating the EUS, and directed NASA to evaluate alternatives such as the Centaur V or New Glenn's GS2 upper stage. In early 2026 this change was implemented with the Centaur V being selected as the future SLS upper stage, replacing the EUS.[113][67]

Fiscal year | Funding for EUS development

|

Nominal
(in million US$)  | Inflation adjusted
(FY25, in million US$)[90]
2016  | 85.0[114] | 111.1
2017  | 300.0[115][97] | 384.0
2018  | 300.0[116][98] | 374.5
2019  | 150.0[117][118] | 183.7
2020  | 300.0[100] | 359.4
2021  | 400.0[119][note 1] | 461.8
2022  | 636.7[120] | 695.3
2023  | 648.3[103] | 680.2
2024  | 465.1[104] | 475.8
Total  | 3,285.1  | 3,725.9

### Early plans

File:Space Launch System Booster Passes Major Ground Test.webmTest fire of Shuttle-derived booster, March 2015

The SLS was created by an act of the U.S. Congress in the NASA Authorization Act of 2010, Public Law 111–267, in which NASA was directed to create a system for launching payloads and crew into space that would replace the capabilities lost with the retirement of the Space Shuttle.[121] The act set out certain goals, such as being able to lift 70–100 tons into low earth orbit with evolvability to 130 tons, a target date of December 31, 2016, for the system to be fully operational, and a directive to use "to the extent practicable" existing components, hardware, and workforce from the Space Shuttle and from Ares I.[121]: 12

On September 14, 2011, NASA announced their plan to meet these requirements: the design for the SLS, with the Orion spacecraft as payload.[122][123][124][125]

SLS core stage for Artemis II lifted into High Bay 2 of the Vehicle Assembly Building shortly after stacking operations began in December 2024

The SLS has considered several future development routes of potential launch configurations, with the planned evolution of the blocks of the rocket having been modified many times.[111] Many options, all of which just needed to meet the congressionally mandated payload minimums,[111] were considered, including a Block 0 variant with three main engines,[26] a variant with five main engines,[111] a Block 1A variant with upgraded boosters instead of the improved second stage,[26] and a Block 2 with five main engines plus the Earth Departure Stage, with up to three J-2X engines.[29]

In the initial announcement of the design of the SLS, NASA also announced an "Advanced Booster Competition", to select which boosters would be used on Block 2 of the SLS.[122][126][36][127] Several companies proposed boosters for this competition, all of which were indicated as viable:[128] Aerojet and Teledyne Brown proposed three booster engines each with dual combustion chambers,[129] Alliant Techsystems proposed a modified solid rocket booster with lighter casing, more energetic propellant, and four segments instead of five,[130] and Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne and Dynetics proposed a liquid-fueled booster named Pyrios.[131] However, this competition was planned for a development plan in which Block 1A would be followed by Block 2A, with upgraded boosters. NASA canceled Block 1A and the planned competition in April 2014, in favor of simply remaining with the Ares I's five-segment solid rocket boosters, themselves modified from the Space Shuttle's solid rocket boosters, until at least the late 2020s.[111][132] The overly powerful advanced booster would have resulted in unsuitably high acceleration, and would need modifications to Launch Complex 39B, its flame trench, and Mobile Launcher.[133][111]

On July 31, 2013, the SLS passed Preliminary Design Review. The review included not only the rocket and boosters but also ground support and logistical arrangements.[134]

On August 7, 2014, the SLS Block 1 passed a milestone known as Key Decision Point C and entered full-scale development, with an estimated launch date of November 2018.[84][135]

#### EUS options

In 2013, NASA and Boeing analyzed the performance of several Exploration Upper Stage (EUS) engine options. The analysis was based on a second-stage usable propellant load of 105 metric tons, and compared stages with four RL10 engines, two MARC-60 engines, or one J-2X engine.[136][137] In 2014, NASA also considered using the European Vinci instead of the RL10, which offered the same specific impulse but with 64% greater thrust, which would allow for the same performance at a lower cost.[138]

In 2018, Blue Origin submitted a proposal to replace the EUS with a cheaper alternative to be designed and fabricated by the company, but it was rejected by NASA in November 2019 on multiple grounds; these included lower performance compared to the existing EUS design, incompatibility of the proposal with the height of the door of the Vehicle Assembly Building being only 390 feet (120 m), and unacceptable acceleration of Orion components such as its solar panels due to the higher thrust of the engines being used for the fuel tank.[139][140]: 7–8

In February 2026, NASA administrator Jared Isaacman announced the cancellation of EUS.[141]

#### SRB tests

From 2009 to 2011, three full-duration static fire tests of five-segment solid rocket boosters were conducted under the Constellation Program, including tests at low and high core temperatures, to validate performance at extreme temperatures.[142][143][144] The 5-segment solid rocket booster would be carried over to SLS.[111] Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems has completed full-duration static fire tests of the five-segment solid rocket boosters. Qualification Motor 1 was tested on March 10, 2015.[145] Qualification Motor 2 was successfully tested on June 28, 2016.[146]

### Proposed cancellation

On February 7, 2025, Boeing, the primary contractor for the SLS, informed its employees working on the rocket program that they may face layoffs when the company's contract expires in March. The announcement coincided with the anticipated release of the presidential budget, suggesting the Trump administration might propose canceling the SLS program.[147]

On May 2, 2025, the Trump administration released its fiscal year 2026 budget proposal for NASA, which calls for terminating the SLS and Orion spacecraft programs after Artemis III.[148][149] The budget proposal described the SLS as "grossly expensive", noting that it costs $4 billion per launch and has exceeded its budget by 140 percent. The budget allocates funding for a program to transition to "more cost-effective commercial systems", a move projected by the White House Office of Management and Budget to save NASA $879 million.[150]

The 2025 One Big Beautiful Bill Act included funding for SLS rockets for the Artemis IV and V missions, but a clause directed NASA to evaluate alternatives to the EUS.[112][113]

## Launch costs

The SLS taking off for Artemis II.

NASA has been reluctant to provide an official per-flight cost estimate for the SLS.[151] However, independent agencies, such as the White House Office of Management and Budget and the NASA Office of Inspector General, have offered their own estimates.

A White House Office of Management and Budget letter to the Senate Appropriations Committee in October 2019 estimated that SLS's total cost to the taxpayer was estimated at "over $2 billion" per launch.[152][note 2] When questioned by a journalist, a NASA spokesperson did not deny this per-flight cost estimate.[153]

The NASA Office of Inspector General has conducted several audits of the SLS program. A November 2021 report estimated that, at least for the first four launches of Artemis program, the per-launch production and operating costs would be $2.2 billion for SLS, plus $568 million for Exploration Ground Systems. Additionally, the payload would cost $1 billion for Orion and $300 million for the European Service Module.[154]: 23 An October 2023 report found that recurring production costs for SLS, excluding development and integration costs, are estimated to be at least $2.5 billion per launch.[155] In 2025, Sean Duffy, the then acting NASA administrator, said that, "Artemis I, Artemis II, and Artemis III are all $4 billion a launch".[113]

NASA has said that it is working with Boeing to bring down the cost of SLS launches and that a higher launch frequency could potentially lead to economies of scale, and would allow fixed costs to be spread out over more launches.[153] However, the NASA Office of Inspector General has called NASA's cost savings goals highly unrealistic and other potential government customers have made it clear they have no interest in using SLS.[155][156]

## Operation

### Construction

Liquid hydrogen tank for Artemis II under construction, August 2020 "Boat-tail" engine fairing for Artemis II under construction, June 2021 Engine section shroud structure for Artemis III under construction, April 2021

As of 2020[update], three SLS versions were planned: Block 1, Block 1B, and Block 2\. Each would use the same core stage with its four main engines, but Block 1B will feature the Exploration Upper Stage (EUS), and Block 2 will combine the EUS with upgraded boosters.[157][72][158]

The ICPS for Artemis 1 was delivered by ULA to NASA about July 2017[159] and was housed at Kennedy Space Center as of November 2018.[160]

#### Construction of core stage

In mid-November 2014, construction of the first core stage hardware began using a new friction stir welding system in the South Vertical Assembly Building at NASA's Michoud Assembly Facility.[39][37][38] Between 2015 and 2017, NASA test fired RS-25 engines in preparation for use on SLS.[43]

The core stage for the first SLS, built at Michoud Assembly Facility by Boeing,[161] had all four engines attached in November 2019,[162] and it was declared finished by NASA in December 2019.[163]

