According to an audit report, there is a need for additional clarity and scheduling when it comes to the Space Launch System, the rocket designed for moon missions.
NASA Admits Space Launch System is Unaffordable (Photo: NASA)
NASA Admits Space Launch System is Unaffordable
ARSTECHNICA reports that NASA lacks transparency on the true costs of the Space Launch System moon rocket program.
NASA has spent billions of dollars on developing the Space Launch System rocket program, which was successfully launched last year with the Artemis 1 mission. However, despite the successful launch of the Space Launch System program, NASA officials admitted that the rocket was expensive to support moon exploration as part of the program.
It has been reported that NASA acknowledges that assessing the expenses of the Space Launch System rocket initiative may be challenging for taxpayers due to the complexity of the tools involved. Moreover, it seems that the cost projections for the program do not incorporate any potential setbacks to the Artemis 1 mission.
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Audit Notes NASA Needs to Clarify Space Launch Systems Cost Estimates
According to SPACE, the audit has revealed that there is no baseline cost for the future work of the Space Launch Systems.
The audit also noted that NASA hasn’t updated the Space Launch System’s estimates to include the increasing costs. Due to this delay, the Space Launch System Artemis 4 mission has moved its launch from 2026 to 2028. This is not the first time the Space Launch System has faced scrutiny, as it also faced similar scrutiny in 2014.
Further, NASA has implemented certain cost-saving measures such as using contracts that shift the risk to contractors instead of the government. However, the GAO noted in its summary statement that it is still too soon to gauge the impact of these strategies.
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