NASA Upgrades Artemis II: Swaps 10-Year-Old Engine for Vintage Powerhouse Nearly 20 Years Old!

The RS-25 engines, developed back in the 1970s, powered the Space Shuttle since its first launch in 1981. In the following decades, NASA upgraded these engines to boost their performance and reliability. Despite their age, they remain some of the most dependable rocket engines in the U.S.

Initially designed to be reused, the RS-25 engines are now set to be discarded after each mission on the Space Launch System (SLS). This change significantly impacts costs. Each new engine costs around $100 million, as reported by NASA’s inspector general in 2023. With each SLS rocket requiring brand-new engines, the total cost for a single launch reaches an eye-watering $2.5 billion. This financial strain raises serious concerns about sustaining deep space exploration efforts.

The inspector general emphasized the need for serious cost savings. Without them, NASA’s ambitious Artemis program—focused on lunar exploration—might struggle to continue. As noted, “Failure to achieve substantial savings will significantly hinder the sustainability of NASA’s deep space human exploration efforts.”

Earlier this year, NASA placed the first of the new RS-25 engines on a test stand in Mississippi, ready for test-firings. However, it remains uncertain if and when it will actually be launched.

In a shift in priorities, the Trump administration has floated the idea of scrapping the SLS program in favor of cheaper commercial rockets. There’s a possibility that Congress could agree to this change. If so, the SLS program might end following the Artemis III mission, which aims to be NASA’s first lunar landing since the Apollo days. This would halt the program before even testing a larger upper stage, which is projected to cost an astonishing $5.7 billion to develop.

The financial and strategic decisions surrounding the RS-25 engines and the SLS program highlight a larger debate in the aerospace community. Many experts argue that alternative approaches, including public-private partnerships, could help reduce costs and increase efficiency in space exploration. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration faces pressing choices that will shape its role in humanity’s journey into space for years to come.

For further details on NASA’s current missions and challenges, visit [NASA’s official site](https://www.nasa.gov), which provides updates and insights on their ongoing endeavors.

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