The first core stage left Michoud Assembly Facility for comprehensive testing at Stennis Space Center in January 2020.[164] The static firing test program at Stennis Space Center, known as the Green Run, operated all the core stage systems simultaneously for the first time.[165][166] Test 7 (of 8), the wet dress rehearsal, was carried out in December 2020 and the fire (test 8) took place on January 16, 2021, but shut down earlier than expected,[167] about 67 seconds in total rather than the desired eight minutes. The reason for the early shutdown was later reported to be because of conservative test commit criteria on the thrust vector control system, specific only for ground testing and not for flight. If this scenario occurred during a flight, the rocket would have continued to fly normally. There was no sign of damage to the core stage or the engines, contrary to initial concerns.[168]

The second fire test was completed on March 18, 2021, with all four engines igniting, throttling down as expected to simulate in-flight conditions, and gimballing profiles. The core stage was shipped to Kennedy Space Center to be mated with the rest of the rocket for Artemis I. It left Stennis on April 24 and arrived at Kennedy on April 27.[169] It was refurbished there in preparation for stacking.[170] On June 12, 2021, NASA announced the assembly of the first SLS rocket was completed at the Kennedy Space Center. The assembled SLS was used for the uncrewed Artemis I mission in 2022.[171]

The first SLS, for Artemis I, launched an Orion spacecraft into a lunar orbit on a test flight in fall 2022,[172] and NASA and Boeing are constructing the next three rockets for Artemis II, Artemis III, and Artemis IV.[173] Boeing stated in July 2021 that while the COVID-19 pandemic had affected their suppliers and schedules, such as delaying parts needed for hydraulics, they would still be able to provide the Artemis II SLS core stage per NASA's schedule, with months to spare.[173] The spray-on foam insulation process for Artemis II was automated for most sections of the core stage, saving 12 days in the schedule.[174][173] The Artemis II forward skirt, the foremost component of the core stage, was affixed on the liquid oxygen tank in late May 2021.[173] By September 25, 2023, the core stage was functionally complete, as all sections were assembled and the four RS-25 engines had been installed.[175] The complete core stage was set to ship to NASA in late fall 2023,[176][177] eight months later than was predicted originally.[178] The complete core stage was delivered in July 2024.[179] For Artemis III, assembly of elements of the thrust structure began at Michoud Assembly Facility in early 2021.[173] By August 2025, the thrust structure was completed and moved to storage in the Vehicle Assembly Building at Kennedy, to await the rest of the stage's arrival in mid-2026.[180] The liquid hydrogen tank for Artemis III was originally planned to be the Artemis I tank, but it was set aside as the welds were found to be faulty.[181]: 2 Repair techniques were developed, and the tank re-entered production and will be proof tested for strength, for use on Artemis III.[181]: 2

### Launches

File:Artemis I SLS with Full Moon (KSC-20220614-PH-CSH01 0068).jpegSLS of Artemis I on the launch pad with the Moon, its payload destination

Main article: Engineering:List of Space Launch System launches

Originally planned for late 2016, the uncrewed first flight of SLS slipped more than twenty-six times and almost six years.[note 3] As of earlier that month, the first launch was originally scheduled for 8:30 am EDT, August 29, 2022.[221] It was postponed to 2:17 pm EDT (18:17 UTC), September 3, after the launch director called a scrub due to a temperature sensor falsely indicating that an RS-25 engine's hydrogen bleed intake was too warm.[210][211] The September 3 attempt was then scrubbed due to a hydrogen leak in the tail service mast quick disconnect arm, which was fixed; the next launch option was at first a period in late[216][217] October and then a launch in mid-November, due to unfavorable weather during Hurricane Ian.[215][222][213] It launched on November 16.[223][224]

NASA originally limited the amount of time the solid rocket boosters can remain stacked to "about a year" from the time two segments are joined.[225] The first and second segments of the Artemis I boosters were joined on January 7, 2021.[226] NASA could choose to extend the time limit based on an engineering review.[227] On September 29, 2021, Northrop Grumman indicated that the limit could be extended to eighteen months for Artemis I, based on an analysis of the data collected when the boosters were being stacked;[171] an analysis weeks before the actual launch date later extended that to December 2022 for the boosters of Artemis I, almost two years after stacking.[228]

In late 2015, the SLS program was stated to have a 70% confidence level for the first Orion flight that carries crew, the second SLS flight overall, to happen by 2023;[229][230][231] however, the flight did not take place until 2026.[232] Template:SLS launches/future

#### Usage beyond Artemis

Efforts have been made to expand the Artemis missions to launching NASA's robotic space probes and observatories. However, SLS program officials have noted that between the launch cadence of Artemis missions and supply chain constraints, it is unlikely that rockets could be built to support science missions before the late 2020s or early 2030s.[233]

Another challenge is that the large solid-rocket boosters produce significant vibrations, which can damage sensitive scientific instruments. During wind-tunnel testing, torsional load values (a measurement of twisting and vibration) were nearly double initial estimates.[234] Although program officials later acknowledged the issue, they expressed confidence in their ability to mitigate it.[233]

As of October 2024,[update] NASA has studied using SLS for Neptune Odyssey,[235][236] Europa Lander,[237][238][239] Enceladus Orbilander, Persephone,[240] HabEx,[241] Origins Space Telescope,[242] LUVOIR,[243] Lynx,[244] and Interstellar probe.[245]

Initially, Congress mandated that NASA use the SLS to launch the Europa Clipper probe. However, concerns about the SLS's availability led NASA to seek congressional approval for competitive launch bids. SpaceX ultimately won the contract, saving the agency an estimated US$2 billion in direct launch costs over SLS, albeit at the cost of a longer flight.[234]

After the launch of Artemis IV, NASA plans to transfer production and launch operations of SLS to Deep Space Transport LLC, a joint venture between Boeing and Northrop Grumman.[246] The agency hopes the companies can find more buyers for flights on the rocket to bring costs per flight down to $1 billion.[156] However, finding a market for the large and costly rocket will be difficult. Reuters reported that the US Department of Defense, long considered a potential customer, stated in 2023 that it has no interest in the rocket as other launch vehicles already offer them the capability that they need at an affordable price.[156]

## Criticism

The SLS has been criticized based on program cost, lack of commercial involvement, and non-competitiveness caused by legislation requiring the use of Space Shuttle components "where possible".[247]

### Funding

Visual from the March 2020 Inspector General report, showing how NASA used accounting to "mask" a cost increase by moving the boosters (which cost $889 million) from the SLS to another cost center, without updating the SLS budget to match[248]: iv, 22

As the Space Shuttle program drew to a close in 2009, the Obama administration convened the Augustine Commission to assess NASA's future human spaceflight endeavors. The commission's findings were stark: NASA's proposed Ares V rocket, intended for lunar and Martian missions, was unsustainable and should be canceled. The administration further advocated for a public-private partnership, where private companies would develop and operate spacecraft, and NASA would purchase launch services on a fixed-cost basis.[249]

The recommendations faced fierce opposition from senators representing states with significant aerospace industries. In response, in 2011, Congress mandated the development of the SLS. The program was characterized by a complex web of political compromises, ensuring that various regions and interests benefited, maintaining jobs and contracts for existing space shuttle contractors.[250][251] Utah Senator Orrin Hatch ensured the new rocket used the Shuttle's solid boosters, which were manufactured in his state. Alabama Senator Richard Shelby insisted that the Marshall Space Flight Center design and test the rocket. Florida Senator Bill Nelson brought home billions of dollars to Kennedy Space Center to modernize its launch facilities.[252][253]

Almost immediately, Representative Tom McClintock called on the Government Accountability Office to investigate possible violations of the Competition in Contracting Act, arguing that the requirement that Shuttle components be used on SLS were non-competitive and assured contracts to existing suppliers.[254][255][256]

The Obama administration's 2014 budget called for canceling SLS and turning over space transportation to commercial companies. The White House sent Lori Garver, the NASA deputy administrator, along with astronaut Sally Ride and other experts to defend the proposal, saying the SLS program was too slow and wasteful. However, Senators Shelby and Nelson quickly moved to fight efforts to cut the program and were ultimately victorious.[257][249] After retirement from NASA, Garver would go on to recommend cancellation of the SLS.[258]

During the First Trump administration, NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine suggested to a Senate committee that the agency was considering using the Falcon Heavy or Delta IV Heavy rocket to launch Orion instead of SLS. Afterward, the administrator was reportedly called into a meeting with Senator Shelby, who told Bridenstine he should resign for making the suggestion in a public meeting.[249]

In 2023, Cristina Chaplain, former assistant director of the GAO, expressed doubts about reducing the rocket's cost to a competitive threshold, "just given the history and how challenging it is to build."[156]

