Function | Super heavy-lift launch vehicle | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Manufacturer | Aerojet Rocketdyne Northrop Grumman Boeing United Launch Alliance | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Country of origin | United States | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Project cost | US$23.8 billion nominal[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Cost per launch | Over US$2 billion excluding development (estimate) [note 1][2][3]: 23–24 [4][1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Cost per year | US$2.555 billion for FY 2021[5] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Size | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Height | Block 1 Crew: 322 ft (98 m) Block 2 Cargo: 365 ft (111 m) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Diameter | 27.6 ft (8.4 m), Core stage [6] 16.7 ft (5.1 m), ICPS [7] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Mass | 5,750,000 lb (2,610 t)[8] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Stages | 2.5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Maximum thrust | 39,000,000 N (39 MN; 4,000 tf; 8,800,000 lbf) (Total first stage thrust.)[9] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Capacity | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Payload to LEO [note 2] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Mass | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Payload to trans-lunar injection | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Mass | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Associated rockets | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Based on | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Comparable | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Launch history | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Status | Active | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Launch sites | Kennedy Space Center, LC-39B | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Total launches | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Success(es) | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
First flight | 16 November 2022, 1:47:44 am EST (6:47:44 am UTC)[17] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Type of passengers/cargo | Orion | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The Space Launch System (SLS) is an American super heavy-lift expendable launch vehicle used by NASA. As the primary launch vehicle of the Artemis Moon landing program, SLS is designed to launch the crewed Orion spacecraft on a trans-lunar trajectory. The first SLS launch was the uncrewed Artemis 1, which took place on 16 November 2022.[27][17]
Development of SLS began in 2011, as a replacement for the retired Space Shuttle as well as the cancelled Ares I and Ares V launch vehicles.[28][29][30] As a Shuttle-derived vehicle, the SLS reuses hardware from the Shuttle program, including the solid rocket boosters and RS-25 first stage engines. A Congressionally mandated late 2016 launch was delayed by nearly 6 years.[31]
All Space Launch System flights are launched from Launch Complex 39B at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The first three SLS flights use the Block 1 configuration, comprising a core stage, extended Space Shuttle boosters developed for Ares I and the ICPS upper stage. An improved Block 1B configuration, with the Exploration Upper Stage, is planned for the fourth flight; a further improved Block 2 configuration with new solid rocket boosters is planned for the ninth flight.[32][33][34][35][11] After the launch of Artemis 4, NASA plans to transfer production and launch operations of SLS to Deep Space Transport LLC, a joint venture between Boeing and Northrop Grumman.[36]
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