Space Launch System (SLS)
ActiveNational Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
Nov. 16, 2022
Description
The Space Launch System (SLS) is an American Space Shuttle-derived heavy expendable launch vehicle. It is part of NASA's deep space exploration plans including as the main launch vehicle of the Artemis program. SLS follows the cancellation of the Constellation program, and is to replace the retired Space Shuttle.
Specifications
-
Stages
2 -
Length
111.0 m -
Diameter
8.4 m -
Fairing Diameter
8.4 m -
Launch Mass
2628.0 T -
Thrust
39000.0 kN
Family
-
Name
Space Launch System (SLS) -
Family
― -
Variant
Block 1 -
Alias
― -
Full Name
Space Launch System Block 1
Payload Capacity
-
Launch Cost
$2000000000 -
Low Earth Orbit
95000.0 kg -
Geostationary Transfer
Orbit
― -
Direct Geostationary
― -
Sun-Synchronous Capacity
―
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Government
Acting Administrator: James Free
NASA 1958The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is an independent agency of the executive branch of the United States federal government responsible for the civilian space program, as well as aeronautics and aerospace research. NASA have many launch facilities but most are inactive. The most commonly used pad will be LC-39B at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
Upcoming Spaceflights
SLS Block 1 | Artemis II
National Aeronautics and Space Administration | United States of AmericaKennedy Space Center, FL, USA
TBD April, 2026
Status: To Be Determined
Mission:
Artemis II is the first crewed mission as part of the Artemis program. Artemis II will send a crew of 4 - 3 Americans and 1 Canadian around the moon and return them back to Earth. The mission will test the core systems of NASA's Orion spacecraft including the critical life support system, among other systems which could not be tested during Artemis I due to the lack of crew onboard.
Lunar flybySLS Block 1 | Artemis III
National Aeronautics and Space Administration | United States of AmericaKennedy Space Center, FL, USA
TBD June, 2027
SLS Block 1 | Artemis I
National Aeronautics and Space Administration | United States of AmericaKennedy Space Center, FL, USA
Nov. 16, 2022, 6:47 a.m.
Falcon 9
Starlink Group 12-15
Space Launch Complex 40 - Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USAA batch of 23 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.
Long March 7A
ChinaSat 3B
201 - Wenchang Space Launch Site, People's Republic of ChinaChinese communication geostationary satellite for unknown purposes.
Ceres-1S
Tianqi 16-18 & 20
Oriental Spaceport mobile launch ship - Sea Launch4 small satellites for LEO Internet of Things (IoT) communication purposes.
PSLV-XL
EOS-09 (RISAT-1B)
Satish Dhawan Space Centre First Launch Pad - Satish Dhawan Space Centre, IndiaRISAT-1B is the third in the series of radar imaging RISAT-1 satellites of ISRO using an active C-band SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar), providing all-…
Electron
The Sea God Sees (iQPS Launch 2)
Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1A - Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New ZealandSynthetic aperture radar Earth observation satellite for Japanese Earth imaging company iQPS.
