Florida — The RS-25 engines were the workhorses of NASA’s Space Shuttle Program, especially known for their high performance, and reliability.
The Space Launch System (SLS) core stage for Artemis II will use four RS-25 engines, with three being upgraded engines that previously flew on the Space Shuttle and one being a new engine.
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NASA is using a mix of these upgraded heritage engines and one brand-new engine, with some engines on the Artemis II. These engines have completed 135 shuttle missions, making them some of the most tested rocket engines in history.
Engineers & technicians from Aerojet Rocketdyne, and Boeing, at NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans have already installed the RS-25 engines to the core stage, for NASA’s Space Launch System rocket, in hopes of helping power the first crewed Artemis mission to the Moon.
The RS-25 is one of the most tested and reliable large rocket engines ever built, with over 3,000 ground tests and more than a million seconds of hot-fire time, making it a cornerstone of deep space exploration.
New, more affordable RS-25 engines are being built with advanced manufacturing (like 3D printing) for future Artemis missions, starting with Artemis V.
The Artemis program is the ‘next step in human space exploration and the major component of NASA’s broader Moon to Mars exploration approach, which will establish sustainable exploration of the Moon & prepare for humanity’s next giant leap: sending astronauts to Mars.'
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