Ameer Randolph
The Space Launch System (SLS) is a US super heavy-lift expendable launch vehicle that is the main launch vehicle commissioned for NASA's Artemis missions. The SLS rocket's first stage is powered by one central core stage and two outboard solid rocket boosters. The core stage is responsible for propelling the upper stage and payload out of the atmosphere to near orbital velocity. It contains the liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen tanks for the ascent phase. The liquid hydrogen tank and liquid oxygen tank are part of the core stage — the backbone of the SLS rocket.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Height | More than 40 m tall |
| Diameter | 8.4 m |
| Capacity | 733,000 gallons (2775 m3) of propellant |
| Engines | Four RS-25 engines |
| Thrust | 2 million pounds of thrust (8896 kN) |
| Fuel | Liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen |
| Tank Material | Steel |
| Welding | More than 1.7 miles of welds |
| Contractor | Boeing Co. |
| First Flight | November 2022 |
| Mission | To send the SLS and Orion crew vehicle into orbit |
| Time Taken | 8.5 minutes |
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What You'll Learn
- The SLS fuel tank is the largest cryogenic fuel tank for a rocket in the world
- The tank holds 537,000 gallons of liquid hydrogen
- The SLS rocket is the main launch vehicle for NASA's Artemis missions
- The liquid hydrogen tank was tested by filling it with nitrogen gas and exposing it to high forces
- The SLS core stage is structurally similar to the Space Shuttle external tank
The SLS fuel tank is the largest cryogenic fuel tank for a rocket in the world
The SLS (Space Launch System) is a US super heavy-lift expendable launch vehicle that first flew on Artemis 1 in November 2022. The SLS fuel tank is the largest cryogenic fuel tank for a rocket in the world. Standing more than 40 m tall and 8.4 m in diameter, the liquid hydrogen tank is a core stage component of the SLS rocket, which will stand at more than 61 m tall. The liquid hydrogen tank and liquid oxygen tank together will hold 733,000 gallons (2775 m3) of propellant and feed the vehicle's four RS-25 engines to produce a total of 2 million pounds of thrust (8896 kN).
The SLS rocket's first stage is powered by one central core stage and two outboard solid rocket boosters. All SLS Blocks share a common core-stage design but differ in their upper stages and boosters. The core stage contains the liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen tanks for the ascent phase, the forward and aft solid rocket booster attach points, avionics, and the Main Propulsion System (MPS), an assembly of four RS-25 engines, and associated plumbing and hydraulic gimbal actuators. The core stage provides approximately 25% of the vehicle's thrust at liftoff, with the rest coming from the solid rocket boosters.
The SLS will have the payload capacity needed to carry crew and cargo for future exploration missions, including NASA's Journey to Mars. For the first flight of the SLS rocket, the Block I configuration can lift 70 metric tons (77 tons). The next planned upgrade of SLS, known as Block 1B, will use a more powerful exploration upper stage for more ambitious missions with a 105-metric-ton (115-ton) lift capacity.
NASA and Boeing are constructing the next three rockets for Artemis II, Artemis III, and Artemis IV. The liquid hydrogen tank for the Artemis I Moon mission was tested by filling it with nitrogen gas and exposing it to high forces. The tank withstood more than 260% of expected flight loads over five hours before a buckling point was detected and a hole erupted on its side.
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The tank holds 537,000 gallons of liquid hydrogen
The Space Launch System (SLS) is a Space Shuttle-derived launch vehicle. It is designed to carry crew and cargo for future exploration missions to deep space, including Mars. The SLS rocket is powered by liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen tanks, with the liquid hydrogen tank being the largest cryogenic fuel tank for a rocket in the world.
The liquid hydrogen tank holds 537,000 gallons of liquid hydrogen, which is used as rocket fuel. To exist as a liquid, hydrogen must be cooled below its critical point of 33 K. For it to be in a fully liquid state at atmospheric pressure, it needs to be cooled to 20.28 K (−252.87 °C; −423.17 °F). Liquid hydrogen is used as rocket fuel by NASA and the U.S. Air Force, and it is also being investigated as a zero-carbon fuel for aircraft. It is a highly effective fuel, with a specific energy more than twice that of other fuels, but it has a low volumetric energy density.
Liquid hydrogen is typically used as a concentrated form of hydrogen storage. Storing it as a liquid takes up less space than storing it as a gas at normal temperature and pressure. However, it requires cryogenic storage technology, such as special thermally insulated containers, and it must be handled with the same care as other cryogenic fuels.
The SLS liquid hydrogen tank is part of the core stage of the rocket, which is considered the "backbone". The core stage is responsible for propelling the upper stage and payload out of the atmosphere to near orbital velocity. The liquid hydrogen tank feeds the vehicle's four RS-25 engines, providing a total of 2 million pounds of thrust. The liquid hydrogen is completely combusted in the engines in the short 8.5 minutes it takes to send the SLS and Orion crew vehicle into orbit.
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The SLS rocket is the main launch vehicle for NASA's Artemis missions
The Space Launch System (SLS) rocket is a super-heavy-lift rocket that is part of NASA's backbone for deep space exploration and the Artemis program. The SLS is the only rocket with the power and payload capacity to carry crew and cargo to the Moon and beyond Earth's orbit in a single launch.