### Management

In 2019, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) noted that NASA had assessed the performance of contractor Boeing positively, though the project had experienced cost growth and delay.[259][260] A March 2020 report by Office of Inspector General found NASA moved out $889 million of costs relating to SLS boosters, but did not update the SLS budget to match. This kept the budget overrun to 15% in FY 2019;[248]: 22 an overrun of 30% would have required NASA to request additional funding from the U.S. Congress[248]: 21–23 The Inspector General report found that were it not for this "masking" of cost, the overrun would have been 33% by FY 2019.[248]: iv, 23 The GAO stated "NASA's current approach for reporting cost growth misrepresents the cost performance of the program".[261]: 19–20

### Proposed alternatives

In 2009, the Augustine commission proposed a commercial 165,000 lb (75 t) launcher for lunar exploration.[262] In 2011–2012, the Space Access Society, Space Frontier Foundation, and The Planetary Society called for the cancellation of the project, arguing that the SLS would consume the funds for other projects from the NASA budget.[263][254][264] U.S. Representative Dana Rohrabacher and others[who?] proposed the development of an orbital propellant depot and the acceleration of the Commercial Crew Development program as an alternative to the SLS program.[263][265][266][267][268]

An unpublished NASA study[269] and another from the Georgia Institute of Technology found these approaches could have lower costs.[270][271] In 2012, United Launch Alliance also suggested using existing rockets with on-orbit assembly and propellant depots as needed.[272][273] In 2019, a former ULA employee alleged that Boeing viewed orbital refueling technology as a threat to the SLS and blocked investment in the technology.[274] In 2010, SpaceX's CEO Elon Musk claimed that his company could build a launch vehicle in the 310,000–330,000 lb (140–150 t) payload range for $2.5 billion, or $300 million (in 2010 dollars) per launch, not including a potential upper-stage upgrade.[275][276]

Former NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden, expressed that the SLS could be replaced in the future in an interview with Politico in September 2020. Bolden said that the "SLS will go away ... because at some point commercial entities are going to catch up." Bolden further stated, "They are really going to build a heavy-lift launch vehicle sort of like SLS that they will be able to fly for a much cheaper price than NASA can do SLS. That's just the way it works."[277]

Shortly after the New Glenn 9×4 rocket variant was announced in November 2025, journalist Eric Berger noted that it would offer lift capacity approaching that of the SLS Block 1 while retaining a reusable first stage and a larger payload fairing, and could cost less than one-tenth as much per launch.[278]

## See also

Note: This topic belongs to "Spaceflight " portal

* Austere Human Missions to Mars
* Comparison of orbital launch systems
* Criticism of the Space Shuttle program
* DIRECT, proposals prior to SLS
* Shuttle-Derived Heavy Lift Launch Vehicle, a 2009 concept launch vehicle
* Ares V, a 2000s cargo vehicle design for the Constellation Program
* National Launch System, 1990s
* Saturn rocket family, 1960s
* Starship HLS, lunar variant of super heavy-lift vehicle Starship
* Studied Space Shuttle Variations and Derivatives

## Notes

1. ↑ The FY2021 spending plan indicates that this is for "Block 1B (non-add) (including EUS)"
2. ↑ See the budget table for yearly inflation-adjusted figures.
3. ↑ Then-planned launch date history  Date  | Planned launch date for first flight

|

October 2010  | December 31, 2016[121][182][183][184]
September 2011  | 2017[185][186][184]
February 2012–August 2014  | December 17, 2017[184][187]
December 2014  | June–July 2018[188]
April 13, 2017[inconsistent] | November 2018[189]
April 28, 2017  | 2019[190][184]
November 2017  | June 2020[191]
December 2019  | November 2020[192][193]
February 21, 2020  | April 18, 2021[193]
February 28, 2020  | Mid- to late 2021[194]
May 2020  | November 22, 2021[195][196]
August 2021  | December 2021[197][198]
October 22, 2021  | February 12, 2022[199][200]
December 17, 2021  | March–April 2022[201]
February 2022  | May 2022[202]
March 2022  | June 2022[203]
April 26, 2022  | August 23, 2022[204][205]
July 20, 2022  | 8:33 am ET (12:33 UTC), August 29, 2022[206]
August 29, 2022  | 12:48 pm ET (16:48 UTC), September 2, 2022[207][208][209]
August 30, 2022  | 2:17 pm ET (18:17 UTC), September 3, 2022[210][211]
September 3, 2022  | September 19–October 4, 2022[212]
September 8, 2022  | September 23–October 4, 2022[213]
September 12, 2022  | September 27–October 4, 2022[214]
September 24, 2022  | Late October 2022[215][216][217]
September 30, 2022  | November 12–27, 2022[218]
October 13, 2022  | 12:07 am ET (5:07 UTC), November 14, 2022[219]
November 8, 2022  | 1:04 am ET (6:04 UTC), November 16, 2022[220]

1. ↑ The Soviet N-1 rocket produced 45.7 MN and was also designed to carry humans to the Moon, but was never flown manned. SpaceX Starship is also planned to carry humans, and has demonstrated liftoff thrust exceeding 70 MN.[citation needed]
2. ↑ The ICPS used on Artemis I used the RL10B-2[61]
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Payload mass is for the cargo variant of the rocket, capacity of the crewed variant is reduced.

