NASA Space Launch System (SLS)

[publiusr]

And if I were in Jared’s place, and decided SLS-only was the way to go…people would think I was a shill for Boeing.

 

[Byeman]

SLS is

Slim Pickens

 

[Byeman]

And if I were in Jared’s place, and decided SLS-only was the way to go…people would think I was a shill for Boeing.

Boeing, Alabama or Marshall, it is no difference. Funding a program based on the contractor, location or center is wrong. SLS doesn't stand on its own merits.

 

[publiusr]

Artemis II proved otherwise

 

[Byeman]

Artemis II proved otherwise

it did nothing of the sort. Mission success is not the only merit applicable. This is not Apollo. Cost, robustness, responsiveness and availability are just as important.

 

[publiusr]

SLS didn’t have Apollo’s budget…

 

[Byeman]

SLS didn’t have Apollo’s budget……

Because it shouldn't need it with using existing technology, infrastructure, engines and SRB hardware. But it is close.
Saturn V cost around $40 billion after two launches.
SLS costs to date are around $32 billion

 

[publiusr]

Because it shouldn't need it with using existing technology, infrastructure, engines and SRB hardware. But it is close.
Saturn V cost around $40 billion after two launches.
SLS costs to date are around $32 billion

So the $90 billion claim was a fabrication

 

[NMaude]

Here's the latest update video from Philip Sloss concerning Artemis III and related issues:

NASA revealed the Artemis III flight crew of four astronauts to the public on Tuesday, June 9th, at the same time providing some detail to the existing high-level mission outline. In this video I'll go through the announcement ceremony and event, why the HLS prototypes were descoped, and whether the updates provided any clarity to the schedule challenges for Artemis III and IV.​

Imagery is courtesy of NASA, except where noted.

V3 Starship "off the line" render from Tony Bela social media post:
https://x.com/InfographicTony/status/...https://www.youtube.com/redirect?ev...ony/status/2060749953144963129/&v=KsWvgt2iYu8

Links to other social media posts:
https://x.com/NASAAdmin/status/206470...https://www.youtube.com/redirect?ev...dmin/status/2064702792023879811&v=KsWvgt2iYu8
https://x.com/nasaspaceflight/status/...https://www.youtube.com/redirect?ev...ight/status/2060164928472854821&v=KsWvgt2iYu8

Links to stories referenced:
https://www.politico.com/news/2026/06...https://www.youtube.com/redirect?ev...-about-more-moon-money-00953873&v=KsWvgt2iYu8
https://spacenews.com/nasa-names-crew...https://www.youtube.com/redirect?ev...-mission-to-test-lunar-landers/&v=KsWvgt2iYu8
https://arstechnica.com/space/2026/06...https://www.youtube.com/redirect?ev...-about-the-artemis-iii-mission/&v=KsWvgt2iYu8
https://spaceflightnow.com/2026/06/04...https://www.youtube.com/redirect?ev...meet-artemis-mission-deadlines/&v=KsWvgt2iYu8



00:00 Intro
02:11 NASA announces the Artemis III astronauts on June 9th
05:04 The space agency and commercial partners provided some details about Artemis III during the event
11:02 Blue Origin introduces a Mark 2 demonstrator for Artemis III
13:14 SpaceX can only provide a standard V3 Starship a year from now
14:57 Artemis lunar landing schedule uncertainty unchanged by HLS descoping from Artemis III
17:45 POLITICO reports NASA is lobbying Congress for more Moon money
20:36 Artemis III Watch: schedule hints and the rest of the SLS Boosters arrive
23:39 Thanks for watching!

 

[Byeman]

So the $90 billion claim was a fabrication

What $90 billion claim?

 

[publiusr]

A much earlier Forbes article
https://www.forbes.com/sites/kevinh...ll-sls-super-rocket-could-halt-moon-landings/

 

[Byeman]

A much earlier Forbes article
https://www.forbes.com/sites/kevinh...ll-sls-super-rocket-could-halt-moon-landings/

So you quote an old, unsubstantiated and seldom reference source.

