Produced by: Tarun Mishra Designed by: Manoj Kumar
A report from NASA’s Office of Inspector General (OIG) has identified significant problems in the development of the Space Launch System (SLS) Block 1B mega rocket, potentially delaying future Artemis moon missions.
Credit : NASA
The report centres on the SLS Block 1B and its Exploration Upper Stage (EUS), designed to enhance the rocket’s cargo capacity to the moon. This upgraded version is slated for use in the Artemis 4 mission, currently planned for 2028.
Credit : NASA
Boeing, responsible for the SLS core and upper stages and the rocket’s flight avionics suite, has been found to conduct work at NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility that does not align with international standards or agency requirements, leading to multiple Corrective Action Requests (CARs) from the Defense Contract Management Agency.
The OIG attributes these quality-control issues primarily to a lack of adequately trained and experienced aerospace workers at Boeing. The company’s training and supervision measures have been deemed insufficient to address these deficiencies.
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The report projects that the SLS Block 1B costs will reach approximately $5.7 billion by its scheduled 2028 launch, exceeding NASA’s 2023 Agency Baseline Commitment by $700 million. The development of the EUS is a significant contributor to this overrun.
Credit : NASA
Boeing’s delivery of the EUS to NASA has been postponed from the original date of February 2021 to April 2027. These delays, combined with other factors, may affect the Artemis 4 mission timeline.
The OIG recommends the development of a compliant quality management training program for Boeing, issuing financial penalties for noncompliance, and conducting a detailed cost overrun analysis of Boeing’s EUS development contract. NASA has agreed to three of the four recommendations but has declined to implement financial penalties.
These findings add to existing challenges for NASA’s Artemis program. Previous delays have already pushed Artemis 2 and Artemis 3 to September 2025 and September 2026, respectively. Additionally, the Orion spacecraft faces its own set of issues, as highlighted in a May report concerning heat shield problems.
Credit : NASA