The delivery marks a key propulsion milestone for the third planned SLS flight. Artemis III is intended to support NASA’s effort to return astronauts to the lunar surface.
Kristin Houston, President, Space Propulsion & Power Systems, Missile Solutions, L3Harris, said: “This is a major milestone in our effort to return astronauts to the lunar surface.” “This delivery keeps Artemis III on track for launch in 2027 and supports NASA’s transition to an annual launch cadence that will enable regular missions to the Moon.”
Artemis III is slated to test integrated operations between the Orion spacecraft and one or both commercial lunar landers in low Earth orbit. The mission will also introduce a new integration process for the SLS core stage.
For the first time, technicians will integrate the engines with the core stage in a vertical position. L3Harris said the change will simplify and speed the installation process while improving access to each engine.
The four RS-25 engines delivered for Artemis III have already flown in space. They previously supported 36 space shuttle flights, including International Space Station assembly missions and the return to space of Project Mercury astronaut and former Sen. John Glenn.
L3Harris upgraded the engines for the first four Artemis missions. The work included modern electronics and new insulation to protect the engines from the harsh thermal environment of the SLS rocket.
The upgraded RS-25 engines will operate at higher thrust levels than during NASA’s space shuttle era. Later Artemis missions will use newly built engines with modern manufacturing techniques and other enhancements.
L3Harris said those future engines are intended to reduce costs while maintaining performance and reliability. The Artemis III delivery keeps the company’s propulsion work tied to one of NASA’s main near-term launch milestones.
