NASA's Mega Moon Rocket, the Space Launch System (SLS), has incurred a staggering cost overrun of $6 billion and is facing a six-year delay, according to a scathing report released by the office of NASA's inspector general. The report scrutinized NASA's management of contracts for the SLS rocket and its engines, revealing that the overall investment in NASA's Artemis Moon program is projected to reach $93 billion by 2025, with $23.8 billion already spent on the SLS.
The SLS rocket made its inaugural launch on November 16, 2022, as part of the Artemis 1 mission. The rocket, weighing 5.75 million pounds, features four RS-25 engines repurposed from the retired Space Shuttle project. However, once the existing engines are depleted, NASA plans to switch to the RS-25E engines, which are currently being developed by Aerojet Rocketdyne and offer a 30% cost reduction and 111% of rated thrust.
The report attributes the cost increases to the complexities of integrating new systems with older components, which were initially expected to yield cost and schedule savings. Although NASA aims to reduce SLS costs with the use of more affordable engines, the report warns that these savings do not account for overhead and other expenses. Each SLS launch requires four engines and two boosters, with one RS-25 engine alone costing around $100 million.
The report concludes with a cautionary message, emphasizing that without addressing these issues, NASA's excessive costs and delays could result in a diminished availability of funds, postponed launches, and a decline in public trust. The future of NASA's Artemis program remains uncertain in light of these challenges.