L3Harris Delivers RS-25 Engines for Artemis III Moon Mission
L3Harris Delivers RS-25 Engines for Artemis III
L3Harris Technologies has delivered the RS-25 rocket engines that will power NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) during the historic Artemis III mission. The delivery marks another major milestone in preparing the first crewed lunar landing mission of the Artemis program, which aims to return astronauts to the Moon for the first time since Apollo 17 in 1972.
The RS-25 engines will be integrated into the SLS core stage, providing the immense thrust required to launch the Orion spacecraft and its crew toward lunar orbit.
The Power Behind NASA's Most Powerful Rocket
The RS-25 is one of the world's most advanced liquid-fueled rocket engines. Originally developed for NASA's Space Shuttle Program, the engines have been upgraded by L3Harris to meet the demanding performance requirements of the Space Launch System.
Each RS-25 engine produces approximately 512,000 pounds of thrust, while the four-engine core stage generates more than 2 million pounds of thrust before the solid rocket boosters ignite. Together, the engines help make the SLS the most powerful rocket ever built for human space exploration.
Supporting the Artemis III Mission
Artemis III is planned to become the first crewed mission to land astronauts near the Moon's South Pole, where scientists believe water ice exists inside permanently shadowed craters.
The mission will launch aboard the Space Launch System before Orion carries astronauts toward lunar orbit. After docking with the Human Landing System, astronauts are expected to descend to the lunar surface, conduct scientific research, and demonstrate technologies that will support future long-duration exploration of the Moon and eventually Mars.
The reliable performance of the RS-25 engines is considered essential for the success of this ambitious mission.
Built on Decades of Flight Heritage
The RS-25 has one of the strongest reliability records in spaceflight history. During the Space Shuttle era, the engines completed 135 successful shuttle missions, demonstrating exceptional performance across three decades of human spaceflight.
For Artemis missions, L3Harris has modernized the engines with updated controllers, manufacturing improvements, and enhanced operational capabilities while maintaining the proven design that made the RS-25 one of NASA's most trusted propulsion systems.
Author: Kevin Macmellon
