Audit Determines NASA's New Rocket Is Unaffordable

An audit from the GAO revealed that NASA's SLS program in particular is much more expensive than originally hoped.

[Icasus]

Did we really need an audit for this? We knew the day SLS was announced that it was outdated and too expensive.

[nightlightabcd]

We are stuck with the S LS because it's a jobs program that involves in almost every state! Too big to fail.

[nicholasconklin]

You can thank Boeing, who has been charging 1 Billion for the main tank. Boeing has been squeezing every dollar put of Nasa

[petersmythe]

*>build rocket from mostly reuseable high end specialized shuttle hardware*
*>never any plans for mass production*
*>never any plans for reusing anything*
*>hyper-decentralized low volume production line with almost no industrialization*


Explain to me how it is remotely surprising this vehicle is expensive?

[MemeMan_MEMESQUAD]

For those unaware, this vehicle was designed to be as expensive as possible. Its purpose, if purpose is determined by those that devised the system, is to move federal money to factories in key states. Getting to space is actually a secondary purpose to the people who created it.

[wrxsti]

BEFORE IT WAS EVEN MADE, IT WAS OUTDATED

[scott]

Pros:
Right now it's the only human rating rocket that can send 39 tons to TLI. It's actually an extremely capable rocket. It's first flight was successful. Proven technology. This hardware is thoroughly understood. Responsible for many high paying jobs.

Cons:
Old technology, fully expendable.
Ungodly expensive, 2 billion a launch is a conservative estimate. SpaceX's Starship will likely be able to match many of SLS's current capabilities for far less. Starship lunar missions could cost as little as 20 million, even if fully exspended. When Starship is fully operational and in full production it could launch for as little as 2 million to LEO.

Edit:
Pros:
Kick A$$ lunar rocket

Cons:
Extremely expensive! Ridiculously expensive!
Ungodly expensive!

[xitheris]

It'll be very interesting to see how this plays out. The industry is changing so quickly that, despite flying only once, SLS is already very outdated.

[amahana]

ULA retired the Delta IV Heavy for this very reason. Falcon Heavy can perform the same mission for 1/3 the cost per launch. Anyone with two connected brain cells can see SLS is unsustainable because it’s incredibly expensive.

[RM-wepx]

This is what happens when you make choices to keep outdated jobs, over innovation and new jobs.

[MainlyHuman]

This isn't NASA's fault. This is a symptom of dysfunctional government in the US where programs are forced to pander to elected representatives in order to secure funding. The result is an overcomplicated supply chain and compromises being made at the design stage. It's exactly what was seen with the shuttle too. The US needs a better system to ringfence funding for government projects, and to allow experts more leeway to make decisions rather than politicians.

[magnum]

Yet SPACEX made 350 launches before a single anomaly...

[DecathlonG-BTXX]

its like NASA still using a Nokia 5110 and spacex using an I Phone

[nunyabusiness]

If you want a project to balloon out of control, get the Government involved!

[winstonscates]

I’ve been saying it is unaffordable since before the first one was barely started. Old technology. Hard to contain HydroLox fuel. Solid rocket boosters. All disposable.

[tbarnes]

The cost is ridiculous. This is not a serious long-term effort to establish a permanent presence on the moon.

[jimmooney]

The SLS is an insult to engineers and Americans in general. NASA's brand new rocket is built around a rocket motor that was designed in the 1960s. Would you buy a 2024 car that sported a 1964 engine? At a cost of $2 BILLION per launch they could instead launch 100 Falcon Heavys.

Someone drown this buzzard!

[RFMaster]

This project is a boondoggle. Lunar transportation should be relegated to private firms instead of a national legacy project

[plainText]

Wasn't SLS supposed to transition to a cheaper contract with EPOC or pre-EPOC right about now?

[WhyInnovate]

It worked all the first time it launched just it was 20 years too late. would’ve been great if we had it to fill the gap between the space shuttle being down and SpaceX coming up