Launch Vehicles

Space Launch System

Also Known As SLS

United States

Citation Formats

General Reference

Space and Astronomy Atlas. "Space Launch System." Accessed September 1, 2026. https://dev-space.interactiveatlas.org/launch-vehicles/sls-rocket.

APA Style

Space and Astronomy Atlas. (n.d.). Space Launch System. Retrieved September 1, 2026, from https://dev-space.interactiveatlas.org/launch-vehicles/sls-rocket

BibTeX

@misc{spaceandastronomyatlas-space-launch-system,
  author = {Space and Astronomy Atlas},
  title = {Space Launch System},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://dev-space.interactiveatlas.org/launch-vehicles/sls-rocket},
  note = {Accessed September 1, 2026}
}

NASA's super heavy-lift launch vehicle for the Artemis program, built around a hydrogen-fueled core stage descended from the Space Shuttle's external tank and engines, flanked by twin solid rocket boosters. Its first flight, Artemis I, sent an uncrewed Orion spacecraft around the Moon in November 2022, the most powerful rocket to reach orbit since the Saturn V.

Facts

Vehicle Class

Super heavy-lift expendable crewed launch vehicle 1

Manufacturer

Boeing (core stage), Northrop Grumman (solid rocket boosters) 1

First Flight Date

2022-11-16 1

Date of Artemis I, its first flight.

Status

Operational; slated to launch the crewed Artemis II lunar flyby and subsequent Artemis missions. 1

Height (m)

98 1

Payload to LEO (kg)

At least 27,000 kg in its initial Block 1 configuration. 1

Cross-Tradition Connections

Operated By

NASA

Source NASA History Office

Sources

1. NASA History Office

National Aeronautics and Space AdministrationView the Source

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