The Engines That Flew the Space Shuttle Are Being Readied for the Moon

NASA has installed all four RS-25 engines on the core stage of the Space Launch System rocket for Artemis III. Each weighs about 7,700 pounds and produces nearly 500,000 pounds of thrust, and all four have flown before on space shuttle missions.

An RS-25 engine during a NASA test firing. Four of these engines power the core stage of the Space Launch System. Photo: NASA, via Wikimedia Commons (public domain)

By the UISC BD Editorial Desk · United Information Service Center · Published 13 September 2026 · 4-minute read

After the success of Artemis II, NASA's attention has turned to the next mission in its lunar programme. "Artemis" remains one of the top NASA-related searches on Google, and this month brought a visible step forward at Kennedy Space Center.

What Was Completed

Teams have installed all four RS-25 engines on Core Stage-3, the giant central stage of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket that will fly Artemis III. NASA began the engine installation in late August.

The Engines

The four engines assigned to Artemis III are E2054, E2057, E2048 and E2052.
All four previously powered space shuttle missions.
Each weighs roughly 7,700 pounds.
Each produces nearly 500,000 pounds of thrust.
Aerospace company L3Harris delivered the engines for Artemis III in July 2026.

Reusing flight-proven shuttle engines is one of the defining features of the SLS design, drawing on decades of testing and flight experience.

What Comes Next

With the engines in place, remaining outfitting work can proceed before the core stage is moved onto Mobile Launcher 1 and positioned between the rocket's two solid rocket boosters.

Preparations are advancing on other fronts too: the Artemis III crew visited Kennedy Space Center and trained on Orion spacecraft systems, and NASA reports progress on the boosters.

Why This Step Matters

Large rockets are assembled in a strict sequence. The core stage is the backbone of SLS, and engine installation is one of the major milestones that must be completed before stacking can move forward. Each completed step reduces schedule risk for the mission as a whole.

A Busy Time for Space Exploration

The news comes in a busy stretch for NASA, with its Roman Space Telescope launched at the end of August — see our report on Roman. Students inspired by missions like these can find out how to get involved in our guide to NASA internships.

Sources

"NASA starts Artemis III engine install; boosters, crew training advance," NASA — nasa.gov
"Artemis III SLS stacking advances as Orion results confirm trajectory fix," NASASpaceFlight.com — nasaspaceflight.com
"L3Harris delivers SLS core stage engines for Artemis III mission," L3Harris — l3harris.com
"Space weekly recap, September 5–11, 2026," Starlust — starlust.org

artemis 3 progress (1)

Artemis III's Moon Rocket Gets Its Four Engines