 

[publiusr]

Yes it's old, but who came up with that inflated figure if not individuals hostile to SLS... something I have suspected for years.

 

[Byeman]

Yes it's old, but who came up with that inflated figure if not individuals hostile to SLS... something I have suspected for years.

So what? Somebody has to balance out the individuals that are overly and irrationally sympathetic to SLS.

 

[publiusr]

So what? Somebody has to balance out the individuals that are overly and irrationally sympathetic to SLS.

With lies as to SLS costs?

THAT'S what misinformation looks like.

 

[Byeman]

With lies as to SLS costs?
THAT'S what misinformation looks like.

No different than the many anti-Starship posts by certain people.

Incorrect predictions (from those who have some experience, knowledge and information of the situation ) are not lies or misinformation (especially recanted ones).
Also, I have recanted on posts where I was shown wrong, unlike others.

 

[publiusr]

Like how it was going to have humans aboard before Artemis II

SLS cost 37 bil' and works...
Starship teething at $15 billion dollars --and counting....

https://www.reuters.com/business/au...illion-rush-airline-like-rocketry-2026-05-01/

No payloads, no circumlunar flights.

The $90 billion figure was a fabrication to make Starship seem cheaper than it really is.

Assuming Starship actually is perfected, its development cost will likely be the same as SLS if not more.

 

[NMaude]

Philip Sloss uploaded a new ststus report concerning Artemis III and other related topics:

NASA revealed the Artemis III flight crew of four astronauts to the public on Tuesday, June 9th, at the same time providing some detail to the existing high-level mission outline. In this video I'll go through the announcement ceremony and event, why the HLS prototypes were descoped, and whether the updates provided any clarity to the schedule challenges for Artemis III and IV.​

Imagery is courtesy of NASA, except where noted.

V3 Starship "off the line" render from Tony Bela social media post:
https://x.com/InfographicTony/status/...https://www.youtube.com/redirect?ev...ony/status/2060749953144963129/&v=KsWvgt2iYu8

Links to other social media posts:
https://x.com/NASAAdmin/status/206470...https://www.youtube.com/redirect?ev...dmin/status/2064702792023879811&v=KsWvgt2iYu8
https://x.com/nasaspaceflight/status/...https://www.youtube.com/redirect?ev...ight/status/2060164928472854821&v=KsWvgt2iYu8

Links to stories referenced:
https://www.politico.com/news/2026/06...https://www.youtube.com/redirect?ev...-about-more-moon-money-00953873&v=KsWvgt2iYu8
https://spacenews.com/nasa-names-crew...https://www.youtube.com/redirect?ev...-mission-to-test-lunar-landers/&v=KsWvgt2iYu8
https://arstechnica.com/space/2026/06...https://www.youtube.com/redirect?ev...-about-the-artemis-iii-mission/&v=KsWvgt2iYu8
https://spaceflightnow.com/2026/06/04...https://www.youtube.com/redirect?ev...meet-artemis-mission-deadlines/&v=KsWvgt2iYu8

Join the channel for additional members-only content: / @philipsloss Or, consider buying me a coffee to support my work and the channel.https://buymeacoffee.com/philipslosshttps://www.youtube.com/redirect?ev...://buymeacoffee.com/philipsloss&v=KsWvgt2iYu8

00:00 Intro
02:11 NASA announces the Artemis III astronauts on June 9th
05:04 The space agency and commercial partners provided some details about Artemis III during the event
11:02 Blue Origin introduces a Mark 2 demonstrator for Artemis III
13:14 SpaceX can only provide a standard V3 Starship a year from now
14:57 Artemis lunar landing schedule uncertainty unchanged by HLS descoping from Artemis III
17:45 POLITICO reports NASA is lobbying Congress for more Moon money
20:36 Artemis III Watch: schedule hints and the rest of the SLS Boosters arrive
23:39 Thanks for watching!

