Submission + - SPAM: NASA increases cost estimate for SLS development
schwit1 writes: In an Aug. 27 blog post, Kathy Lueders, NASA associate administrator for human exploration and operations, said the agency was moving ahead with SLS development with the goal of a first launch of the heavy-lift rocket no later than November 2021.
In her statement, Lueders said NASA had increased the cost estimate for the development of the SLS and Exploration Ground Systems (EGS), the ground infrastructure needed to support SLS launches. For SLS, the “development baseline cost” is now $9.1 billion, while for EGS that cost estimate is now $2.4 billion.
NASA didn’t state by how much the programs’ costs increased. A U.S. Government Accountability Office report published in April assessing NASA’s major programs estimated the development cost of SLS at $8.75 billion and EGS development cost at $2.33 billion, both as of January. The new estimates represent increases of 4% for SLS and 3% for EGS over those in the GAO report.
However, both programs have seen their costs soar since NASA estimated baselines in 2014. At that time, NASA estimated an SLS development cost of $7.02 billion and EGS development cost of $1.84 billion.
The new estimates are both approximately 30% above the original baseline cost estimates. That is the threshold to trigger a formal congressional notification and rebaselining of the program. “NASA has notified Congress of these new commitments,” Lueders said in her statement.
A March report by NASA’s Office of Inspector General argued that the SLS program had already hit the 30% threshold required for notification and review. That report argued that NASA had removed nearly $1 billion in costs for the vehicle’s solid rocket boosters and RS-25 engines, but did not adjust the baseline cost estimate accordingly.
Who thinks SpaceX couldn't do the SLS mission at half the cost and in half the time?
Link to Original Source
In her statement, Lueders said NASA had increased the cost estimate for the development of the SLS and Exploration Ground Systems (EGS), the ground infrastructure needed to support SLS launches. For SLS, the “development baseline cost” is now $9.1 billion, while for EGS that cost estimate is now $2.4 billion.
NASA didn’t state by how much the programs’ costs increased. A U.S. Government Accountability Office report published in April assessing NASA’s major programs estimated the development cost of SLS at $8.75 billion and EGS development cost at $2.33 billion, both as of January. The new estimates represent increases of 4% for SLS and 3% for EGS over those in the GAO report.
However, both programs have seen their costs soar since NASA estimated baselines in 2014. At that time, NASA estimated an SLS development cost of $7.02 billion and EGS development cost of $1.84 billion.
The new estimates are both approximately 30% above the original baseline cost estimates. That is the threshold to trigger a formal congressional notification and rebaselining of the program. “NASA has notified Congress of these new commitments,” Lueders said in her statement.
A March report by NASA’s Office of Inspector General argued that the SLS program had already hit the 30% threshold required for notification and review. That report argued that NASA had removed nearly $1 billion in costs for the vehicle’s solid rocket boosters and RS-25 engines, but did not adjust the baseline cost estimate accordingly.
Who thinks SpaceX couldn't do the SLS mission at half the cost and in half the time?
Link to Original Source
