All articles tagged with #budget overruns
NASA's Artemis II mission, aiming to return humans to the Moon for the first time since 1972, is delayed to April 2026 and has experienced a $6 billion increase in costs due to technical and developmental challenges with the Space Launch System, but it marks a significant step toward future lunar and deep space exploration.
NASA's Mars Sample Return mission is facing massive cost overruns and missed deadlines, similar to the challenges the James Webb Space Telescope overcame before its successful launch. The mission's budget has drawn threats of cancellation from lawmakers, and an independent review found "near zero probability" of meeting its proposed 2028 launch date within the current budget. Despite the challenges, supporters remain hopeful that the mission can follow a similar trajectory to the James Webb Space Telescope and deliver significant scientific progress.
NASA's Mars Sample Return (MSR) program, originally estimated to cost $5.3 billion, has faced complexity and mismanagement, leading to a revised cost of $10 billion or more and a delayed launch until 2030 at the earliest. An independent review identified management failures, unexpected design complexities, and external events such as the war in Ukraine as contributing to MSR’s difficulties. The review also highlighted the need for clearer guidelines, budget resiliency, and a unified message from NASA leadership to ensure the success of the mission.
NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, designed to take astronauts to the moon, is $6 billion over budget and six years behind schedule, according to a new audit from NASA's Inspector General. The report foresees "additional cost and schedule increases" that could potentially jeopardize the entire Artemis mission if problems aren't handled. The SLS uses older technology, including engines salvaged from retired Space Shuttles, which has caused cost and schedule overruns. The Inspector General blames the use of "cost-plus" contracts that allow suppliers to inflate budgets more easily, instead of fixed-priced contracts.