## References

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2. ↑ "SLS October 2015 Fact Sheet". https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/files/SLS-Fact-Sheet_aug2014-finalv3.pdf#:~:text=The initial Block 1 configuration of SLS will,liftoff, equivalent to more than 160,000 Corvette engines..
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6. ↑ @NASAGroundSys. "The results are in… *drumroll* 🥁
Core stage weighs a total of 215,910 pounds! When full of propellant, core stage will weigh over 2 million pounds.
Using the Vehicle Assembly Building high bay crane and a secondary crane, Exploration Ground Systems teams lifted the @NASA_SLS core stage for @NASAArtemis II approximately 6 inches from its current mounts. Teams repeated the lift, weighing the core stage twice to ensure an exact weight reading was achieved.". https://twitter.com/NASAGroundSys/status/1841491155885732000. Missing or empty `|date=` (help)
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24. ↑ Foust, Jeff (2026-06-13). "Revised Artemis lunar lander plans take shape" (in en-US). https://spacenews.com/revised-artemis-lunar-lander-plans-take-shape/.
25. ↑ ""Artemis mission plan"". https://www.nasa.gov/reference/human-landing-systems-2/.
26. ↑ 26.0 26.1 26.2 26.3 26.4 Bergin, Chris (October 4, 2011). "SLS trades lean towards opening with four RS-25s on the core stage". NASASpaceflight.com. http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2011/10/sls-trades-opening-four-rs-25s-core-stage/.
27. ↑ Bergin, Chris (April 25, 2011). "SLS planning focuses on dual phase approach opening with SD HLV". NASASpaceFlight.com. http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2011/04/sls-planning-dual-phase-approach-opening-sd-hlv/.
28. ↑ Bergin, Chris (June 16, 2011). "Managers SLS announcement after SD HLV victory". NASASpaceFlight.com. http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2011/06/managers-sls-announcement-after-sd-hlv-victory/.
29. ↑ 29.0 29.1 Bergin, Chris (February 23, 2012). "Acronyms to Ascent – SLS managers create development milestone roadmap". NASASpaceFlight.com. http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2012/02/acronyms-ascent-sls-managers-create-developmental-milestone-roadmap/.
30. ↑ Grush, Loren (February 27, 2026). "NASA Overhauls Moon Mission in Effort to Cut Risks and Costs". Bloomberg News. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-02-27/nasa-overhauls-moon-mission-in-effort-to-cut-risks-and-costs.
31. ↑ Wattles, Jackie (February 27, 2026). "NASA abruptly changes its roadmap to putting boots back on the moon" (in en). https://www.cnn.com/2026/02/27/science/nasa-moon-landing-artemis-schedule.
32. ↑ "NASA Adds Mission to Artemis Lunar Program, Updates Architecture - NASA" (in en-US). https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-adds-mission-to-artemis-lunar-program-updates-architecture/.
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34. ↑ Bergin, Chris (September 14, 2011). "SLS finally announced by NASA – Forward path taking shape". NASASpaceFlight.com. http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2011/09/sls-finally-announced-nasa-forward-path/.
35. ↑ Harbaugh, Jennifer (December 9, 2019). "NASA, Public Marks Assembly of SLS Stage with Artemis Day". NASA. https://www.nasa.gov/exploration/systems/sls/artemis-day-marks-sls-core-stage-milestone.html. "NASA and the Michoud team will shortly send the first fully assembled, 212-foot-tall core stage [...] 27.6-feet-in-diameter tanks and barrels." This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
36. ↑ 36.0 36.1 "space launch system". 2012. http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/664158main_sls_fs_master.pdf. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
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40. ↑ "SLS core stage fact sheet". https://www.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/sls_core_stage_fact_sheet_04262021_508.pdf#.
41. ↑ Clark, Stephen (April 30, 2025). "NASA just swapped a 10-year-old Artemis II engine with one nearly twice its age" (in en). Ars Technica. https://arstechnica.com/space/2025/04/nasa-just-swapped-a-10-year-old-artemis-ii-engine-with-one-nearly-twice-its-age/.
42. ↑ Harbaugh, Jennifer (January 29, 2020). "Space Launch System RS-25 Core Stage Engines". http://www.nasa.gov/exploration/systems/sls/fs/rs25_core_stage_engines.html.
43. ↑ 43.0 43.1 Campbell, Lloyd (March 25, 2017). "NASA conducts 13th test of Space Launch System RS-25 engine". SpaceflightInsider.com. http://www.spaceflightinsider.com/space-centers/stennis-space-center/nasa-conducts-13th-test-space-launch-system-rs-25-engine/.
44. ↑ 44.0 44.1 44.2 "NASA Awards Aerojet Rocketdyne $1.79 Billion Contract Modification to Build Additional RS-25 Rocket Engines to Support Artemis Program | Aerojet Rocketdyne". https://www.rocket.com/article/nasa-awards-aerojet-rocketdyne-179-billion-contract-modification-build-additional-rs-25.
45. ↑ Sloss, Philip (December 31, 2020). "NASA, Aerojet Rocketdyne plan busy RS-25 test schedule for 2021". NASASpaceFlight. https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2020/12/nasa-aerojet-plan-busy-2021-test-schedule/.
46. ↑ Ballard, Richard (2017). "Next-Generation RS-25 Engines for the NASA Space Launch System". NASA Marshall Space Flight Center. p. 3. https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/20170008946/downloads/20170008946.pdf.
47. ↑ Dean, LaToya (June 23, 2025). "NASA Tests New RS-25 Engine" (in en-US). https://www.nasa.gov/image-article/new-rs-25-engine/.
48. ↑ "Teledyne to Build NASA's $60 Million Launch Vehicle Stage Adapter". https://www.tbe.com/en-us/news-and-media/Pages/teledyne-to-build-nasa-60-million-launch-vehicle-stage-adapter.aspx.
49. ↑ "Teledyne Brown Engineering Awarded $85 Million NASA Contract to Provide Key Stage of NASA's Space Launch System Vehicle Returning Astronauts to the Moon". https://www.teledyne.com/en-us/news/Pages/Teledyne-Brown-Engineering-Awarded-$85-Million-NASA-Contract-to-Provide-Key-Stage-of-NASA's-Space-Launch-System-Vehicle-Ret.aspx.
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51. ↑ Perry, Beverly (April 21, 2016). "We've Got (Rocket) Chemistry, Part 2". National Aeronautics and Space Administration. https://blogs.nasa.gov/Rocketology/2016/04/21/weve-got-rocket-chemistry-part-2/.
52. ↑ Priskos, Alex (May 7, 2012). Five-segment Solid Rocket Motor Development Status. NASA. https://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/20120014501.pdf. Retrieved March 11, 2015. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
53. ↑ "Space Launch System: How to launch NASA's new monster rocket". NASASpaceFlight.com. February 20, 2012. http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2012/02/sls-how-to-launch-nasas-new-monster-rocket/.
54. ↑ 54.0 54.1 Bergin, Chris (May 8, 2018). "SLS requires Advanced Boosters by flight nine due to lack of Shuttle heritage components". NASASpaceFlight.com. https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2018/05/sls-advanced-boosters-flight-nine-shuttle-heritage/.
55. ↑ 55.0 55.1 55.2 55.3 Clark, Stephen (June 26, 2025). "NASA tested a new SLS booster that may never fly, and the end of it blew off" (in en). https://arstechnica.com/space/2025/06/nasa-tested-a-new-sls-booster-that-may-never-fly-and-the-end-of-it-blew-off/.
56. ↑ Sloss, Philip (July 12, 2021). "NASA, Northrop Grumman designing new BOLE SRB for SLS Block 2 vehicle". https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2021/07/sls-bole-srbs/.
57. ↑ Tobias, Mark E.; Griffin, David R.; McMillin, Joshua E.; Haws, Terry D.; Fuller, Micheal E. (March 2, 2019). Booster Obsolescence and Life Extension (BOLE) for Space Launch System (SLS). NASA. https://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/20190002126.pdf. Retrieved November 15, 2019. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
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148. ↑ Berger, Eric (May 2, 2025). "White House budget seeks to end SLS, Orion, and Lunar Gateway programs". Ars Technica. https://arstechnica.com/space/2025/05/white-house-budget-seeks-to-end-sls-orion-and-lunar-gateway-programs/.
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165. ↑ "Boeing, NASA getting ready for SLS Core Stage Green Run campaign ahead of Stennis arrival". NASASpaceFlight.com. December 14, 2019. https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2019/12/boeing-nasa-sls-core-stage-green-run-campaign-stennis/.
166. ↑ "NASA Will Have 8 Minute Hold Down Test in 2020". Next Big Future. https://www.nextbigfuture.com/2019/08/nasa-will-have-8-minute-hold-down-test-in-2020.html.
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168. ↑ Rincon, Paul (January 20, 2021). "SLS: NASA finds cause of 'megarocket' test shutdown". BBC News. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-55727686.
169. ↑ Dunbar, Brian (April 29, 2021). "Space Launch System Core Stage Arrives at the Kennedy Space Center". NASA. http://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/space-launch-system-core-stage-arrives-at-the-kennedy-space-center. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
170. ↑ Sloss, Philip (May 20, 2021). "SLS Core Stage thermal protection system refurbishment in work at Kennedy for Artemis 1". NASASpaceFlight.com. https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2021/05/tps-repairs-core-stage-work-updatei/.
171. ↑ 171.0 171.1 Sloss, Philip (September 29, 2021). "EGS, Jacobs completing first round of Artemis 1 pre-launch integrated tests prior to Orion stacking". NASASpaceFlight. https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2021/09/first-artemis-1-integrated-tests/.
172. ↑ "Former NASA Official: Moon launch this month may be "embarrassing"". The Byte. August 25, 2022. https://futurism.com/the-byte/lori-garver-sls-moon-launch.
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174. ↑ "Shields up! Spray foam evolving to protect NASA SLS". Boeing. July 14, 2021. https://www.boeing.com/features/2021/07/shields-up-spray-foam-evolving-to-protect-nasa-sls.page.
175. ↑ Mohon, Lee (September 25, 2023). "All Engines Added to NASA's Artemis II Moon Rocket Core Stage – Artemis". https://blogs.nasa.gov/artemis/2023/09/25/all-engines-added-to-nasas-artemis-ii-moon-rocket-core-stage/.
176. ↑ Clark, Stephen (September 29, 2023). "Rocket Report: Iran launches satellite; Artemis II boosters get train ride". https://arstechnica.com/space/2023/09/rocket-report-iran-launches-satellite-artemis-ii-boosters-get-train-ride/.
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178. ↑ Sloss, Philip (July 25, 2022). "Boeing aiming to deliver second SLS Core Stage to NASA in March" (in en-US). https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2022/07/boeing-second-sls-core-march/.
179. ↑ "Boeing delivers second stage of SLS rocket to NASA - AGN Boeing delivers second stage of SLS rocket to NASA". July 17, 2024. https://aerospaceglobalnews.com/news/boeing-delivers-second-stage-of-sls-rocket-to-nasa/.
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182. ↑ "S.3729 – National Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act of 2010". United States Congress. October 11, 2010. https://www.congress.gov/bill/111th-congress/senate-bill/3729. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
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187. ↑ Bergin, Chris (February 29, 2012). "Exploration Mission 1: SLS and Orion mission to the Moon outlined". NASASpaceFlight. https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2012/02/exploration-mission-1-sls-orion-debut-mission-moon-outlined/.
188. ↑ Foust, Jeff (December 10, 2014). "NASA Says SLS and Orion Will Slip to 2018 Despite Extra Funding". SpaceNews. https://spacenews.com/nasa-says-sls-and-orion-will-slip-to-2018-despite-additional-funding/.
