After shelling out tens of billions developing its super-heavy Space Launch System (SLS) to go to the Moon, NASA wants private space companies to keep the doomed system running for the next 3 decades.
First spotted by Ars Technica, NASA has requested that a single contractor can take up the production work, ownership of flight hardware, and operations. The space agency is also ready to lease the system to other contractors.
$2 billion for every launch
NASA proposes that it could remain an “anchor tenant” of the SLS, flying a crew into space using the rocket. It means the space agency is ready to use the troubled launch system for a long time once it’s handled by another contractor.
NASA is also suggesting the contractor could produce the rocket at half the price compared to the current per flight cost, Ars reports. While the move is appreciated, it also raises the question of why the space agency did not build a cost-effective and more practical rocket, to begin with.
The rocket has cost more than $30 billion and over a decade to develop. Besides, it’s an expensive way to send astronauts to the Moon. As per the 2019 budget estimates, each launch might cost more than $2 billion. Unlike SpaceX’s Starship heavy launch system, the SLS is fully expandable, which means its components can never be reused.
Private players might consider NASA’s offer
The report also points out that it wouldn’t be the first time the space agency tried offloading a launch system. Given NASA’s existing relations and yearly budget, it’s possible a contractor will step forward soon to take control of the SLS.
Besides, NASA has also announced that it will be heading to the Moon again early next year. This will be the uncrewed Artemis I mission that will be launched in February 2022. The space agency finished stacking its Orion spacecraft on the Space Launch System recently. Orion is said to be the most powerful rocket in the world. It will be lifted onto the rocket and testing will begin ahead of the launch next year.
