The Government Accountability Office highlights concerns about the funding trajectory for NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS), noting that current spending levels threaten affordability for the United States and the agency itself. A report covered by RIA News summarizes these findings and implications for ongoing missions.
The SLS program aims to launch the Orion crewed spacecraft on deep space missions, including lunar objectives. NASA officials have acknowledged to GAO that rising costs have stretched the program beyond what was originally envisioned, raising questions about feasibility within existing budgets.
To address cost pressures, NASA has developed an implementation plan that includes strategies intended to reduce expenses on future tasks. However, persistent cost growth and limited cost visibility complicate efforts to achieve transparent governance for both NASA and Congress.
NASA has requested approximately 11.2 billion dollars to support the SLS program through 2028. The Artemis lunar initiative, first announced during the prior administration, initially targeted lunar flights beginning in 2024. Following leadership changes, the schedule shifted to 2025 and now faces potential delays into 2026 as program logistics and funding unfold.
The Artemis 1 mission successfully orbited the Moon in November 2022. Artemis 3, focused on returning astronauts to the lunar surface, has been planned for 2025 but may be postponed to 2026 pending program progress and budget approvals. This cadence underscores ongoing strategic and financial challenges surrounding lunar ambitions.
In the broader context, Roscosmos has emphasized resilience after Luna-25, stating that setbacks should not halt ambitious space exploration. The international momentum around lunar exploration continues to rely on coordinated funding, policy clarity, and shared technical progress [Cited sources: GAO report; Roscosmos statements; Artemis program updates].