NASAfacts

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Space Launch System

Secondary Payloads

SLS Advances Science and Technology: 

CubeSat Payloads on NASA’s Artemis I 

Mission

NASA’s new rocket, the Space Launch System 

(SLS), will launch America into a new era of 

exploration to destinations beyond Earth’s 

orbit. In addition to demonstrating NASA’s new 

heavy-lift capability and sending the Orion 

spacecraft into deep space, SLS also has the 

capability to carry CubeSats to deep space. 

CubeSats are small, low-cost experiments not 

much larger than a shoebox.

These secondary payloads may be science 

and technology investigations or technology 

demonstrations that help pave the way for 

future, deep space human exploration. 

On this first flight, known as Artemis I, SLS 

will launch an uncrewed Orion spacecraft to a 

stable orbit beyond the Moon to demonstrate 

the integrated system performance of Orion 

and the SLS rocket. 

From the lunar vicinity, Orion will return to Earth 

to demonstrate re-entry and landing prior to a 

crewed flight. This mission also provides the 

rare opportunity for CubeSats to reach deep 

space destinations; most launch opportunities 

for CubeSats are limited to low-Earth orbit. 

The Artemis I flight has 10 CubeSats

manifested that are 6U in size (one U, or unit, 

is 10 cm x 10 cm x 10 cm).

The Orion stage adapter on the Block 1 SLS

vehicle connects Orion to the upper stage 

and can potentially accommodate up to 17

CubeSats in a combination of 6U or 12U sizes,

although only 10 CubeSats are riding along 

on the Artemis I flight. An additional slot is 

reserved for the avionics unit that controls 

the CubeSats’ deployment in deep space.

Several of the CubeSats chosen to fly 

on Artemis I are lunar-focused and were 

proposed by programs across the agency. 

These missions may help the agency 

address Strategic Knowledge Gaps (SKGs) 

to inform research strategies and prioritize 

technology development for human and 

robotic exploration. 

Other missions will be testing innovative 

propulsion technologies, studying space 

weather, analyzing the effects of radiation 

on organisms, and providing high-resolution 

imagery of the Earth and Moon. Three 

of these CubeSats are competing in the 

Cube Quest Challenge, vying for prizes 

for accomplishing such goals as farthest 

communication to Earth from space.

The completed Orion stage adapter for the SLS rocket 

for the Artemis I flight, with the mounting brackets for 

CubeSats in their dispensers.
Artemis I Secondary Payload Facts

Number of manifested CubeSats: 10

Deployment opportunities are along the upper stage

disposal trajectory.

Weight Limit: 30 pounds (14 kilograms)

Size: 6U (4.4” x 9.4” x 14.4”) 

 Equivalent to six 10 cm square units)

The Secondary Payload Deployment System includes 

an avionics unit, mounting brackets, cable harnesses, 

and a vibration mitigation system.

FS-2020-05-24-MSFC NASA Facts

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

George C. Marshall Space Flight Center

Huntsville, AL 35812

www.nasa.gov/marshall

www.nasa.gov

Secondary payloads on SLS not only provide CubeSat 

developers with an exceptional opportunity to deploy 

CubeSats in deep space, they also enable NASA to 

engage with international partners, industry, and students. 

International space agency partners are providing three 

payloads, and universities are involved with five payloads. 

The CubeSats will be deployed following Orion separation 

from the upper stage once Orion is a safe distance away. 

Each payload will be ejected with a spring mechanism 

from dispensers installed on the Orion stage adapter. The 

SLS program provides a secondary payload deployment 

system for the CubeSats which includes the deployment 

system, an avionics unit, mounting brackets for the 

dispensers, cable harnesses, and a vibration mitigation 

system.

The initial SLS rocket variant, Block 1, can launch at 

least 59,525 lbs. (27 metric tons) to the Moon and will be 

powered by twin solid rocket boosters and four RS-25 

engines. The next planned evolution of the SLS, Block 1B, 

will use a more powerful exploration upper stage to enable 

more ambitious missions. This version will be capable 

of launching more than 92,594 lbs. (42 metric tons) to 

cislunar space. 

A later evolution, Block 2, will onramp evolved solid 

rocket boosters to provide a 101,400 lb. (46 metric ton) 

lift capacity to the Moon. These future configurations of 

the vehicle will allow for larger and more varied payload 

capabilities. Each SLS configuration will incorporate the 

same core stage design and use four RS-25 engines.

For more information on SLS, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/sls/

http://www.twitter.com/NASA_SLS

http://www.facebook.com/NASASLS

When mission parameters allow, the SLS program 

hopes to offer CubeSats, in various sizes, rideshare 

opportunities to deep space. 

Completed Orion stage adapter 

with the secondary payload 

deployment system installed.

Artist concept of a CubeSat 

deployed in deep space.

Core Stage

Orion Stage Adapter

Orion Service Module

Secondary Payload 

locations

Launch Vehicle 

Stage Adapter

Interim Cryogenic 

Propulsion Stage