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NASA’s SLS Rocket: Secondary PayloadsLee Mohon
Jan 20, 2026 Image ArticleWhen NASA’s SLS (Space Launch System) rocket launches the agency’s Artemis II mission to the Moon, four CubeSats, or small satellites, will be hitching a ride inside the rocket’s Orion stage adapter (OSA). All four Artemis II CubeSats are provided by countries that are signatories of the Artemis Accords. Payload deployment, which begins approximately five hours after launch, is controlled by the avionics unit.
Image Credit: NASA/Kevin O’Brien