189. ↑ Foust, Jeff (April 13, 2017). "NASA inspector general foresees additional SLS/Orion delays". SpaceNews. https://spacenews.com/nasa-inspector-general-foresees-additional-slsorion-delays/.
190. ↑ Clark, Stephen (April 28, 2017). "NASA confirms first flight of Space Launch System will slip to 2019". Spaceflight Now. https://spaceflightnow.com/2017/04/28/nasa-confirms-first-flight-of-space-launch-system-will-slip-to-2019/.
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192. ↑ Patel, Neel (December 31, 2019). "The seven most exciting space missions of 2020". MIT Technology Review. https://www.technologyreview.com/2019/12/31/131052/the-seven-most-exciting-space-missions-of-2020/.
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194. ↑ Foust, Jeff (March 2, 2020). "First SLS launch now expected in second half of 2021". SpaceNews. https://spacenews.com/first-sls-launch-now-expected-in-second-half-of-2021/.
195. ↑ Clark, Stephen (May 1, 2020). "Hopeful for launch next year, NASA aims to resume SLS operations within weeks". https://spaceflightnow.com/2020/05/01/hopeful-for-launch-next-year-nasa-aims-to-resume-sls-operations-within-weeks/.
196. ↑ "SMSR Integrated Master Schedule". Office of Safety and Mission Assurance. NASA. June 7, 2021. https://sma.nasa.gov/docs/default-source/sma-disciplines-and-programs/smsr/smsr-intergrated-master-schedule_24feb2020.pdf.
197. ↑ Clark, Stephen (August 31, 2021). "NASA's hopes waning for SLS test flight this year". Spaceflight Now. https://spaceflightnow.com/2021/08/31/nasa-hopes-waning-for-sls-test-flight-this-year/.
198. ↑ Berger, Eric (August 31, 2021). "NASA's big rocket misses another deadline, now won't fly until 2022". Ars Technica. https://arstechnica.com/science/2021/08/nasas-sls-rocket-will-not-fly-until-next-spring-or-more-likely-summer/.
199. ↑ Clark, Steven (October 22, 2021). "NASA targets February launch for Artemis 1 moon mission". Spaceflight Now. https://spaceflightnow.com/2021/10/22/nasa-targets-february-launch-for-artemis-1-moon-mission/.
200. ↑ Sloss, Philip (October 21, 2021). "Artemis 1 Orion joins SLS to complete vehicle stack". NASASpaceFlight. https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2021/10/artemis-1-stack-complete/.
201. ↑ "Artemis I Integrated Testing Update". NASA. December 17, 2021. https://blogs.nasa.gov/artemis/2021/12/17/artemis-i-integrated-testing-update/.
202. ↑ Wall, Mike (February 24, 2022). "NASA's Artemis 1 moon mission, 1st flight of new megarocket, won't launch until May". Space.com. https://www.space.com/nasa-rollout-artemis1-sls-orion-ready.
203. ↑ Barker, Nathan; Gebhardt, Chris (March 17, 2022). "NASA moon rocket SLS rolls out to "rebuilt" LC-39B ahead of Artemis 1 rehearsal". NASASpaceFlight. https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2022/03/sls-rollout-wet-dress-rehearsal/.
204. ↑ Clark, Stephen (April 26, 2022). "NASA's moon rocket rolls back to Vehicle Assembly Building for repairs". Spaceflight Now. https://spaceflightnow.com/2022/04/26/nasas-moon-rocket-rolls-back-to-vehicle-assembly-building-for-repairs/.
205. ↑ Clark, Stephen (June 22, 2022). "NASA not planning another Artemis 1 countdown dress rehearsal". Spaceflightnow. https://spaceflightnow.com/2022/06/22/nasa-not-planning-another-artemis-1-countdown-dress-rehearsal/.
206. ↑ "The SLS rocket finally has a believable launch date, and it's soon". Ars Technica. July 20, 2022. https://arstechnica.com/science/2022/07/nasa-sets-a-late-august-launch-date-for-sls-and-it-may-actually-happen/.
207. ↑ Anthony Cuthbertson; Vishwam Sankaran; Johanna Chisholm; Jon Kelvey (August 29, 2022). "Nasa scrambles to fix Moon rocket issues ahead of Artemis launch – live" (in en). The Independent. https://www.independent.co.uk/space/artemis-launch-nasa-live-stream-watch-b2154809.html.
208. ↑ Ashley Strickland (August 29, 2022). "Today's Artemis I launch has been scrubbed after engine issue". CNN. https://edition.cnn.com/2022/08/29/world/nasa-artemis-1-launch-scn/index.html.
209. ↑ Foust, Jeff (August 29, 2022). "First Artemis 1 launch attempt scrubbed". https://spacenews.com/?p=131026&preview=true&preview_id=131026.
210. ↑ 210.0 210.1 Foust, Jeff (August 30, 2022). "Next Artemis 1 launch attempt set for Sept. 3". SpaceNews. https://spacenews.com/next-artemis-1-launch-attempt-set-for-sept-3/.
211. ↑ 211.0 211.1 Strickland, Ashley (September 1, 2022). "Artemis I launch team is ready for another 'try' on Saturday". Warner Bros Discovery. https://www.cnn.com/2022/09/01/world/nasa-artemis-1-saturday-launch-update-scn/index.html.
212. ↑ Foust, Jeff (September 3, 2022). "Second Artemis 1 launch attempt scrubbed". https://spacenews.com/second-artemis-1-launch-attempt-scrubbed/.
213. ↑ 213.0 213.1 Gebhardt, Chris (September 8, 2022). "NASA discusses path to SLS repairs as launch uncertainty looms for September, October". https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2022/09/artemis-i-update-sept8/.
214. ↑ Kraft, Rachel (September 12, 2022). "NASA Adjusts Dates for Artemis I Cryogenic Demonstration Test and Launch; Progress at Pad Continues". NASA. https://blogs.nasa.gov/artemis/2022/09/12/nasa-adjusts-dates-for-artemis-i-cryogenic-demonstration-test-and-launch-progress-at-pad-continues/.
215. ↑ 215.0 215.1 Kraft, Rachel (September 24, 2022). "Artemis I Managers Wave Off Sept. 27 Launch, Preparing for Rollback – Artemis". https://blogs.nasa.gov/artemis/2022/09/24/artemis-i-managers-wave-off-sept-27-launch-preparing-for-rollback/.
216. ↑ 216.0 216.1 "NASA to Roll Artemis I Rocket and Spacecraft Back to VAB Tonight – Artemis" (in en-US). September 26, 2022. https://blogs.nasa.gov/artemis/2022/09/26/nasa-to-roll-artemis-i-rocket-and-spacecraft-back-to-vab-tonight/.
217. ↑ 217.0 217.1 Foust, Jeff (September 26, 2022). "SLS to roll back to VAB as hurricane approaches Florida". https://spacenews.com/sls-to-roll-back-to-vab-as-hurricane-approaches-florida/.
218. ↑ "Teams Confirm No Damage to Flight Hardware, Focus on November for Launch". NASA. September 30, 2022. https://blogs.nasa.gov/artemis/2022/09/30/teams-confirm-no-damage-to-flight-hardware-focus-on-november-for-launch/.
219. ↑ "NASA Sets Date for Next Launch Attempt for Artemis I Moon Mission". NASA. October 12, 2022. https://blogs.nasa.gov/artemis/2022/10/12/nasa-sets-date-for-next-launch-attempt-for-artemis-i-moon-mission/.
220. ↑ "NASA Prepares Rocket, Spacecraft Ahead of Tropical Storm Nicole, Re-targets Launch". NASA. November 8, 2022. https://blogs.nasa.gov/artemis/2022/11/08/nasa-prepares-rocket-spacecraft-ahead-of-tropical-storm-nicole-re-targets-launch/.
221. ↑ "Weather remains 70% Favorable, Teams on Track to Begin Countdown Saturday – Artemis". August 26, 2022. https://blogs.nasa.gov/artemis/2022/08/26/weather-remains-70-favorable-teams-on-track-to-begin-countdown-saturday/.
222. ↑ Kraft, Rachel (September 3, 2022). "Artemis I Launch Attempt Scrubbed". https://blogs.nasa.gov/artemis/2022/09/03/artemis-i-launch-attempt-scrubbed/.
223. ↑ "SLS Artemis I Mission". November 16, 2022. https://rocketlaunch.org/mission-sls-block-1-artemis-i.
224. ↑ Roulette, Joey; Gorman, Steve (November 16, 2022). "NASA's next-generation Artemis mission heads to moon on debut test flight" (in en). Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/science/nasas-artemis-moon-rocket-begins-fueling-debut-launch-2022-11-15/.
225. ↑ Sloss, Philip (December 4, 2020). "New Artemis 1 schedule uncertainty as NASA EGS ready to continue SLS Booster stacking". nasaspaceflight. https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2020/12/artemis-1-schedule-uncertainty-sls-booster-stacking.
226. ↑ Clark, Stephen (March 9, 2021). "Stacking complete for SLS boosters". Spaceflight Now. https://spaceflightnow.com/2021/03/09/stacking-complete-for-sls-boosters/.
227. ↑ Stephen, Clark (January 15, 2021). "NASA proceeds with SLS booster stacking in Florida before core stage arrives". Spaceflight Now. https://spaceflightnow.com/2021/01/15/nasa-continues-stacking-boosters-for-first-sls-test-flight.
228. ↑ "SLS returns to the pad for next Artemis launch attempt". November 4, 2022. https://spacenews.com/sls-returns-to-the-pad-for-next-artemis-launch-attempt/.
229. ↑ Foust, Jeff (September 16, 2015). "First Crewed Orion Mission May Slip to 2023". SpaceNews. http://spacenews.com/first-crewed-orion-mission-may-slip-to-2023/.
230. ↑ Clark, Stephen (September 16, 2015). "Orion spacecraft may not fly with astronauts until 2023". Spaceflight Now. https://spaceflightnow.com/2015/09/16/orion-spacecraft-may-not-fly-with-astronauts-until-2023/.
231. ↑ Clark, Smith (May 1, 2014). "Mikulski "Deeply Troubled" by NASA's Budget Request; SLS Won't Use 70 Percent JCL". http://www.spacepolicyonline.com/news/mikulski-deeply-troubled-by-nasas-budget-request-sls-wont-use-70-percent-jcl.
232. ↑ Harwood, William. "NASA launches Artemis II crew on flight around the moon. Here's everything to know about the mission.". https://www.cbsnews.com/news/nasa-artemis-ii-moon-launch-astronauts-flight-plan/.
233. ↑ 233.0 233.1 Foust, Jeff (July 8, 2021). "Supply chain, Artemis program limit SLS use for science missions". SpaceNews. https://spacenews.com/supply-chain-artemis-program-limits-sls-use-for-science-missions/.
234. ↑ 234.0 234.1 Berger, Eric (July 23, 2021). "SpaceX to launch the Europa Clipper mission for a bargain price". Ars Technica. https://arstechnica.com/science/2021/07/spacex-to-launch-the-europa-clipper-mission-for-a-bargain-price/.
235. ↑ Carter, Jamie (September 27, 2021). "The $3.4 Billion Plan For NASA To Explore 'Pluto's Twin' And The Rings Of Neptune Then Execute A 'Death Dive'". Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/jamiecartereurope/2021/09/27/the-34-billion-plan-for-nasa-to-explore-plutos-twin-and-the-rings-of-neptune-then-do-a-death-dive/.
236. ↑ Rymer, Abigail M. et al. (September 8, 2021). "Neptune Odyssey: A Flagship Concept for the Exploration of the Neptune–Triton System". The Planetary Science Journal 2 (5): 184. doi:10.3847/PSJ/abf654. Bibcode: 2021PSJ.....2..184R.
237. ↑ Foust, Jeff (March 31, 2017). "Europa lander work continues despite budget uncertainty". SpaceNews. http://spacenews.com/europa-lander-work-continues-despite-budget-uncertainty/.
238. ↑ Foust, Jeff (February 17, 2019). "Final fiscal year 2019 budget bill secures US$21.5 billion for NASA". SpaceNews. https://spacenews.com/final-fiscal-year-2019-budget-bill-secures-21-5-billion-for-nasa/.
239. ↑ Europa Lander Mission Concept Overview Grace Tan-Wang, Steve Sell, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, NASA, AbSciCon2019, Bellevue, Washington. June 26, 2019  This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
240. ↑ Clark, Stephen (July 14, 2020). "Five years after New Horizons flyby, scientists assess next mission to Pluto". Spaceflightnow. https://spaceflightnow.com/2020/07/14/five-years-after-new-horizons-flyby-scientists-assess-next-mission-to-pluto/.
241. ↑ "Habitable Exoplanet Observatory Final Report". August 25, 2019. https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/habex/pdf/HabEx-Final-Report-Public-Release.pdf. Section 9-11 9.4.1 Basis of estimate, p. 281.
242. ↑ "Origins Space Telescope Mission Concept Study Report". October 11, 2019. p. ES-11. https://asd.gsfc.nasa.gov/firs/docs/OriginsVolume1MissionConceptStudyReport_11Oct2019.pdf. "The launch cost (US$500 million for the SLS launch vehicle, as advised by NASA Headquarters) is also included." This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
243. ↑ Siegel, Ethan (September 19, 2017). "New Space Telescope, 40 Times The Power Of Hubble, To Unlock Astronomy's Future". Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/startswithabang/2017/09/19/new-space-telescope-40-times-the-power-of-hubble-to-unlock-astronomys-future/.
244. ↑ "Lynx X-Ray Observatory". NASA. https://wwwastro.msfc.nasa.gov/lynx/docs/LynxConceptStudy.pdf.
