Build Your Own Space Launch System (SLS) Block 1
 White Poster Board [22 in. x 28 in.] (1 – 2 pieces)

 White Copier Paper [8 1⁄2 in. x 11 in.] (2 – 3 sheets)

 All Purpose Glue & Glue Stick (1 each)

 Scissors

 Ruler or Tape Measure

 Tape (Paintable)

 Compass

 Hole Punch (single hole)

 Pencil

 Craft Paint & Brush

Materials
SLS Block 1 Expanded View

For information about 

SLS

www.nasa.gov/sls
Poster Board Cuts

NOTE: Drawings are not to scale.

 1 – 24 in. x 10 in. 

Rectangle

 2 – 171⁄2 in. x 6 in. 

Rectangles

 1 – 10 in. x 4 in. Rectangle

 10 in. Semicircle 

(Diameter) 

 1 – 31⁄4 in. Circle 

(Diameter) 
Copier Paper Cuts

 2 – 3 in. Circles 

(Diameter) 

 1 – 5 3⁄4 in. Circle 

(Diameter) 

NOTE: Drawings are not to scale.
Copier Paper Cuts

 1 – 5 3⁄4 in. Circle 

(Diameter) 

 1 – 4 3⁄4 in. Circles 

(Diameter) 

 2 – 1 in. Circles 

(Diameter) 

 1 – 2 1⁄2 in. Semicircle 

(Diameter) 

 1 - 3 x 4 1⁄2 in. Rectangle

NOTE: Drawings are not to scale.
Core Stage

 Roll the 24 in. x 10 in. rectangle into a 

tube that is 24 in. tall & has a diameter 

of 3 1⁄4 in. Use glue or tape to hold in 

place.

 Using the hole punch, put 4 holes (evenly 

dispersed) in the 3 1⁄4 in. circle.

 Cut the 3 in. paper circles in half. Roll 

each into a cone with a base diameter of 

1 in. Use glue or tape to hold in place.

 Place a cone in each of the 4 holes 

punched into the 3 1⁄4 in. circle. Glue into 

place.

 Glue or tape the circle with the inserted 

cones onto either end of the tube with 

the cone tips inside the tube.

NOTE: Drawings are not to scale.

FUN FACT

Hot gases exit the RS-25 nozzle at 13 times the 

speed of sound.. That is fast enough to travel from 

L.os Angeles to NYC in 15 minutes. 1 in. Diameter 
LVSA, Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage (ICPS), Orion 

Stage Adapter (OSA), & Orion Service Module

 Roll the 10 in. semicircle into a cone 

with a base diameter of 3 1⁄2 in. Glue 

or tape this to the end of the tube 

opposite the RS-25 engines.

 Roll the 6 in. x 4 in. rectangle into a 

tube that is 4 in. tall & has a 

diameter of 1 1⁄2 in. Use glue or tape 

to hold in place.

NOTE: Drawings are not to scale.

FUN FACT 

The ICPS is powered by one 

RL10 engine that generates 

24,750 lbs. of thrust.
Orion

 Cut the 4 3⁄4 in. circle in half. With one 

half, make a cone with a base 

diameter of 1 3⁄4 in. Use glue or tape 

to attach this to the top of the tube 

just created (the one representing 

ICPS, OSA, & Orion Service Module).

 Cut the remaining half of the circle (a 

semicircle) in half again (along the 

radius). Use one of the quadrants to 

make a cone with a base diameter of 

1 1⁄2 in. Use glue or tape to hold in 

place.

 Using glue or tape, attach this new 

cone to the top of the cone/tube 

assembly. 

NOTE: Drawings are not to scale.
Orion (continued)

 Roll the 3 in. x 4 1⁄2 in. rectangle into a 

tube that is 4 1⁄2 in. tall & has a 

diameter of 3⁄8 in. Use glue or tape to 

hold in place.

 Using glue or tape, attach this new tube 

to the top of the cone/cone/tube 

assembly just created.