 

[NMaude]

Philip Sloss has a new update concerning Artemis III and related SLS issues:

The quarter and the first half of 2026 are ending, after Artemis II marked the beginning in early April. NASA is looking ahead to a Moon Base and closing the books on some of Artemis past, with Gateway and Exploration Upper Stage now terminated.​

A U.S. lunar landing, now moved from Artemis III and 2024 to Artemis IV and 2028, remains the goal of the decade; however, it remains unclear how close the U.S. is to that goal, as it has throughout the decade. In this video, I'll recap what we're hearing about the new Artemis III, all the questions that remain for that low Earth orbit test flight and Artemis IV, and a few other news and notes.​

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman's 12 June appearance on NSF/NASASpaceflight's "The Flame Trench:" • Artemis III Setting The Stage (with specia... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLKr9bPIMj8

Imagery is courtesy of NASA, except where noted.

Links to social media posts:
https://x.com/NASAAdmin/status/206470...https://www.youtube.com/redirect?ev...dmin/status/2064702792023879811&v=CgaqafjcJ-E
https://x.com/nasaspaceflight/status/...https://www.youtube.com/redirect?ev...ight/status/2060164928472854821&v=CgaqafjcJ-E
https://bsky.app/profile/lorengrush.b...https://www.youtube.com/redirect?ev....bsky.social/post/3mnuksibkqe2d&v=CgaqafjcJ-E
https://x.com/davill/status/206725353...https://www.youtube.com/redirect?ev...vill/status/2067253530092605898&v=CgaqafjcJ-E
https://x.com/NASAJohnson/status/2067...https://www.youtube.com/redirect?ev...nson/status/2067658348619514053&v=CgaqafjcJ-E

Links to stories referenced:
https://arstechnica.com/space/2026/02...https://www.youtube.com/redirect?ev...because-he-has-a-new-moon-plan/&v=CgaqafjcJ-E
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articl...https://www.youtube.com/redirect?ev...-mission-role-in-blow-to-boeing&v=CgaqafjcJ-E
https://arstechnica.com/space/2026/06...https://www.youtube.com/redirect?ev...-about-the-artemis-iii-mission/&v=CgaqafjcJ-E
https://www.youtube.com/redirect?ev...://buymeacoffee.com/philipsloss&v=CgaqafjcJ-E
00:00 Intro
01:28 A little Artemis II post-flight data
04:06 Artemis III watch: crew training begins
05:15 First RS-25 engine for Artemis III arrives at KSC
08:06 EGS launch team training continues
08:46 Reviewing what we know about Artemis III mission plans
13:37 Reviewing Artemis III questions
18:18 Artemis IV questions
22:29 NASA administrator Jared Isaacman provides a few Artemis notes on recent NSF livestream
24:20 If SLS is retired this decade, how long will the gap be until there's a replacement?
26:25 Blue Origin doubling down on pad rebuild and New Glenn return to flight in six months
27:38 Thanks for watching!

 

[Byeman]

Assuming Starship actually is perfected, its development cost will likely be the same as SLS if not more.

It doesn't matter.
a. Not taxpayer money
b. It will be reusable
c. It will be more capable than SLS

 

[Byeman]

SLS development costs would even be worse if EUS, ML-2 and USA weren't canceled.

https://oig.nasa.gov/audits/nasas-m...celed-or-repurposed-artemis-campaign-systems/

USA was going to cost $1/2 billion? For an interstage? This is inane.
And some people thought Dynetics could build a lunar lander.

SLS !B was rightly canceled. It would not of really helped or enhance lunar exploration. It was there to enabled the flawed Gateway concept.

 

[Archibald]

And the Gateway NRHO was because Orion Service Module with only 1200 m/s worth of delta-v can't do low lunar orbit in and out, 1000 m/s twice.
When Apollo had 2400 m/s, in LLO with LM on the nose then out.