245. ↑ Billings, Lee (November 12, 2019). "Proposed Interstellar Mission Reaches for the Stars, One Generation at a Time". Scientific American. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/proposed-interstellar-mission-reaches-for-the-stars-one-generation-at-a-time1/.
246. ↑ Potter, Sean Sean (July 27, 2022). "NASA Prepares for Space Launch System Rocket Services Contract". NASA. https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-prepares-for-space-launch-system-rocket-services-contract.
247. ↑ Davenport, Christian (November 16, 2022). "Relief and pride as NASA's huge SLS rocket finally flies" (in en-US). The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2022/11/16/artemis-moon-mission-launch/.
248. ↑ 248.0 248.1 248.2 248.3 "NASA'S MANAGEMENT OF SPACE LAUNCH SYSTEM PROGRAM COSTS AND CONTRACTS". NASA – Office of Inspector General – Office of Audits. March 10, 2020. https://oig.nasa.gov/docs/IG-20-012.pdf. "Based on our review of SLS Program cost reporting, we found that the Program exceeded its Agency Baseline Commitment (ABC) by at least 33 percent at the end of FY 2019, a figure that could reach 43 percent or higher if additional delays push the launch date for Artemis I beyond November 2020. This is due to cost increases tied to Artemis I and a December 2017 replan that removed almost $1 billion of costs from the ABC without lowering the baseline, thereby masking the impact of Artemis I's projected 19-month schedule delay from November 2018 to a June 2020 launch date. Since the replan, the SLS Program now projects the Artemis I launch will be delayed to at least spring 2021 or later. Further, we found NASA's ABC cost reporting only tracks Artemis I-related activities and not additional expenditures of almost $6 billion through FY 2020 that are not being reported or tracked through the official congressional cost commitment or the ABC. [...] as a result of delaying Artemis I up to 19 months to June 2020, NASA conducted a replan of the SLS Program in 2017 and removed $889 million in Booster and RS-25 Engine-related development costs because SLS Program officials determined those activities were not directly tied to Artemis I. [...] In our judgement, the removal of these costs should have reduced the SLS Program's ABC development costs from $7.02 billion to $6.13 billion. [...] SLS Program and HEOMD officials disagreed with our assessment and stated the SLS Program's change in cost estimates for the Booster and Engines element offices were not a removal of costs but rather a reallocation of those activities to appropriately account for them as non-Artemis I costs. [...] Federal law requires that any time Agency program managers have reasonable knowledge that development costs are likely to exceed the ABC by more than 30 percent, they must notify the NASA Administrator. Once the Administrator determines the SLS Program will exceed the development cost baseline by 30 percent or more, NASA is required to notify Congress and rebaseline program costs and schedule commitments. If the Administrator notifies Congress of the need to rebaseline, NASA is required to stop funding program activities within 18 months unless Congress provides approval and additional appropriations. In our judgement, using NASA's cost estimates from October 2019 and accounting for the removed costs from the replan, the SLS Program was required to rebaseline when the program exceeded its ABC by 33 percent at the end of FY 2019, an increase that could reach 43 percent or higher by the Artemis I launch date."
249. ↑ 249.0 249.1 249.2 Berger, Eric (February 9, 2021). "So long Senator Shelby: Key architect of SLS rocket won't seek reelection" (in en-us). Ars Technica. https://arstechnica.com/science/2021/02/so-long-senator-shelby-key-architect-of-sls-rocket-wont-seek-reelection/.
250. ↑ Brown, David W. (March 17, 2021). "NASA's Last Rocket" (in en-US). The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/17/science/nasa-space-launch-system.html.
251. ↑ Davenport, Christian (November 16, 2022). "Relief and pride as NASA's huge SLS rocket finally flies" (in en-US). Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2022/11/16/artemis-moon-mission-launch/.
252. ↑ Berger, Eric (September 9, 2016). "How I learned to stop worrying and love the big $60B NASA rocket" (in en-us). Ars Technica. https://arstechnica.com/science/2016/09/how-i-learned-to-stop-worrying-and-love-the-big-nasa-rocket/.
253. ↑ Berger, Eric (July 10, 2024). "Congress apparently feels a need for "reaffirmation" of SLS rocket" (in en-us). Ars Technica. https://arstechnica.com/space/2024/07/congress-apparently-feels-a-need-for-reaffirmation-of-sls-rocket/.
254. ↑ 254.0 254.1 Ferris Valyn (September 15, 2011). "Monster Rocket Will Eat America's Space Program". Space Frontier Foundation. http://spacefrontier.org/2011/09/15/monster-rocket/.
255. ↑ "Congressman, Space Frontier Foundation, And Tea Party In Space Call For NASA SLS Investigation". moonandback.com. October 4, 2011. http://moonandback.com/2011/09/27/congressman-space-frontier-foundation-and-tea-party-in-space-call-for-nasa-sls-investigation/.
256. ↑ "The Senate Launch System". Competitive Space Task Force. October 4, 2011. http://www.competitivespace.org/issues/the-senate-launch-system/.
257. ↑ "Garver: NASA Should Cancel SLS and Mars 2020 Rover". Space News. January 2014. http://spacenews.com/38912garver-nasa-should-cancel-sls-and-mars-2020-rover/.
258. ↑ Foust, Jeff (January 3, 2014). "Garver: NASA Should Cancel SLS and Mars 2020 Rover". SpaceNews. https://spacenews.com/38912garver-nasa-should-cancel-sls-and-mars-2020-rover/.
259. ↑ "New Report Finds Nasa Awarded Boeing Large Fees Despite SLS Launch Slips". ArsTechnica. June 19, 2019. https://arstechnica.com/science/2019/06/new-report-finds-nasa-awarded-boeing-large-fees-despite-sls-launch-slips/.
260. ↑ "Space News: Contractors continue to win award fees despite SLS and Orion delays". Space News. June 19, 2019. https://spacenews.com/contractors-continue-to-win-award-fees-despite-sls-and-orion-delays/.
261. ↑ "NASA HUMAN SPACE EXPLORATION: Persistent Delays and Cost Growth Reinforce Concerns over Management of Programs". GAO. https://www.gao.gov/assets/700/699923.pdf. "NASA's current approach for reporting cost growth misrepresents the cost performance of the program and thus undermines the usefulness of a baseline as an oversight tool. NASA's space flight program and project management requirements state that the agency baseline commitment for a program is the basis for the agency's commitment to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and the Congress based on program requirements, cost, schedule, technical content, and an agreed-to joint cost and schedule confidence level. Removing effort that amounts to more than a tenth of a program's development cost baseline is a change in the commitment to OMB and the Congress and results in a baseline that does not reflect actual effort. [...] Further, the baseline is a key tool against which to measure the cost and schedule performance of a program. A program must be rebaselined and reauthorized by the Congress if the Administrator determines that development costs will increase by more than 30 percent. Accounting for shifted costs, our analysis indicates that NASA has reached 29.0 percent development cost growth for the SLS program. [...] In addition, as we previously reported in May 2014, NASA does not have a cost and schedule baseline for SLS beyond the first flight. As a result, NASA cannot monitor or track costs shifted beyond EM-1 against a baseline. We recommended that NASA establish cost and schedule baselines that address the life cycle of each SLS increment, as well as for any evolved Orion or ground systems capability. NASA partially concurred with the recommendation, but has not taken any action to date. [...] By not adjusting the SLS baseline to account for the reduced scope, NASA will continue to report costs against an inflated baseline, hence underreporting the extent of cost growth. NASA's Associate Administrator and Chief Financial Officer stated that they understood our rationale for removing these costs from the EM-1 baseline and agreed that not doing so could result in underreporting of cost growth. Further, the Associate Administrator told us that the agency will be relooking at the SLS program's schedule, baseline, and calculation of cost growth."
262. ↑ Review of U.S. Human Space Flight Plans Committee; Augustine, Austin (October 2009). "Seeking A Human Spaceflight Program Worthy of A Great Nation". NASA. http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/396093main_HSF_Cmte_FinalReport.pdf.
263. ↑ 263.0 263.1 Vanderbilt, Henry (September 15, 2011). "Impossibly High NASA Development Costs Are Heart of the Matter". moonandback.com. http://moonandback.com/2011/09/15/impossibly-high-nasa-development-cost-are-heart-of-the-matter/.
264. ↑ "Statement before the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology US House of Representatives Hearing: A Review of the NASA's Space Launch System". The Planetary Society. July 12, 2011. http://planetary.org/programs/projects/space_advocacy/Planetary_Society_Statement_20110712.pdf.
265. ↑ Rohrabacher, Dana (September 14, 2011). "Nothing New or Innovative, Including It's [sic] Astronomical Price Tag". http://rohrabacher.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=260132. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
266. ↑ Messier, Doug (August 24, 2011). "Rohrabacher calls for "emergency" funding for CCDev". Parabolic Arc (parabolicarc.com). http://www.parabolicarc.com/2011/08/24/rohrabacher-calls-for-emergency-ccdev-funding/.
267. ↑ Foust, Jeff (September 15, 2011). "A monster rocket, or just a monster?". The Space Review. http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1932/1.
268. ↑ Foust, Jeff (November 1, 2011). "Can NASA develop a heavy-lift rocket?". The Space Review. http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1760/1.
269. ↑ "Propellant Depot Requirements Study". HAT Technical Interchange Meeting. July 21, 2011. http://images.spaceref.com/news/2011/21.jul2011.vxs.pdf.
270. ↑ Cowing, Keith (October 12, 2011). "Internal NASA Studies Show Cheaper and Faster Alternatives to the Space Launch System". SpaceRef. http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewnews.html?id=1577.
271. ↑ "Near Term Space Exploration with Commercial Launch Vehicles Plus Propellant Depot". Georgia Institute of Technology / National Institute of Aerospace. September 2, 2010. http://images.spaceref.com/news/2011/F9Prop.Depot.pdf.
272. ↑ "Affordable Exploration Architecture". United Launch Alliance. 2009. http://www.ulalaunch.com/site/docs/publications/AffordableExplorationArchitecture2009.pdf.
273. ↑ Bonin, Grant (June 6, 2011). "Human spaceflight for less: the case for smaller launch vehicles, revisited". The Space Review. http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1861/1.
274. ↑ Berger, Eric (August 1, 2019). "The SLS rocket may have curbed development of on-orbit refueling for a decade". Ars Technica. https://arstechnica.com/science/2019/08/rocket-scientist-says-that-boeing-squelched-work-on-propellant-depots/.
275. ↑ Strickland, John K. Jr.. "The SpaceX Falcon Heavy Booster: Why Is It Important?". National Space Society. http://www.nss.org/articles/falconheavy.html.
276. ↑ "NASA Studies Scaled-Up Falcon, Merlin". Aviation Week. December 2, 2010. http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/story_channel.jsp?channel=space&id=news/awst/2010/11/29/AW_11_29_2010_p28-271784.xml.
277. ↑ "Bolden talks expectations for Biden's space policy". Politico. 2020. https://www.politico.com/newsletters/politico-space/2020/09/11/bolden-talks-expectations-for-bidens-space-policy-490298.
278. ↑ Berger, Eric (November 20, 2025). "Blue Origin revealed some massively cool plans for its New Glenn rocket" (in en). https://arstechnica.com/space/2025/11/blue-origin-says-its-just-getting-started-with-the-new-glenn-rocket/.

