A pair of lawmakers wants answers from NASA Administrator Charles Bolden after the civil space agency announced the initial flight of its Space Launch System (SLS) rocket may not take place until as late as November 2018.

“It is troubling that NASA officials are now claiming the agency is challenged to meet dates that you assured the committee were attainable under lower funding levels,” House Science, Space and Technology Committee (HSSTC) Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) and space subcommittee chairman Steven Palazzo (R-Miss.) said in a Aug. 27 letter. “It appears as the administration is starving these programs of funding and preventing important development work with the goal of pushing back schedules.”

Artist's illustration of NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) heavy lift launch vehicle concept. Photo: NASA.
Artist’s illustration of NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) heavy lift launch vehicle concept. Photo: NASA.

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) warned in a July report that NASA could miss its December 2017 goal for SLS because it was not on path to reach this milestone at a required confidence level of 70 percent, a key performance metric. GAO also noted, according to SLS’ risk analysis, NASA’s funding plan could be $400 million short of what the program needed to launch by 2017 (Defense Daily, July 24).

The lawmakers said Bolden testified in an early 2013 hearing and in written responses to follow-up questions that the NASA had enough money to deliver SLS on time in 2017 for its inaugural mission. Smith and Palazzo said Bolden’s statements did not square with GAO’s finding.

“While we recognize the possibility that (GAO’s) review was based on somewhat outdated information and that this shortfall may actually be lower given the additional funding from provided by Congress in spite of (President Barack Obama’s) budget request, your comments were made a year before the additional funding was added,” the lawmakers said. “We take these findings from GAO seriously, and since (NASA) concurred with all of the recommendations, it is my assessment that you do as well.”

Smith and Palazzo said they need responses to the following questions to provide further clarity for SLS and Orion, the multi-purpose space capsule to ride on SLS:

* Explain the $400 million risk being tracked by SLS, as indicated by GAO’s most recent audit;

* Will NASA be able to fly SLS for Exploration Mission-1 in calendar year 2017?

* Do you stand by your testimony that stated the agency had enough money for initial launch by 2017?

* What is the total termination liability for SLS and how would relief from NASA’s new interpretation of termination liability obligations affect SLS and Orion schedules?

NASA did not respond to a request for comment by press time.

SLS is NASA’s advanced, heavy lift launch vehicle intended for deep space exploration to destinations including an asteroid and Mars. SLS will carry Orion as well as important cargo, equipment and science experiments. Orion is scheduled to carry up to four astronauts beyond low earth orbit (LEO) on long-duration, deep space mission and include both crew and service modules and a launch abort system to significantly increase crew safety.

NASA Aug. 27 provided a development cost baseline of $7 billion for a 70-metric ton version of SLS from February 2014 through first launch no later than November 2018. NASA requested $1.4 billion in fiscal year 2015 for SLS development, program integration and support.