NASA’s Artemis program took to flight last year with the first of several missions to come.But according to a new report out by NASA’s independent Inspector General, the program has spent $6 billion more than it has at this stage.The report targets overspending in six years of delays and increased costs with the main engines and the two massive solid rocket boosters that make up the propulsion system for the Artemis SLS rocket stack.The RS-25 engines and smaller versions of the solid rocket boosters were used during the Space Shuttle program.Some of the engines were refurbished from Shuttles, but new ones also need to be manufactured.Part of the cost increases, according to the Inspector General report, is that the integration of the heritage engines and boosters from previous programs is taking more time and more money than expected.It was initially thought that using the RS-25 engines produced by Aerojet Rocketdyne and boosters made by Northrop Grumman was going the save money.Here’s the breakdown:The propulsion systems were initially projected to cost $7 billion over 14 years.They're now projected to cost at least $13.1 billion over 25 years.The total projected NASA investment in Artemis is $93 billion by 2025.Of that, $23.8 billion has already been spent on the SLS rocket program.Artemis 2 is scheduled to send four astronauts around the Moon in 2024.With the next mission, no earlier than 2025, Artemis 3 will put humans back on the Lunar surface after more than 50 years. Top headlines: Police: 2-year-old boy dies after being shot at Florida home Ace Cafe Orlando closing doors after 6 years Florida woman recovering after being bitten by venomous snake
BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — NASA’s Artemis program took to flight last year with the first of several missions to come.
But according to a new report out by NASA’s independent Inspector General, the program has spent $6 billion more than it has at this stage.
The report targets overspending in six years of delays and increased costs with the main engines and the two massive solid rocket boosters that make up the propulsion system for the Artemis SLS rocket stack.
The RS-25 engines and smaller versions of the solid rocket boosters were used during the Space Shuttle program.
Some of the engines were refurbished from Shuttles, but new ones also need to be manufactured.
Part of the cost increases, according to the Inspector General report, is that the integration of the heritage engines and boosters from previous programs is taking more time and more money than expected.
It was initially thought that using the RS-25 engines produced by Aerojet Rocketdyne and boosters made by Northrop Grumman was going the save money.
Here’s the breakdown:
- The propulsion systems were initially projected to cost $7 billion over 14 years.
- They're now projected to cost at least $13.1 billion over 25 years.
- The total projected NASA investment in Artemis is $93 billion by 2025.
- Of that, $23.8 billion has already been spent on the SLS rocket program.
Artemis 2 is scheduled to send four astronauts around the Moon in 2024.
With the next mission, no earlier than 2025, Artemis 3 will put humans back on the Lunar surface after more than 50 years.
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