## External links

* Space Launch System and Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle page on NASA.gov
* "Preliminary Report on Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle and Space Launch System" (PDF), NASA
* SLS Future Frontiers video
* Video animations of mission to asteroid, the Moon, and Mars, beyondearth.com
* "NASA Continues Journey to Mars Planning", spacepolicyonline.com

* v
* t
* e

Artemis program

* List of missions
* Commercial Lunar Payload Services
* Exploration Ground Systems

Facilities|

* Cape Canaveral
* SLC-37B
* SLC-40
* SLC-41
* SLC-46
* Kennedy Space Center
* LC-39A
* LC-39B
* Mission Control Center
* Vandenberg
* SLC-3E
* SLC-4E
* White Sands

Emblem of the Artemis program

Launch vehicles|

* Atlas V
* Delta IV Heavy
* Falcon 9
* Block 5
* Heavy
* New Glenn
* Space Launch System
* Block 1
* Block 1B

Spacecraft|

* CAPSTONE
* HERACLES
* Human Landing System
* Lunar Gateway
* Nova-C
* Orion
* Peregrine

Planned flights|

| Uncrewed|

* Artemis 1 (2020)
* Peregrine Mission One (June 2021)
* Nova-C (July 2021)
* VIPER (2022)
* Artemis 8 (2028)

|

Crewed|

* Artemis 2 (2022)
* Artemis 3 (2024)
* Artemis 4 (2025)
* Artemis 5 (2026)
* Artemis 6 (2027)
* Artemis 7 (2028)

* Future missions indicated in italics.

