SLS Block 2 Cargo (2011 Concept)

Space Launch System Block 2 Cargo

Mission Profile

SLS Block 2 Cargo (2011 Concept) was an early planning configuration for the ultimate growth variant of NASA's Space Launch System, envisioned in the program's foundational documents. Standing approximately 111 meters tall with an 8.4-meter core and generating sufficient thrust to loft 130,000 kg to low Earth orbit, it would have surpassed even the Saturn V in payload capacity. The 2011 concept called for replacing the initial SLS solid rocket boosters with advanced liquid propellant boosters and incorporating an upgraded upper stage to achieve this extreme performance. While the vision shaped the SLS program's long-term ambitions, the specific Block 2 Cargo configuration remains in planning stages as NASA has focused resources on Block 1 and Block 1B crewed missions.