Business Insider by Marianne Guenot Sep 8, 2023
NASA spent billions on its SLS mega-rocket to take humans to the moon. It finally admitted it is 'unaffordable.'• NASA officials have said their SLS mega-rocket program is "unaffordable."
• The program has long been criticized for a lack of transparency over its growing budget.
• Officials agree the SLS budget "needs to be improved," but it's not clear how, per a government report.
Senior NASA officials have admitted their Space Launch System (SLS), which aims to help humans build a base on the moon, is "unaffordable," according to a US government watchdog.
When built, SLS will be the most powerful rocket ever created by the space agency. But costs are spiraling out of control.
NASA aims for its Orion spacecraft and its associated booster, collectively referred to as SLS, to play a crucial role in its Artemis missions to bring humans back to the lunar surface for the first time in over 50 years.
The agency had a big win last year when SLS flew around the moon on its maiden voyage. But the program has long come under fire for its ever-expanding budget and its lagging deadlines.
"Senior agency officials have told us that at current cost levels the SLS program is unsustainable and exceeds what NASA officials believe will be available for its Artemis missions," the Government Accountability Office (GAO) said in a report published Thursday.
More:
https://www.businessinsider.com/nasa-sls-mega-rocket-unaffordable-costs-hit-20-billion-2023-9
