NASA’s Artemis II Rocket Is Taller Than Statue Of Liberty: Is It The Tallest Space Launch System?

Last Updated:April 01, 2026, 18:31 IST

NASA’s Artemis II Rocket: The SLS is designed as a super-heavy-lift vehicle to return humans to deep space for the first time since 1972

The 322-foot-tall (98-meter) rocket developed for NASA’s upcoming Moon flyby is the Space Launch System (SLS) in its “Block 1" configuration.

This massive vehicle is the centrepiece of the Artemis II mission, which is currently scheduled to launch on April 1, 2026, from Launch Complex 39B at the Kennedy Space Center.

NASA’s Artemis II Rocket: The Key Specifications

The SLS is designed as a super-heavy-lift vehicle to return humans to deep space for the first time since 1972.

At 322 feet, it is taller than the Statue of Liberty (305 feet) but remains shorter than the Apollo-era Saturn V (363 feet).

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Despite being shorter than the Saturn V, the SLS generates 8.8 million pounds of maximum thrust — roughly 15% more power at liftoff—making it the most powerful operational rocket ever built.

When fully fueled on the launchpad, the entire stack weighs approximately 5.75 million pounds.

It will carry the Orion spacecraft, which houses the four-person crew.

NASA’s Artemis II Rocket: Core Components

The SLS Block 1 architecture consists of several major sections:

Core Stage: Standing 212 feet tall, this orange central pillar is the largest part of the rocket. It contains four RS-25 engines (originally used in the Space Shuttle) fueled by 733,000 gallons of liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen.

Solid Rocket Boosters (SRBs): Two white, 177-foot-tall boosters flank the core stage. These provide over 75% of the total thrust during the first two minutes of flight.

Upper Stage: The Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage (ICPS) provides the final “push" needed to send Orion out of Earth’s orbit and toward the Moon.

The Artemis II Mission

This mission serves as the final flight test before humans return to the lunar surface.

Crew: Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, and Mission Specialists Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen.

Trajectory: The rocket will propel the crew on a 10-day lunar flyby. They will follow a “free-return" trajectory, using the Moon’s gravity to swing back toward Earth without landing.

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Record Distance: The mission is expected to travel approximately 4,700 miles (7,600 km) beyond the far side of the Moon, further than any human has ever traveled from Earth.

Reentry: Orion will return to Earth at a speed of 25,000 mph, testing the spacecraft’s heat shield at temperatures reaching 3,000°F before splashing down in the Pacific Ocean.

KEY FAQs

Is the Artemis II rocket really taller than the Statue of Liberty?

Yes. The Space Launch System is about 98 m tall, slightly taller than the Statue of Liberty (93 m).

Why does the rocket need to be so tall?

It carries massive fuel tanks and the Orion spacecraft for deep-space travel, especially missions like Artemis II.

Is it the tallest rocket ever built?

No. Rockets like Saturn V and SpaceX’s Starship are taller, but SLS is among the most powerful.

With agency inputs

News explainers NASA’s Artemis II Rocket Is Taller Than Statue Of Liberty: Is It The Tallest Space Launch System?

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