The SLS rocket's first stage is powered by one central core stage and two outboard solid rocket boosters. The core stage contains liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen tanks, the forward and aft solid rocket booster attach points, avionics, and the Main Propulsion System (MPS). The MPS is an assembly of the four RS-25 engines, plumbing and hydraulic gimbal actuators, and equipment for autogenous pressurization of the vehicle's tanks. The core stage provides approximately 25% of the vehicle's thrust at liftoff, with the rest coming from the solid rocket boosters.
The liquid hydrogen tank is the largest cryogenic fuel tank for a rocket in the world, standing more than 40 m tall and 8.4 m in diameter. The liquid hydrogen tank and liquid oxygen tank together will hold 733,000 gallons (2775 m3) of propellant and feed the vehicle's four RS-25 engines to produce a total of 2 million pounds of thrust (8896 kN). The core stage is the "backbone" of the SLS rocket, which will stand at more than 61 m tall.
The first SLS rocket, for Artemis I, launched an Orion spacecraft into a lunar orbit on a test flight in November 2022. This was the first major spaceflight of NASA's Artemis program and marked the agency's return to lunar exploration after the Apollo program. The uncrewed Artemis I mission tested the Orion spacecraft, especially its heat shield, in preparation for subsequent crewed Artemis missions. Four astronauts will venture around the Moon on Artemis II, building on the success of Artemis I and demonstrating capabilities for deep space missions.
NASA and Boeing are constructing the next three rockets for Artemis II, Artemis III, and Artemis IV. The Artemis II forward skirt, the foremost component of the core stage, was affixed to the liquid oxygen tank in May 2021, and the core stage was functionally complete by September 2023.
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The liquid hydrogen tank was tested by filling it with nitrogen gas and exposing it to high forces
The SLS (Space Launch System) is a Space Shuttle-derived launch vehicle that stands more than 40 meters tall and 8.4 meters in diameter. It is designed to carry huge payloads for deep space exploration missions, including NASA's Journey to Mars. The SLS core stage, which is being developed by Boeing, includes liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen tanks that feed the vehicle's four RS-25 engines.
The liquid hydrogen tank is the largest cryogenic fuel tank for a rocket in the world, storing 537,000 gallons of super-cooled liquid hydrogen. To ensure the safety and reliability of the tank, it underwent rigorous testing to simulate liftoff and flight stresses. One such test involved filling the tank with nitrogen gas and exposing it to high forces.
Nitrogen gas is commonly used in pressure testing as it is inert and non-flammable, making it safe to use in confined spaces. By filling the tank with nitrogen gas, engineers can simulate the pressure and stress that the tank will experience during operation without the risks associated with using liquid hydrogen, which is highly flammable.
During the test, large hydraulic pistons were used to push and pull on the test tank with millions of pounds of force. The tank successfully passed this test, showing no signs of cracks, buckling, or breaking, and qualified the design for flight. This test was part of a series of 37 tests conducted by a NASA and Boeing test team to evaluate the structural integrity and safety of the liquid hydrogen tank.
The use of nitrogen gas in pressure testing is a well-established method for evaluating the performance and safety of various types of hydrogen tanks, including those used in vehicles and rockets. These tanks must meet stringent physical requirements and adhere to government regulations and international standards to ensure their reliability and safety.
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The SLS core stage is structurally similar to the Space Shuttle external tank
The SLS (Space Launch System) is a Space Shuttle-derived launch vehicle. The core stage is the "backbone" of the rocket, supporting the weight of the payload, upper stage, and crew vehicle. Structurally, the core stage is similar to the Space Shuttle external tank. It is made up of 10 major barrel sections, four dome sections, and seven rings. Each cylindrical barrel section consists of eight aluminum panels that vary in length and height.
These components are welded to form five major components: the liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen tanks, engine section, intertank, and forward skirt. These five major components are joined to form the completed core stage. The core stage is covered with an orange spray-on foam to insulate the cryogenic propellants. The SLS core stage is primarily manufactured by Boeing in the NASA-owned Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans, which was previously the site of Space Shuttle external tank manufacturing.
The core stage first flew on November 16, 2022, on the Artemis I mission, in which it performed successfully. The core stage comprises five major sections: the engine section, the liquid hydrogen (LH2) tank, the intertank, the liquid oxygen (LOx) tank, and the forward skirt. The core stage is powered by four RS-25 engines housed inside the engine section at the base of the stage.
The liquid hydrogen tank is the largest cryogenic fuel tank for a rocket in the world. The liquid hydrogen tank and liquid oxygen tank are part of the core stage. Together, the tanks will hold 733,000 gallons (2775 m3) of propellant and feed the vehicle's four RS-25 engines to produce a total of 2 million pounds of thrust. The tanks underwent rigorous testing to ensure their structural integrity, simulating liftoff and flight stresses.
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Frequently asked questions
SLS stands for Space Launch System, a US super heavy-lift expendable launch vehicle. The SLS fuel tank is the largest cryogenic fuel tank for a rocket in the world, standing more than 40 m tall and 8.4 m in diameter.
The SLS fuel tank contains liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen. The liquid hydrogen is chilled or super-cooled, and the liquid oxygen is vented.
The SLS fuel tank is designed to hold 537,000 gallons of propellant to feed the vehicle's four RS-25 engines, producing a total of 2 million pounds of thrust.