 Cut each 1 in. circle in half and roll each 

piece (4 pieces) into a small cone. Use 

glue or tape to hold in place.

 Using glue or tape, attach each of the 4 

cones 1 1⁄2 - 2 in. from the bottom of 

the tube placed on top of the 

cone/cone/tube assembly. These cones 

should be evenly dispersed around the 

tube.

NOTE: Drawings are not to scale.
Orion (continued)

 Roll the 2 1⁄2 in. semicircle into a 

cone with a diameter just slightly 

larger than the last tube, 3⁄8 in. 

NOTE: Drawings are not to scale.

 Using glue or tape, attach the cone 

to the top of the assembly just 

completed.

FUN FACT

Orion is designed to accommodate the 

height of 99% of the US population. This 

means astronauts can be anywhere from 

4’10” to 6’5”!

FUN FACT 

Orion will return 

from the Moon at 

25,000 mph, 1 1⁄2 

times faster than 

the Space Shuttle and 

43 times faster than 

a commercial airliner.

FUN FACT 

SLS & Orion will be stacked 

for launch in the Vehicle 

Assembly Building (VAB) at 

Kennedy Space Center. The 

VAB is so large it would 

take 250 billion ping pong 

balls to fill it.
Solid Rocket Boosters

 Roll the two 17 1⁄2 in. x 6 in. 

rectangles into two tubes that are 

17 1⁄2 in. tall & have a diameter of 1 3⁄4 

in. Use glue or tape to hold in place.

 Cut the two 5 3⁄4 in. circles in half. 

Roll each half (4) into a cone with a 

base diameter of 2 in. Use glue or 

tape to hold in place.

NOTE: Drawings are not to scale.
Solid Rocket Boosters (continued)

 Using glue or tap, attach one cone to 

one end of the tube just created 

with the point of the cone pointing 

up.

 Set the tube on top of another cone 

with the pointed end of the cone 

inside the tube. Use glue or tape to 

hold in place.

 Repeat these steps for the other 

tube.

NOTE: Drawings are not to scale.

FUN FACT

The NASA SLS solid rocket 

boosters are tested in 

the Utah desert. The 

exhaust from these tests 

is so hot it turns the 

desert sand into glass! 

FUN FACT

The NASA SLS solid rocket boosters are 

177 ft. long, have a diameter of 12 ft., 

and each weighs 1,600,000 lbs.
Paint Color – Core Stage & LVSA

The core stage is covered with an orange spray-on 

foam to insulate the cryogenic (extremely low 

temperature) propellants in the tanks.
SLS Markings, NASA Insignia, & American Flag

 The checkboard markings on the rocket are 

photogrammetric markings. They serve as 

“targets” for cameras located on and 

around the rocket. They are used so 

cameras can more easily track the rocket’s 

position in space. Analysts use software to 

process the images to measure distances, 

such as the distance between the boosters 

and the core stage after they separate.

FUN FACT

The round red, white, and blue NASA 

insignia is known as “the meatball.” The 

round shape of the insignia represents a 

planet; the stars represent space; the 

red v-shaped wing represents 

aeronautics; and the circular orbit 

around the agency's name represents 

space travel.

FUN FACT

The flag of the United States of America 

is also known as “Old Glory.” The stripes 

represent the 13 original Colonies and the 

50 stars represent the 50 states. The 

colors are also symbolic: red for 

hardiness and valor; white for purity and 

innocence; and blue for vigilance, 

perseverance, and justice.

 You can use a marker to put these 

markings on the rocket. Or, you can 

print the next chart, cut along the 

dotted lines, and attach them to your 

rocket with glue or tap.

 The NASA insignia, the meatball, and the 

American flags needed are also provided 

on the next page.
SLS Markings, NASA Insignia, & American Flag
SLS on Social Media

SLS Facebook

SLS Twitter

Explore NASA

SLS YouTube Playlist

SLS Flickr