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Boeing must improve quality control for SLS moon rocket, NASA inspector general says

Idris Bevan August 13, 2024

A scathing report from NASA’s Office of Inspector General (OIG) has highlighted several critical issues related to the development of the next version of the agency’s Space Launch System mega-rocket that will likely lead to delays in the Artemis moon missions.

The reportpublished by NASA’s internal oversight board on August 8, focuses on the gigantic Space launch system (SLS) Block 1B and its Exploration Upper Stage (EUS). Block 1B is designed to increase the amount of cargo that SLS can transport to the Moon. The improved version is key to NASA’s long-term lunar plans and will be used for Artemis4whose launch is currently planned for 2028.

The OIG found that work performed by Boeing – the prime contractor for the SLS core and upper stages and the rocket’s flight avionics suite – at NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans did not meet international standards or agency requirements. This resulted in numerous Corrective Action Requests (CARs) from the Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA). A CAR, which can vary in severity, indicates that work did not meet specific contract requirements.

According to the OIG report, these quality control deficiencies at Michoud are “primarily due to the lack of adequately trained and experienced aerospace workers at Boeing.” The report criticizes Boeing’s inadequate training and monitoring efforts for failing to correct these deficiencies, raising serious concerns about the safety and reliability of the SLS components.

The report also points to rising cost estimates and suggests that Artemis 4 may not be able to meet its planned launch date of September 2028 due to such problems.

Related: Space Launch System: NASA’s mega rocket for Artemis moon missions

“We expect costs for SLS Block 1B to reach approximately $5.7 billion before the system is scheduled to launch in 2028. That is $700 million more than NASA’s Agency Baseline Commitment for 2023, which set a cost and schedule baseline of nearly $5 billion,” the OIG report said.

“Development of the EUS accounts for more than half of these costs, which we estimate will rise from an initial cost of $962 million in 2017 to nearly $2.8 billion by 2028.”

It states that Boeing’s delivery of the EUS to NASA has so far been delayed from February 2021 to April 2027. These issues, combined with other factors, indicate further delays that would impact Artemis 4.

Boeing’s response to these problems also proved ineffective, particularly with regard to recurring quality control problems.

The OIG’s recommendations include developing a compliant quality management training program for Boeing and imposing fines for Boeing’s failure to meet quality standards. A detailed analysis of cost overruns on Boeing’s EUS development contract is also proposed. NASA agreed to three of four recommendations, but did not agree to imposing fines for Boeing’s failure to meet quality control standards.

The report is another blow to Boeing, whose Starliner The spacecraft is currently under observation after an unscheduled docking with the International Space Station (ISS) during tests related to problematic reaction control engines continue.

It is also another topic for NASA Artemis Program. The Artemis2 And Artemis3 Missions – the latter being the planned first return of humans to the lunar surface – have already been postponed this year to September 2025 and September 2026 respectively.

Meanwhile, Artemis’ Orion spacecraft, built by Lockheed Martin, is also struggling with problems. The NASA OIG issued a report in May due to problems with Orion’s heat shield that could further affect its readiness for the Artemis 2 mission, which will send astronauts around the moon.

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Boeing must improve quality control for SLS moon rocket, NASA inspector general says

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Boeing must improve quality control for SLS moon rocket, NASA inspector general says

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