NASA's Latest Budget Problems

Major NASA projects over budget, USA Today

“Two-thirds of NASA’s major new programs are significantly over budget or behind schedule, according to the agency’s latest report to Congress. NASA’s nearly stagnant budget requires the agency to cut projects to make up for unexpected expenses, and cost overruns nearly shut down one of the rovers on Mars — until it got a reprieve Tuesday. They also threaten completion of a climate-change satellite called Glory.”

Mars Rovers Survive NASA’s Budget Crunch, Washington post

“Closing down either of the rovers is not on the table,” Brown quoted Griffin as saying Monday night. Then yesterday NASA released a statement that said: “This letter was not coordinated with the administrator’s office and is in the process of being rescinded. The administrator has unequivocally stated that no rover will be turned off.”

NASA holds off on budget cuts to Mars rover program, LA Times

“Griffin’s statement blamed the cost overruns “in large part” on an underestimate of the design problems connected with building a rover as complex as the MSL, which has cooking ovens and a laser that can zap rocks from a distance. Other factors include a need for a larger than expected workforce at JPL, as well as the cost of redesigning the heat shield for the rover after the original shield failed in tests.”