Aerojet Rocketdyne (NYSE: AJRD) says that it has played a central role in enabling humanity’s next giant leap with the successful launch of NASA’s super-heavy lift Space Launch System exploration rocket. The company says that it provided critical elements to the Artemis I mission with propulsion on both the SLS rocket and uncrewed Orion spacecraft.

Aerojet Rocketdyne provided 39 propulsive elements for the Artemis I mission. This included 38 liquid engines and one solid rocket motor. Additionally, the company provided 14 high pressure tanks for the mission.

The company says that Artemis I is the first in a series of missions that will lead up to the return of astronauts to the lunar surface and establish a sustained human presence on and around the Moon. The rocket included four shuttle-derived RS-25 core-stage engines, which were built and upgraded by Aerojet Rocketdyne, that helped the massive SLS rocket lift off from Launch Complex 39B at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Eileen P. Drake, Aerojet Rocketdyne CEO and president stated: “All of our propulsion systems, including the SLS first- and second-stage engines, performed magnificently today. I want to offer my heartfelt congratulations to NASA for bringing the world’s most powerful rocket into service and look forward to the successful completion of the Artemis I mission.”

SLS and Orion are the foundational elements for the Artemis missions, which will help pave the way for future human missions to Mars. Both systems rely on Aerojet Rocketdyne propulsion, continuing the company’s rich legacy of supporting NASA’s human spaceflight endeavors.

Shares of Aerojet Rocketdyne trade on the NYSE under the ticker symbol AJRD.