Centaur 5 Clinches the SLS Upper Stage for Artemis 4 and Beyond
TL;DR
NASA has selected United Launch Alliance’s Centaur 5 as the upper stage for the Space Launch System, starting with Artemis 4 no earlier than early 2028, via a sole-source contract to standardize the fleet to a near-Block 1 configuration. The decision leverages Centaur 5’s RL10 heritage and existing infrastructure, while bypassing alternatives like Boeing’s EUS and Blue Origin’s NGUS due to cost, schedule, and development risks, in line with NASA’s push to accelerate manufacturing and increase launch rates.
- NASA contract confirms selection of ULA’s Centaur 5 as new upper stage for the SLS rocket Spaceflight Now
- Ding-dong! The Exploration Upper Stage is dead Ars Technica
- NASA selects Centaur for new SLS upper stage SpaceNews
- Centaur V Upper Stage Added To Artemis IV and V NASA Watch
- Boeing’s Contribution to NASA’s Moon Program Just Took a Major Hit Gizmodo
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