NASA's Office of Inspector General slams the Mars project for its lack of planning, delayed design, and what they call initial over-optimism.
In a harshly worded new audit, NASA’s Office of Inspector General slams the Mars Sample Return project for its lack of financial planning, delayed design, and what they call “initial over-optimism.”and viability through audits. Government watchdogs closely observe whether the taxpayer’s money is being used. They look at whether it is reasonable for a specific scientific achievement that can bring prosperity to humanity.
A landmark NASA program that aims to bring Martian rock samples back to Earth is hurtling toward a financial black hole for Mars exploration., NASA’s Office of Inspector General slams the Mars Sample Return project for its lack of financial planning,design, and what they call “initial over-optimism.” The estimated mission cost has climbed steadily and is now poised to rival some of the agency’s most expensive endeavors.
Delays have plagued a critical part of the program – the Capture, Containment, and Return System . This NASA-designed mechanism will grab sample containers shot into Mars orbit, sterilize them, and seal them for the journey back to Earth. It should have completed its preliminary design review in late 2022 but only wrapped this milestone in December 2023 due to technical snags. The OIG says these delays could cripple the whole project, leading to significant launch schedule changes.
The MSR program finds itself at a financial and design crossroads. The recently announced deal to fund spending bills, including NASA’s budget, offers hope. Now, Congress is scrambling to pass key funding bills by March 8, which would finally clarify NASA’s budget for the year. The White House is also expected to release its fiscal 2025 budget proposal on March 11. This and the looming architecture reassessment will be crucial in determining the ultimate path forward for NASA’s Martian dreams.Trump asked CIA to create fake social media accounts to troll China7 Timeless gifts for music lovers
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How to apply for NASA’s next Mars habitat simulationAndrew Paul is Popular Science‘s staff writer covering tech news. Previously, he was a regular contributor to The A.V. Club and Input, and has had recent work featured by Rolling Stone, Fangoria, GQ, Slate, NBC, as well as McSweeney’s Internet Tendency. He lives outside Indianapolis.
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