 

[NMaude]

Philip Sloss has uploaded a new status report on the SLS and Artemis:

NASA is continuing to prepare its Artemis III-related programs for the mission, with hardware continuing to arrive at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, but the Inspector General office published a post-mortem memo on other projects. They're not done with their audit, but OIG still went to the trouble of putting out new cost and schedule projections about the terminated Gateway and SLS upgrades. Some of the Artemis programs are cost-capped, but even though all of them have suffered long delays, OIG didn't publish schedule projections in other, recent, completed reports.​

In this video, I'll go over recent Artemis III pictures released and look at what OIG said in this report but didn't talk about elsewhere.

Imagery is courtesy of NASA, except where noted.

Links to stories referenced:
http://www.collectspace.com/news/news...https://www.youtube.com/redirect?ev...ur-first-look-opening-date.html&v=M8MTb9PCnhs
https://spacenews.com/canceled-nasa-e...https://www.youtube.com/redirect?ev...illions-of-dollars-in-overruns/&v=M8MTb9PCnhs
https://www.youtube.com/redirect?ev...://buymeacoffee.com/philipsloss&v=M8MTb9PCnhs
00:00 Intro
01:39 Artemis III Watch: Recent status?
02:45 Meet the SLS Core Stage weather cover
08:12 With the RS-25 engines arriving, a look at the engine installer history
13:20 Recent pictures of Artemis III hardware in the VAB
15:30 OIG memo on canceled Artemis programs
22:01 OIG report on launch infrastructure
22:53 A sneak preview of the Shuttle Endeavour launch display in Los Angeles
25:15 Thanks for watching!

 

[BlueAbyssal]

And the Gateway NRHO was because Orion Service Module with only 1200 m/s worth of delta-v can't do low lunar orbit in and out, 1000 m/s twice.
When Apollo had 2400 m/s, in LLO with LM on the nose then out.

Yeah. It isn’t that everything wouldn’t have worked from a very narrow technical perspective-to me it’s that it would have trapped us in a rut. We don't need another thirty years of accomplishing little while spending a lot, just to keep doing something, or to keep people employed. We’ll employ far more in a productive sector, and make real progress to boot. The SLS might have been a good rocket in the 1970s, but in the 2020s it’s too little, too late.

 

[NMaude]

Philip Sloss uploaded the other day a new video concerning Artemis III, Centaur V and other related issues:

In this video, I'll go over the start of Artemis III SLS Booster stacking, newly released imagery of Artemis IV elements, and the first orbital launch of China's Long March 10 rocket. Most of the work for the lunar landers to get ready for Artemis IV won't happen until after Artemis III, and at this point, all three of the secretly-developed landers points to their first visits to the Moon in 2028.​

There's also more questions about sticking Centaur V on SLS in the future, after an initial assessment suggests performance restrictions.

Imagery is courtesy of NASA, except where noted.

Links to social media posts:
https://x.com/jeff_foust/status/20740...https://www.youtube.com/redirect?ev...oust/status/2074038385489121454&v=p5v7exSSUr8
https://x.com/jeff_foust/status/20740...https://www.youtube.com/redirect?ev...oust/status/2074039235234152621&v=p5v7exSSUr8
https://x.com/NASASpaceflight/status/...https://www.youtube.com/redirect?ev...ight/status/2075288382855344535&v=p5v7exSSUr8

Links to stories referenced:
https://spacenews.com/blue-origin-con...https://www.youtube.com/redirect?ev...overy-from-new-glenn-explosion/&v=p5v7exSSUr8
https://www.china-in-space.com/p/chin...https://www.youtube.com/redirect?ev...-recovers-rocket-booster-debuts&v=p5v7exSSUr8
https://www.youtube.com/redirect?ev...://buymeacoffee.com/philipsloss&v=p5v7exSSUr8
00:00 Intro
02:15 Artemis III Watch: Stacking begins
04:09 Artemis III Orion crew module is mated to its heatshield
06:16 Artemis II crew visits KSC
06:57 Artemis IV Watch: SLS Core Stage production milestones from the spring
11:24 Blue Origin shows a picture of "Mark 2 Alpha"
14:06 Next Starship flight test next week?
15:30 How much will Centaur V restrict SLS performance?
21:45 Other news and notes: first orbital launch of China's Long March 10 Moon rocket
24:03 Thanks for watching!

