L3Harris Transfers RS-25 Engines to NASA for Upcoming Artemis III Mission

L3Harris Technologies, Inc. has handed over RS-25 engines intended for the Artemis III mission, marking a key step in the hardware delivery schedule for NASA’s lunar return program. The engines, historically used to power the Space Shuttle, have been adapted for the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. This specific batch will support the mission intended to return astronauts to the lunar surface.

The delivery highlights the company’s role within its Space & Mission Systems (SMS) segment, which focuses on integrated space systems and satellite payloads. Manufacturing the RS-25 involves complex engineering, including the use of advanced metal additive manufacturing techniques to reduce production time and costs while maintaining the high performance required for human spaceflight.

Shares of L3Harris are currently trading at $300.76, reflecting a 5.79% increase from the previous close of $284.29. The company holds a market capitalization of approximately $52.97 billion. As a prime contractor in the aerospace and defense sector, L3Harris derives revenue from providing mission-critical solutions to government and commercial customers, with space exploration serving as a significant long-term demand driver.

Artemis III represents the first planned lunar landing since the Apollo era. The SLS rocket serves as the launch vehicle for the Orion spacecraft, utilizing the RS-25 engines for the core stage. Successful delivery of these powerplants is a prerequisite for meeting launch timelines.

What to watch

• Future contract announcements regarding subsequent Artemis mission engine production.
• Up quarterly earnings reports for details on the Space & Mission Systems segment revenue.
• Public updates from NASA regarding the assembly schedule of the SLS core stage.

Source: original release