Artemis Program Driving NASA Cost Overrruns

The Artemis program endeavors to return American astronauts to the Moon and then on to Mars.  A July 1, 2025, Government Accountability Office (GAO) report noted that it is also responsible for almost half the cost overruns for major projects at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

The GAO has been tracking costs in 53 NASA projects since 2009.  During this timeframe, the 48 projects unrelated to Artemis have incurred a total of $8.1 billion in cost overruns, with the James Webb Space Telescope accounting for $4.5 billion.  Three of the five Artemis programs have accrued a combined $6.8 billion in cost overruns.  They are the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket ($2.7 billion); the Orion spacecraft, which would carry astronauts atop the SLS ($3.2 billion); and the Exploration Ground Systems, the infrastructure necessary to transport and launch the SLS ($887 million).

The Trump administration has called for an end to the SLS after three more launches, each of which will cost $4 billion.  The administration noted that the program is 140 percent over budget, and future funding for its mission will be provided for the development of private sector alternatives.

The substantial cost overruns of multiple critical elements of the Artemis mission indicate a rethink of the program is in order.  Citizens Against Government Waste has long argued for increased reliance on the private sector to replace NASA’s missions of exploration.  The support for this concept was first provided in the Grace Commission report.

NASA found success with the Commercial Orbital Transportation System (COTS), which tapped commercial companies to develop and operate two options for cargo transport to the International Space Station still in use today.  It should again use the COTS model to replace the overpriced elements of Artemis.