Senate Questions , Viability of NASA's , Ambitious Mars Mission.<br />'The Hill' reports that the Senate has <br />signaled deep concerns about NASA's plan <br />to gather soil samples from Mars.<br />'The Hill' reports that the Senate has <br />signaled deep concerns about NASA's plan <br />to gather soil samples from Mars.<br />The mission's cost is one of <br />those concerns, 'The Hill' reports.<br />The Mars mission has been offered <br />just $300 million in funding for <br />fiscal 2024 by Senate appropriators. .<br />That's less than a third of the , $949 million that NASA , requested for the mission.<br />The Committee has significant concerns <br />about the technical challenges facing <br />MSR and potential further impacts on <br />confirmed missions, even before MSR has <br />completed preliminary design review, Appropriations Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies <br />subcommittee, 2024 appropriations bill, via 'The Hill'.<br />The Committee has significant concerns <br />about the technical challenges facing <br />MSR and potential further impacts on <br />confirmed missions, even before MSR has <br />completed preliminary design review, Appropriations Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies <br />subcommittee, 2024 appropriations bill, via 'The Hill'.<br />NASA's estimates for <br />the mission's development costs have <br />soared from $4.4 billion to over $9 billion.<br />The Senate said that it would rescind the allocated <br />$300 million if the space agency cannot guarantee the <br />overall cost of the mission will not exceed $5.3 billion.<br />'The Hill' reports that NASA's estimated price tag does not <br />include launch costs, operating costs or the construction <br />of a sample-receiving facility to house Martian soil.<br />The Senate subcommittee also noted that <br />NASA's aggressive 2028 launch date is likely <br />to slip, which would increase costs as well.<br />'The Hill' reports that NASA's Artemis lunar program has also <br />gone way over its planned budget and is expected to cost <br />$93 billion by the time astronauts make it to the lunar surface. .<br />'The Hill' reports that NASA's Artemis lunar program has also <br />gone way over its planned budget and is expected to cost <br />$93 billion by the time astronauts make it to the lunar surface.
