NASA clears Mars lander despite overruns
Posted: Fri, Feb 2, 2007, 8:25 AM ET (1325 GMT)
NASA officials have decided to let a Mars lander mission scheduled for launch later this year proceed despite cost overruns. The Phoenix mission underwent a "termination review" at NASA headquarters last week after the project indicated it would exceed its $386-million cost cap by as much as $31 million. Project officials blamed the increased costs on problems with a commercial radar altimeter they had planned to use on the spacecraft, as well as delays in finding a suitable landing site on Mars. NASA has not indicated how much additional money it will provide the project, or what effect providing that money would have on other agency programs. Phoenix, based on hardware developed for a cancelled 2001 lander mission, is scheduled for launch in August.
NASA officials have decided to let a Mars lander mission scheduled for launch later this year proceed despite cost overruns. The Phoenix mission underwent a "termination review" at NASA headquarters last week after the project indicated it would exceed its $386-million cost cap by as much as $31 million. Project officials blamed the increased costs on problems with a commercial radar altimeter they had planned to use on the spacecraft, as well as delays in finding a suitable landing site on Mars. NASA has not indicated how much additional money it will provide the project, or what effect providing that money would have on other agency programs. Phoenix, based on hardware developed for a cancelled 2001 lander mission, is scheduled for launch in August.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
|
|
news links
|
|
Thursday, March 5
AST SpaceMobile Has Big Cellular Satellite Plans for 2026. Can It Deliver?
PC Magazine — 6:26 am ET (1126 GMT) Vandenberg SFB Conducts ICBM Test Launch, Moves SpaceX Mission to Saturday
Noozhawk — 6:22 am ET (1122 GMT) Feds weigh request to change Boca Chica Beach to ‘Cyber Beach’
San Antonio Express-News — 6:21 am ET (1121 GMT) SpaceX: the final frontier of IPOs
Financial Times — 6:21 am ET (1121 GMT) Space firms to scale-up and thrive in Britain with government backing for bolder strategy
UK Space Agency — 6:20 am ET (1120 GMT) |
