NASA Stacks Artemis III Booster for 2027 Launch as SRBs Supply 7.2 Million Pounds of Thrust
Updated
Updated · Space.com · Jul 13
NASA Stacks Artemis III Booster for 2027 Launch as SRBs Supply 7.2 Million Pounds of Thrust
3 articles · Updated · Space.com · Jul 13
Summary
A left-hand aft solid rocket booster segment for Artemis III reached Kennedy Space Center's Vehicle Assembly Building this week, marking the start of assembly for NASA's next Space Launch System mission.
Two 177-foot boosters will flank the SLS core stage and deliver 7.2 million pounds of thrust—more than 75% of liftoff power—making them essential because the core stage's four RS-25 engines cannot lift the rocket alone.
The core stage arrived in May without its engine section, so full stacking may not begin immediately; NASA still aims to complete a wet dress rehearsal before year-end ahead of a mid-to-late 2027 launch.
Artemis III will carry four astronauts in Orion for about two weeks in low Earth orbit, where they will test docking with Blue Origin's Blue Moon and a boilerplate SpaceX Starship rather than fly to the moon.
That mission is designed to validate hardware and procedures for later lunar landings, with NASA currently targeting Artemis IV in late 2028 for the program's first moon-surface attempt.
With new risks in its rockets and landers, is NASA's revised Artemis plan a major setback for its Moon Base goals?
Can private industry deliver the critical hardware needed for NASA's ambitious lunar timeline, or are further delays inevitable?
Artemis III 2027: NASA’s Critical Low Earth Orbit Test Mission Redefining the Path to the Moon and Mars
Overview
Artemis III is making strong progress toward its late 2027 launch, with all solid rocket booster segments now at Kennedy Space Center and assembly of the SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft well underway. The mission’s main goal is to test critical systems for future lunar landings, especially the ability of Orion to rendezvous and dock with commercial lunar landers. These preparations and demonstrations are essential steps to ensure the success of upcoming lunar missions, marking Artemis III as a key milestone in NASA’s plan to return humans to the Moon and eventually reach Mars.