 

[zjz]

Not sure if this has been shared .....

The Space Launch System Utilizing the Centaur-V Upper Stage​

https://www.researchgate.net/public...ch_System_Utilizing_the_Centaur-V_Upper_Stage

 

[martinbayer]

The RL10 is one of my all time favorite work horse rocket engines.

 

[NMaude]

Philip Sloss has a new video out concerning NASA's plans for Artemis III, IV and V:

In this week's Artemis roundup, Exploration Ground Systems continues SLS Booster stacking for Artemis III, Boeing advances Artemis IV SLS Core Stage production, and the first launch attempt for the next Starship flight test is aborted.

Imagery is courtesy of NASA, except where noted.

Links to social media posts:
https://x.com/elonmusk/status/2077906...https://www.youtube.com/redirect?ev...musk/status/2077906757641183445&v=geI85exOTgg
https://x.com/davill/status/207844205...https://www.youtube.com/redirect?ev...vill/status/2078442058717569385&v=geI85exOTgg

Links to stories referenced:
https://spacenews.com/nasa-names-crew...https://www.youtube.com/redirect?ev...-mission-to-test-lunar-landers/&v=geI85exOTgg
https://arstechnica.com/space/2026/06...https://www.youtube.com/redirect?ev...-about-the-artemis-iii-mission/&v=geI85exOTgg

https://www.youtube.com/redirect?ev...://buymeacoffee.com/philipsloss&v=geI85exOTgg
00:00 Intro
01:45 Artemis III Watch: EGS continues SLS booster stacking in the VAB
05:45 Checking in on Artemis III Orion crew module assembly
09:03 The third RS-25 engine for Artemis III is at KSC for SLS Core Stage installation
11:04 NASA will use Starlink terminals for livestreaming parts of the Artemis III mission
11:59 Artemis IV Watch
17:08 The first attempt to launch Starship Flight Test 13 is aborted at ignition
18:43 NASA HLS publishes overview of Artemis III lunar lander prototypes
21:15 Thanks for watching!

 

[Titus]

The RL10 is one of my all time favorite work horse rocket engines.

You inspired me to read up on this old workhorse. The following is lifted from the Wikipedia article and is referencing the search for a replacement.:


"In 2012 NASA joined with the US Air Force (USAF) to study next-generation upper stage propulsion, formalizing the agencies' joint interests in a new upper stage engine to replace the Aerojet Rocketdyne RL10.

"We know the list price on an RL10. If you look at cost over time, a very large portion of the unit cost of the EELVs is attributable to the propulsion systems, and the RL10 is a very old engine, and there's a lot of craftwork associated with its manufacture. ... That's what this study will figure out, is it worthwhile to build an RL10 replacement?"

— Dale Thomas, Associated Director Technical, Marshall Space Flight Center[22]
From the study, NASA hoped to find a less expensive RL10-class engine for the upper stage of the Space Launch System (SLS)"

It is absolutely amazing that NASA and USAF/Space Force are looking for a replacement for an engine that originated in the 50s - at the infancy of space flight.
Thanks, martinbayer, for the heads up on this old warhorse.

 

[martinbayer]

You inspired me to read up on this old workhorse. The following is lifted from the Wikipedia article and is referencing the search for a replacement.:


"In 2012 NASA joined with the US Air Force (USAF) to study next-generation upper stage propulsion, formalizing the agencies' joint interests in a new upper stage engine to replace the Aerojet Rocketdyne RL10.