* v
* t
* e

Orbital launch systems developed in the United States

Active|

* Antares 230+
* Atlas V
* Delta IV Heavy
* Falcon 9 Block 5
* Falcon Heavy
* Minotaur
* I
* IV
* V
* C
* Pegasus

In development|

* Firefly Alpha
* Beta
* LauncherOne
* New Glenn
* OmegA
* SLS
* Starship
* Vector-R
* Vector-H
* Vulcan

Retired|

* Antares 110/120/130/230
* Athena
* I
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* H
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* III
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* IIIA
* IIIB
* IIIC
* IIID
* IIIE
* 34D
* 23G
* CT-3
* IV
* Vanguard

* * - Japanese projects using US rockets or stages

* v
* t
* e

Orbital launch systems

* List of orbital launch systems
* Comparison of orbital launch systems

Current|

* Angara
* A5
* Antares 230+
* Ariane 5
* Atlas V
* Delta IV Heavy
* Electron
* Epsilon
* Falcon 9 Block 5
* Falcon Heavy
* GSLV
* Mk II
* Mk III
* H-IIA
* H-IIB
* Hyperbola-1
* Jielong 1
* Kuaizhou
* 1
* 1A
* Kaituozhe 2
* Long March
* 2C
* 2D
* 2F
* 3A
* 3B/E
* 3C
* 4B
* 4C
* 5
* 6
* 7
* 11
* Minotaur
* I
* IV
* V
* C
* OS-M1
* Pegasus XL
* Proton-M
* PSLV
* Safir
* Shavit
* Simorgh
* Soyuz-2
* 2.1a / STA
* 2.1b / STB
* 2-1v
* Unha
* Vega
* Zenit
* 3SL
* 3SLB
* 3F
* Zhuque-1

In development|

* Angara 1.2
* Ariane 6
* Bloostar
* Cyclone-4M
* Eris
* Firefly Alpha
* Beta
* H3
* Hyperbola-2
* Irtysh
* Kuaizhou
* 11
* 21
* 31
* LauncherOne
* Long March
* 8
* 9
* Miura 5
* New Glenn
* New Line 1
* Nuri
* OmegA
* OS-M2
* OS-M4
* Orbex Prime
* SLS
* Soyuz-7
* SSLV
* Starship
* Terran 1
* Vega C
* Vega E
* Vulcan
* Zero
* Zhuque-2

Retired|

* Antares 110/120/130/230
* Ariane
* 1
* 2
* 3
* 4
* ASLV
* Athena
* I
* II
* Atlas
* B
* D
* E/F
* G
* H
* I
* II
* III
* LV-3B
* SLV-3
* Able
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* Centaur
* Black Arrow
* Conestoga
* Delta
* A
* B
* C
* D
* E
* G
* J
* L
* M
* N
* 0100
* 1000
* 2000
* 3000
* 4000
* 5000
* II
* III
* IV
* Diamant
* Dnepr
* Energia
* Europa
* Falcon 1
* Falcon 9
* v1.0
* v1.1
* v1.2 "Full Thrust"
* Feng Bao 1
* GSLV
* Mk I
* H-I
* H-II
* Juno I
* Juno II
* Kaituozhe-1
* Kosmos
* 1
* 2I
* 3
* 3M
* Lambda 4S
* Long March
* 1
* 1D†
* 2A
* 2E
* 3
* 3B
* 4A
* Mu
* 4S 3C 3H 3S 3SII
* V
* N1†
* N-I
* N-II
* Naro-1
* Paektusan
* Pilot†
* R-7
* Luna
* Molniya
* M
* L
* Polyot
* Soyuz
* original
* FG
* L
* M
* U
* U2
* Soyuz/Vostok
* Sputnik
* Voskhod
* Vostok
* L
* K
* 2
* 2M
* R-29
* Shtil'
* Volna
* Saturn
* I
* IB
* V
* Scout
* SLV
* Space Shuttle
* SPARK†
* Sparta
* SS-520
* Start-1
* Thor
* Able
* Ablestar
* Agena
* Burner
* Delta
* DSV-2U
* Thorad-Agena
* Titan
* II GLV
* IIIA
* IIIB
* IIIC
* IIID
* IIIE
* 34D
* 23G
* CT-3
* IV
* Tsyklon
* 2
* 3
* 4
* UR (Proton)
* UR-500 (Proton)
* Proton-K
* Rokot
* Strela
* Vanguard
* VLS-1†
* Zenit
* 2
* 2M

Classes|

* Sounding rocket
* Small-lift launch vehicle
* Medium-lift launch vehicle
* Heavy-lift launch vehicle
* Super heavy-lift launch vehicle

* Symbol † indicates projects terminated before a successful orbital launch

Articles and topics related to the SLS

* v
* t
* e

Orion program

* List of missions
* Exploration Ground Systems

Launch vehicles|

* Ares I
* Ares IV
* Delta IV Heavy
* Orion Abort Test Booster
* Space Launch System

Components|

* Crew module
* European Service Module

Development history|

* Crew Exploration Vehicle
* Orion Lite

Orion flights|

| Abort tests|

* MLAS (Jul 2009)
* Pad Abort-1 (May 2010)
* Ascent Abort-2 (Jul 2019)

|

Uncrewed|

* Ares I-X (Oct 2009)
* Exploration Flight Test-1 (Dec 2014)
* Artemis 1 (Nov 2020)

Crewed|

* Artemis 2 (2022)
* Artemis 3 (2024)
* Artemis 4 (2025)
* Artemis 5 (2026)
* Artemis 6 (2027)
* Artemis 7 (2028)

* Future missions indicated in italics.

* v
* t
* e

Spaceflight

General|

* Astrodynamics
* History
* Timeline
* Space Race
* Asian Space Race
* Records
* Accidents and incidents
* Space policy
* Australia
* China
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* India
* Japan
* Russia
* Soviet Union
* United States
* Space law
* Outer Space Treaty
* Rescue Agreement
* Space Liability Convention
* Registration Convention
* Moon Treaty
* Private spaceflight

Applications|

* Astronomy
* Earth observation
* Archaeology
* Imagery and mapping
* Reconnaissance
* Weather and environment monitoring
* Satellite communications
* Internet
* Radio
* Telephone
* Television
* Satellite navigation
* Commercial use of space
* Space launch market competition
* Militarisation of space
* Space architecture
* Space exploration
* Space research
* Space technology
* Space weather

Human spaceflight|

| General|

* Astronaut
* commercial
* Life support system
* Animals in space
* Bioastronautics
* Space suit
* Extravehicular activity
* Weightlessness
* Space toilet
* Space tourism
* Space colonization

|

Programs|

* Vostok
* Mercury
* Voskhod
* Gemini
* Soyuz
* Apollo
* Skylab
* Apollo–Soyuz
* Space Shuttle
* Mir
* Shuttle–Mir
* International Space Station
* Shenzhou
* Tiangong

Health issues|

* Effect of spaceflight on the human body
* Space adaptation syndrome
* Health threat from cosmic rays
* Space psychology
* Psychological and sociological effects
* Space and survival
* Space medicine
* Space nursing

Spacecraft|

* Launch vehicle
* Rocket
* Spaceplane
* Robotic spacecraft
* Satellite
* Space probe
* Lander
* Rover
* Self-replicating spacecraft
* Space telescope
* Spacecraft propulsion
* Rocket engine
* Electric propulsion
* Solar sail
* Gravity assist

Destinations|

* Sub-orbital
* Orbital
* Geocentric
* Geosynchronous
* Interplanetary
* Interstellar
* Intergalactic

Space launch|

* Direct ascent
* Escape velocity
* Expendable and reusable launch systems
* Launch pad
* Non-rocket spacelaunch
* Spaceport

Ground segment|

* Flight controller
* Ground station
* Pass
* Mission control center

Space agencies|

* CoNAE
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* Category
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