RS-25E
NASA-documented RS-25E expendable variant derived from the reusable RS-25/Space Shuttle Main Engine for later Space Launch System production. NASA first described RS-25E as a future expendable version and later reported development work with Aerojet Rocketdyne on a lower-cost expendable follow-on after the shuttle-engine inventory; no exact flight installation or RS-25E-specific performance rating is asserted here.
Identity
- Aliases
- RS-25ERS25Eexpendable RS-25
- Domains
- spaceflight
- Identity Level
- variant
- Kind
- liquid-rocket-engine
- Name
- RS-25E
- Status
- development
Details
- Description
- NASA-documented RS-25E expendable variant derived from the reusable RS-25/Space Shuttle Main Engine for later Space Launch System production. NASA first described RS-25E as a future expendable version and later reported development work with Aerojet Rocketdyne on a lower-cost expendable follow-on after the shuttle-engine inventory; no exact flight installation or RS-25E-specific performance rating is asserted here.
- Developers
- Lineage
- Note
- NASA identifies RS-25E as an expendable RS-25 derivative for Space Launch System production, distinct from reusable shuttle-era RS-25 hardware.
- Related Propulsion System
- Relationship
- direct-derivative-of
- Sources
- Accessed Date
- 2026-08-15
- Publisher
- NASA
- Title
- NASA Partnership Report
- Accessed Date
- 2026-08-15
- Publisher
- NASA Technical Reports Server
- Title
- NASA Technology Area 1: Launch Propulsion Systems
- Manufacturers
Links
Assets & Meta
- Creation Time
- August 8, 2026 at 00:34:38 UTC
- Updated Time
- August 22, 2026 at 07:12:15 UTC
Other
- Sources
- Accessed Date
- 2026-08-15
- Note
- NASA identifies the RS-25E as an expendable engine derived from the RS-25 for the Space Launch System, establishing the exact variant and hardware boundary without proving a current installation.
- Publisher
- NASA
- Title
- NASA Partnership Report
- Accessed Date
- 2026-08-15
- Note
- NASA launch-propulsion technology documentation independently records RS-25E as a distinct SLS-related engine variant.
- Publisher
- NASA Technical Reports Server
- Title
- NASA Technology Area 1: Launch Propulsion Systems
- Accessed Date
- 2026-08-22
- Note
- NASA reports beginning development work with Aerojet Rocketdyne on an expendable RS-25 version for follow-on SLS missions; this supports development status without asserting flight installation or variant-specific performance.
- Publisher
- NASA Technical Reports Server
- Title
- NASA Space Launch System Transitions From Design To Production