— Dale Thomas, Associated Director Technical, Marshall Space Flight Center[22]
From the study, NASA hoped to find a less expensive RL10-class engine for the upper stage of the Space Launch System (SLS)"

It is absolutely amazing that NASA and USAF/Space Force are looking for a replacement for an engine that originated in the 50s - at the infancy of space flight.
Thanks, martinbayer, for the heads up on this old warhorse.

The RL-10 has a specific impulse of 465.5 s, see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RL10. It would be extremely hard for any successor competitor to beat that main performance parameter unless they switch to fluorine as the oxidizer, which is an extremely nasty substance to deal with indeed. But anyway, best of luck for the tax payer funded USG to develop a "superior" replacement to a design that really doesn't need replacing...

 

[Byeman]

The RL-10 has a specific impulse of 465.5 s, see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RL10.

The remaining one ICPS engine is 465.5 s
Remaining dual Atlas V engines are 451 s
Current Vulcan engine is 453.8 s
Future Vulcan engine is 460.9 s

. But anyway, best of luck for the tax payer funded USG to develop a "superior" replacement to a design that really doesn't need replacing...

That statement was made in 2012.

 

[NMaude]

NASA has released a time-lapse video of the stacking of Artemis III's aft SRB segments on ML-1:

 

[NMaude]

NASA has already got on to producing the ICPS substitute spacer for Artemis III:

Making Space for Progress!

After @NASA announced that Artemis III would be a low Earth orbit mission, teams at Marshall began building a spacer that would take the place of the ICPS.

Now, the final friction stir weld is complete, and inspections are underway. Stay tuned!

https://twitter.com/x/status/2080654232982630597

View: https://x.com/NASA_Marshall/status/2080654232982630597


View attachment 818841

View attachment 818842

View attachment 818843

 

[NMaude]

Philip Sloss has a new status report out concerning Artemis III and related topics:

SpaceX has talked about Starship orbital flight for five years, and after Friday's flight test, they may be on the eve of that first one. It was a big step for Starship, but didn't change the outlook for the lunar lander that NASA wants to rent to take astronauts to the Moon on Artemis IV. Like previous flight tests, we would need some guidance from NASA or SpaceX about how close they are to Artemis objectives...although it's less clear how high a business priority that is now.​

The GAO did break some of the silence about the impact and consequences of NASA's remake of the Artemis plan at the beginning of the year. It turns out the Exploration Upper Stage contract was officially terminated over two months ago in May. GAO is also breaking news about the fate of other SLS upgrades like the solid rocket booster upgrade in development or Mobile Launcher-2. Those projects aren't dead, at least not yet, and apparently NASA is still figuring out what to do with them, if anything.​

In this video, I'll also go over the latest pictures we have of preparations for Artemis III and production of Artemis IV SLS hardware.

Imagery is courtesy of NASA, except where noted.
Links to social media posts: / 1451581465645494279 https://www.youtube.com/redirect?ev...musk/status/1451581465645494279&v=fSuv79mx-2g
https://www.youtube.com/redirect?ev...://buymeacoffee.com/philipsloss&v=fSuv79mx-2g
00:00 Intro
02:15 Artemis III Watch: RS-25 engines ready for SLS Core Stage installation
06:01 EGS continuing to prepare SLS booster segments for stacking
07:26 Assembly images of the "spacer" at Marshall Space Flight Center in Alabama
08:13 Artemis IV Watch: the Core Stage-4 liquid hydrogen (LH2) tank returns from proof test
12:17 GAO breaks NASA silence about the fate of some Artemis programs
19:18 Starship flight test 13 on July 24
22:00 Thanks for watching!

