NASA Starts Artemis III Engine Install; Boosters, Crew Training Advance

Technicians at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida have begun installing the four RS-25 engines into the core stage of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket that will launch the Artemis III crew next year. This milestone, reached on August 24, 2026, signifies the next phase of core stage integration following the earlier mating of engine sections to the top four-fifths of the stage.

Each of the four engines, which weigh approximately 7,700 pounds and produce nearly 500,000 pounds of thrust, is integrated within the engine section and designed to withstand extreme launch conditions. The engines, which have unique serial numbers, previously powered multiple shuttle missions and are scheduled to fire continuously for over eight minutes during ascent, consuming propellant at a rate of about 1,500 gallons per second.

Additionally, technicians are also integrating the twin solid rocket booster motor segments atop the mobile launcher inside the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB). Meanwhile, the Artemis III crew, which includes NASA astronauts Bresnik, Douglas, Rubio, and ESA astronaut Parmitano, has commenced an extensive training program covering various mission phases, including Orion systems and operations, science objectives, leadership, team-building exercises, and joint training with commercial human landing system providers.

The training incorporates hands-on practice with the Orion spacecraft in its mockup at NASA's Johnson Space Center, as well as water survival and emergency exiting simulations in the Neutral Buoyancy Lab.