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19/12Spain formalized a huge order for 50 H145Ms, 32 NH90s, 13 H135s and 6 H175Ms with Airbus Helicopters
22/01Blue Origin launches its NS-38 New Shepard mission carrying six passengers
22/01Spanish Air Europa firms commitment for up to 40 Airbus A350-900s
21/01Damaged Shenzhou-20 Chinese spacecraft survives reentry
20/01Liquidation looms for Ecojet as green airline fails to get off the ground
15/01Ghana orders two H175M Airbus helicopters
14/01Korean 5th generation KF-21 fighter completes four-year flight test campaign
14/01FAA orders PW1100G fuel system modifications following engine fires
14/01Boeing secured 1,175 aircraft orders in 2025, more double the 2024 total, benefiting from President Trump’s leveraging deals
13/01Lessor Aviation Capital Group (ACG) has placed an order for 50 Boeing 737 Max aircraft
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13/01EDGE and INDRA sign an agreement to establish Spanish loitering munition JV
12/01Las Vegas-based ultra-low-cost carrier Allegiant Air will acquire Sun Country Airlines for $1 Bn
11/01India’s PSLV-C62 failed during ascent, resulting in the loss of a primary Earth Observation satellite and 15 smaller co-passenger spacecraft
09/01Bangladesh explores JF-17 acquisition to replace ageing fighters
19/12Spain formalized a huge order for 50 H145Ms, 32 NH90s, 13 H135s and 6 H175Ms with Airbus Helicopters
22/01Blue Origin launches its NS-38 New Shepard mission carrying six passengers
22/01Spanish Air Europa firms commitment for up to 40 Airbus A350-900s
21/01Damaged Shenzhou-20 Chinese spacecraft survives reentry
20/01Liquidation looms for Ecojet as green airline fails to get off the ground
15/01Ghana orders two H175M Airbus helicopters
14/01Korean 5th generation KF-21 fighter completes four-year flight test campaign
14/01FAA orders PW1100G fuel system modifications following engine fires
14/01Boeing secured 1,175 aircraft orders in 2025, more double the 2024 total, benefiting from President Trump’s leveraging deals
13/01Lessor Aviation Capital Group (ACG) has placed an order for 50 Boeing 737 Max aircraft
13/01Germany orders eight MQ-9B SeaGuardian RPAs
13/01EDGE and INDRA sign an agreement to establish Spanish loitering munition JV
12/01Las Vegas-based ultra-low-cost carrier Allegiant Air will acquire Sun Country Airlines for $1 Bn
11/01India’s PSLV-C62 failed during ascent, resulting in the loss of a primary Earth Observation satellite and 15 smaller co-passenger spacecraft
09/01Bangladesh explores JF-17 acquisition to replace ageing fighters
19/12Spain formalized a huge order for 50 H145Ms, 32 NH90s, 13 H135s and 6 H175Ms with Airbus Helicopters
22/01Blue Origin launches its NS-38 New Shepard mission carrying six passengers
22/01Spanish Air Europa firms commitment for up to 40 Airbus A350-900s
21/01Damaged Shenzhou-20 Chinese spacecraft survives reentry
20/01Liquidation looms for Ecojet as green airline fails to get off the ground
15/01Ghana orders two H175M Airbus helicopters
14/01Korean 5th generation KF-21 fighter completes four-year flight test campaign
14/01FAA orders PW1100G fuel system modifications following engine fires
14/01Boeing secured 1,175 aircraft orders in 2025, more double the 2024 total, benefiting from President Trump’s leveraging deals
13/01Lessor Aviation Capital Group (ACG) has placed an order for 50 Boeing 737 Max aircraft
13/01Germany orders eight MQ-9B SeaGuardian RPAs
13/01EDGE and INDRA sign an agreement to establish Spanish loitering munition JV
12/01Las Vegas-based ultra-low-cost carrier Allegiant Air will acquire Sun Country Airlines for $1 Bn
11/01India’s PSLV-C62 failed during ascent, resulting in the loss of a primary Earth Observation satellite and 15 smaller co-passenger spacecraft
09/01Bangladesh explores JF-17 acquisition to replace ageing fighters
19/12Spain formalized a huge order for 50 H145Ms, 32 NH90s, 13 H135s and 6 H175Ms with Airbus Helicopters

Your are here : Home News / NASA completes Critical Design Review for Space Launch System

SPACE

NASA completes Critical Design Review for Space Launch System

Published by Aero3A

For the first time in 40 years, a NASA human-rated rocket has completed all steps needed to clear a Critical Design Review (CDR). The agency’s Space Launch System (SLS) is the first vehicle designed to meet the challenges of the journey to Mars and the first exploration class rocket since the Saturn V.

SLS will be the most powerful rocket ever built and, with the agency's Orion spacecraft, will launch America into a new era of exploration to destinations beyond Earth's orbit. The CDR provided a final look at the design and development of the integrated launch vehicle before full-scale fabrication begins.

The CDR examined the first of three configurations planned for the rocket, referred to as SLS Block 1. The Block I configuration will have a minimum 70-metric-ton (77-ton) lift capability and be powered by twin boosters and four RS-25 engines.

The next planned upgrade of SLS, Block 1B, would use a more powerful exploration upper stage for more ambitious missions with a 105-metric-ton (115-ton) lift capacity. Block 2 will add a pair of advanced solid or liquid propellant boosters to provide a 130-metric-ton (143-ton) lift capacity. In each configuration, SLS will continue to use the same core stage and four RS-25 engines.

The SLS Program completed the review in July 2015, in conjunction with a separate review by the Standing Review Board, which is composed of seasoned experts from NASA and industry who are independent of the program. The program briefed the results of the review in October to the Agency Program Management Council, led by NASA Associate Administrator Robert Lightfoot, as the final step in the CDR process.

This review is the last of four reviews that examine concepts and designs. The next step for the program is design certification, which will take place in 2017 after manufacturing, integration and testing is complete. The design certification will compare the actual final product to the rocket's design. The final review, the flight readiness review, will take place just prior to the 2018 flight readiness date