 

[NMaude]

Philip Sloss has uploaded a new status report concerning Artemis III, IV and V along with related issues:

After a slow, mid-summer week of news, a mid-summer recap of what to watch for in the next two years, as NASA attempts to launch Artemis III, IV, and V by the end of 2028. The space agency is publishing pictures of their government operations, hardware, and facilities, but those aren't revealing how close or how far away Artemis as a whole is from landing the next U.S. astronauts on the Moon and returning them safely to Earth.​

00:00 Intro
02:04 Artemis III Watch: preparations to continue SLS Booster stacking
05:56 Artemis IV Watch: the latest SLS Core Stage production moves
11:36 Watch items for Artemis III, IV, and V
17:40 Other news and notes: a picture of the Artemis II heatshield was quietly published
18:19 Thanks for watching!

 

[NMaude]

Here is a short video from Philip Sloss concerning refurbishing SLS ground test-articles such as the LVSA for use on a future SLS flight:

A recap of today's NASA blog update on Artemis III, and questions about the condition of the SLS structural test articles after NASA decided to refurbish and fly them on the mission.

If NASA is seriously considering refurbishing the OSA and LVSA ground test-articles to flightworthy status then they should seriously consider doing the same for the ICPS ground test-article.

 

[Byeman]

If NASA is seriously considering refurbishing the OSA and LVSA ground test-articles to flightworthy status then they should seriously consider doing the same for the ICPS ground test-article.

Can't and not the same. OSA and LVSA are just structures, no avionics or plumbing. The ICPS ground test-article was built without avionics or plumbing. The inventory, production line, tooling, etc to add those is gone.

 

[NMaude]

There should still be spare-parts to make the ground test-article operational lying around and as for tooling wouldn't it be possible to create one-off prototype tooling to make the plumbing, wiring, avionics and pressurising tanks?

 

[NMaude]

Philip Sloss has put out a couple of new update videos for the SLS and Artemis:

In this video, I'll run through updates as NASA's Exploration Ground Systems integrated operations team continues stacking the Artemis III SLS boosters and Boeing continues final assembly of the Core Stage for that launch, but it starts with the latest look at the big picture.

Six months after a reset and reorganization of the Artemis-branded programs, it's hard to tell if Washington's 2028 lunar landing dreams are closer to reality or if the current target dates are motivational tools.

Congress wanted to beat China in a race to land the next people on the Moon, but the White House raised the stakes and shortened the deadline to the end of their current term. As it is, all the secret lunar lander developers are dealing with the same issues and delays as the U.S. government programs had.​

Imagery is courtesy of NASA, except where noted.

Links to social media posts:
https://x.com/ENNEPS/status/208754110...https://www.youtube.com/redirect?ev...NEPS/status/2087541100525363329&v=TdihxOUl7hs

Links to stories referenced:
https://spacepolicyonline.com/news/ne...https://www.youtube.com/redirect?ev...inks-to-orbit-maybe-catch-ship/&v=TdihxOUl7hs

00:00 Intro
02:39 Artemis III Watch
10:23 Boeing update on SLS Core Stage-3 final assembly
15:22 A two-month old, unannounced SLS Centaur V contract
20:42 Other news and notes: Starship flight test 14 into LEO?
21:49 Questions about China Long March 7A launch failure impact on lunar landing plans
22:51 Thanks for watching!

More updates for Artemis III:

Practically the only Artemis news of the week was big: NASA administrator Jared Isaacman announced the most specific Artemis III target date so far, June 2027. This video reviews the known status of Artemis III production and launch preparations from the NASA run programs, Exploration Ground Systems, Orion, and SLS with that more narrow target in mind nine months from now. That's preceded by an outline of what's known about the "short stack" tanking test planned for later this year; Mr. Isaacman also recently said the SLS Boosters and Core Stage could roll out to the pad in early November.

During an otherwise slow news week, there was time to take a closer look at some new footage of the Artemis II launch and the first look at one of the structural test articles that NASA is refurbishing to fly on Artemis III.​

China is also preparing to launch its next robotic lunar lander to the South Pole of the Moon, weather permitting.

