Artemis 1: To Boldly Go Where Four RS-25 Engines Have Gone Many Times Before

The four RS-25 engines that make up NASA's Space Launch System base have all flown into space numerous times and each has a fascinating tale to share.

+ + +

+
+
+

In 1998, John Glenn, an astronaut, became the first to use one in flight. If all goes according to plan, these seasoned boosters will soon launch NASA into the Artemis age.

+ + +

+
+
+

The most potent rocket ever created, NASA's Space Launch System can carry more than 57,320 pounds (26 metric tonnes) of supplies and crew to the Moon.

+ + +

+
+
+

The rocket might lift up to 99,208 pounds in the future with certain configurations (45 metric tons).

+ + +

+
+
+

It will set sail on Saturday at 2:17 p.m. ET, and is a feat of engineering—at least, we hope so.

+ + +

+
+
+

But it's crucial to keep in mind that SLS is a new rocket constructed from a variety of recycled parts as NASA makes.

+ + +

+
+
+

the brave transition into the Artemis age and a sustained succession of progressively complex missions to the lunar environment.

+ + +

+
+
+

The Space Shuttle, which the United States retired in 2011, and other earlier NASA launch vehicles are neatly combined to create the fully integrated heavy-lift launch vehicle.

+ + +

+
+
+