Space Launch System

The Space Launch System is NASA's super-heavy-lift rocket designed to launch the Orion crew vehicle and co-manifested payloads to the Moon and beyond. Boeing builds the core stage and the Exploration Upper Stage, Northrop Grumman the five-segment solid rocket boosters, and Aerojet Rocketdyne the RS-25 core-stage engines derived from the Space Shuttle program.

SLS completed its first flight as Artemis I in November 2022 and will carry Artemis II and beyond. The Block 1B variant introduces the more capable Exploration Upper Stage for later Artemis missions. While the program has faced cost and schedule criticism relative to commercial heavy-lift vehicles, SLS remains the only U.S. rocket currently rated to carry crew to deep space.

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