NASA's Space Launch System Project Faces Challenges in Upcoming Launch
Galactic Gaffes: NASA's Lunar Launcher Disaster Unveiled
The latest news from NASA's Office of Inspector General (OIG) has sent shockwaves through the space community. The report, issued this week, exposes the chaos surrounding the development of NASA's second mobile launcher (ML-2) for its Moon rocket, and the jaw-dropping figure of a possible additional $2.2 billion in costs.
The blunt report lays out the findings from an audit of the ongoing development of the mobile launcher, which will assist in assembling, transporting, and launching NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. The OIG uncovered significant cost overruns and schedule delays, hinting that the mobile launcher could cost an eye-watering six times its initial value.
In 2019, NASA awarded a $383 million contract to Bechtel to design and build the second mobile launcher, intended to transport the SLS rocket to its launchpad for the upcoming Artemis 4 mission, scheduled for launch in September 2028. Back then, Bechtel was expected to deliver the launcher by March 2023. However, by 2022, the contract value had ballooned to over $1 billion and its completion date slipped to May 2026.
The OIG's damning assessment projects that the mobile launcher could end up costing $2.7 billion and be unavailable until September 2029, well past the SLS launch deadline. The OIG's predictions are rooted in the cost overruns that have occurred over the past three years, and the amount of construction yet to be completed.
"Cost and schedule estimates from NASA and Bechtel have fluctuated wildly, making it challenging for NASA to determine its funding needs, account to Congress and other stakeholders, and accurately measure project and contractor performance," the report noted. The OIG further warns that the Agency's history of increasing the ML-2's cost estimate over time suggests that costs will likely exceed current projections.
NASA officials contested the OIG's analysis, arguing that the cost growth of the ML-2 will decrease as construction progresses. However, the OIG remains sceptical, stating that "it is still too early to determine the impact on the contract's continued cost growth."
NASA's Moon return aspirations have been peppered with increased costs and delays. The space agency has faced scrutiny for the escalating expenses of its Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, which already set back the agency approximately $6 billion more than the initial estimates. Even Mobile Launcher 1 (ML-1), responsible for transporting the SLS rocket from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Pad 39B at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, has faced similar challenges.
In light of these setbacks, NASA has begun exploring cheaper alternatives for the SLS, such as a launch service model for its operation. Under this approach, NASA would purchase future launches and payload capabilities from a contractor who would bear the ownership, operation, and integration of the rocket.
NASA's SLS rocket embarked on the Artemis 1 mission on November 16, 2022, sending an uncrewed Orion capsule to the Moon. The mission was the first time SLS had been launched, but it was far from the last for this problematic rocket. SLS has been penciled in for the Artemis 2 mission, scheduled for a 10-day journey to the Moon and back in September 2025, and future missions beyond. As NASA prepares to establish a sustainable human presence on the Moon, it might need more than just perseverance to dodge this recurring budgetary disaster.
More: NASA's Moon Budgetary Fiasco: Doubling Down on the SLS Nightmare
Background: The spiraling costs of NASA's Mobile Launcher 2 stem from several factors. Initially, estimates for the project were far too low, which has led to subsequent cost overruns. The project has also experienced significant delays, which have contributed to the mounting expenses. Contractual issues and accounting factors have also exacerbated the problem, as the cost-plus contract with Bechtel allows costs to rise without a fixed cap. These issues combined have resulted in the ML-2 cost potentially increasing six times its initial estimated value.
- To integrate cost-effective solutions, NASA is considering a launch service model for the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, which would have NASA purchasing launches and eliminating the ownership, operation, and integration costs.
- The cost overruns and delays in the development of NASA's second mobile launcher (ML-2) for the Artemis 4 mission have raised questions about the affordability of NASA's Moon return aspirations, with costs potentially escalating six times the initial estimate.
- In the audit of the ongoing development of the mobile launcher, the Office of Inspector General (OIG) pointed out the integration of cost-plus contracts with Bechtel, which may have led to cost growth not being capped properly.
- As the budget for NASA's Moon missions continues to spiral, there is a need for an assessment of current trajectories, aiming to reduce the costs associated with the Space Launch System (SLS) launches and establish a sustainable human presence on the Moon.
