Sign up for CNN’s Wonder Theory science newsletter. Explore the universe with news on fascinating discoveries, scientific advancements and more. In the fervor-filled days leading up to the November 16 launch of the long-awaited Artemis I mission, an uncrewed trip around the moon, some industry insiders admitted to having conflicting emotions about the event.
’s Space Launch System , the most powerful rocket ever flown — and one of the most controversial. The towering launch vehicle was originally expected to take flight in 2016. And the decade-plus that the rocket was in development sparked years of blistering criticism targeted toward the space agency and Boeing, which holds the primary contract for the SLS rocket’s core.
, which noted in 2018 that it “had already recognized the opportunity to improve contract performance management” and agreed with the report’s recommendations. In various op-eds, the rocket has also been deemed “the result of unfortunate compromises and unholy politics,” a “colossal waste of money” and an “irredeemable mistake.” Despite all the heated debate that has followed SLS, by all accounts, the rocket is here to stay.
’s specific lunar goals. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has talked for more than a decade about his desire to get humans to Mars. More recently, he has said Starship could also be used to house giant space telescopes. Yet, another reason critics remain skeptical of SLS is because of its origins. The rocket’s conception can be traced back to
continued to stand by Boeing and the SLS rocket even as it became a political hot potato, with some in Congress both criticizing its costs and refusing to abandon the program. The SLS rocket ended up flying its first launch more than six years later than originally intended. Administrator Bill Nelson criticized the cost-plus contracting method, calling it a “plague.” More in vogue are “fixed-price” contracts, which have a firm price cap, like the kind
had been using…worked to the contractor’s — rather than inspector general, specifically pointed to Boeing as one of the contractors that would need to find “efficiencies” to bring down those costs as the Artemis program moves forward. In a December 7 statement to CNN, Boeing once again defended SLS and its price point.
’s Commercial Crew Program, and scandal after scandal plaguing its airplane division. Now that the Artemis I mission has returned safely home,