Imagery is courtesy of NASA and the China Manned Space Agency, except where noted.

Links to social media posts:
https://x.com/spaceflightnow/status/2...https://www.youtube.com/redirect?ev...tnow/status/2090887985864540208&v=PVnYqhBeZNE

Links to stories referenced:
https://www.china-in-space.com/p/chan...https://www.youtube.com/redirect?ev...-7-to-start-searching-for-lunar&v=PVnYqhBeZNE
https://www.china-in-space.com/p/chan...https://www.youtube.com/redirect?ev...hange-7-rolls-out-ahead-of-moon&v=PVnYqhBeZNE

NASA August 2026 SLS Resource Reel can be download from this "landing page":
https://images.nasa.gov/details/SLS_A...https://www.youtube.com/redirect?ev...August%202026%20Resource%20Reel&v=PVnYqhBeZNE

00:00 Intro
02:01 An overview of the Artemis III "short stack" tanking test planned this year
11:17 Artemis III Watch: launch now targeted for June, nine months away
14:17 SLS provides new footage of the Artemis II launch and newly reassigned structural test article
18:44 China's Chang'e 7 robotic lunar lander ready for a trip to the South Pole of the Moon (weather permitting)
20:23 Thanks for watching!

 

[NMaude]

Philip Sloss has uploaded a new update concerning Artemis IV and related news:

SLS and Orion have flown to the Moon on their first two flights together, but those uncrewed and crewed demonstration flights were too far apart for NASA. They are now pushing the Exploration Ground Systems, Orion, and SLS programs to work to a June 2027 launch readiness date for Artemis III, but that mission won't leave low Earth orbit, and it's lunar launch cadence that is needed for Washington's 2028 lunar landing deadline.

In this video, I'll look at the variables that NASA controls and the ones they don't, with only about two years left until the end of 2028. The goal is to fly Artemis IV in early 2028, but that will require a higher production and delivery cadence for Orion and SLS hardware.

Even if the Artemis IV Orion and SLS hardware is ready by the fall of 2027 to start stacking that vehicle, at least one of the commercial lunar lander providers has to establish a cadence of launches to the Moon before the mission can launch, and NASA doesn't control lunar lander development progress. Washington will rent lunar landers that SpaceX and Blue Origin are developing, with most of the uncertainty about those schedules unresolved.

Imagery is courtesy of NASA, except where noted.​

Links to social media posts:
https://x.com/SecDuffyNASA/status/198...https://www.youtube.com/redirect?ev...NASA/status/1980257227760955637&v=oNhgFsNFe3Y
https://x.com/audrey_decker9/status/1...https://www.youtube.com/redirect?ev...ker9/status/1989352112728510935&v=oNhgFsNFe3Y
https://x.com/nasaspaceflight/status/...https://www.youtube.com/redirect?ev...ight/status/2060164928472854821&v=oNhgFsNFe3Y
https://x.com/NASAAdmin/status/206470...https://www.youtube.com/redirect?ev...dmin/status/2064702792023879811&v=oNhgFsNFe3Y
https://x.com/spaceflightnow/status/2...https://www.youtube.com/redirect?ev...tnow/status/2090887985864540208&v=oNhgFsNFe3Y

Links to stories referenced:
https://spacenews.com/nasa-halts-work...https://www.youtube.com/redirect?ev...ateway-to-develop-a-lunar-base/&v=oNhgFsNFe3Y
https://www.youtube.com/redirect?ev...://buymeacoffee.com/philipsloss&v=oNhgFsNFe3Y
00:00 Intro
02:58 NASA pushing EGS, Orion, and SLS to improve the launch part of lunar launch cadence on Artemis III
11:47 SpaceX and Blue Origin need to start a cadence of launches to the Moon for Artemis
21:35 NASA will need to resolve contract uncertainties to improve Orion and SLS production/delivery cadence
29:21 Thanks for watching!