Rocket engine
RS-25
Also known as SSME, Space Shuttle Main Engine
Rockets
Overview
A reusable fuel-rich staged-combustion LH2/LOX engine developed for the Space Shuttle (as the SSME) and now expended on the SLS core stage; among the highest-efficiency hydrogen engines flown.
Components & hardware
Propellants
Knowledge connections
- PowersSLS Core Stage
- Uses propellantLH2 / LOX
- PowersSpace Launch System (SLS)
- Associated withStaged-Combustion Cycle
Sources
The primary and reference sources this topic draws on.
- NASANational Aeronautics and Space Administration
Mission data, planetary science, space telescopes, and public-domain imagery.
Most NASA-produced imagery is in the public domain; individual items are checked for usage terms before publication.