Sen. Hutchison: Failure of Russian Resupply Mission Underscores Need to Sustain America's Leadership in Space

"The Assessment conducted by Booz Allen Hamilton makes clear that the cost projections provided by NASA for review are reasonable point estimates for budget planning in the near-term 3-5 year budget horizon. In other words, there is no cost-estimate-related basis for continuing to delay the commitment to proceed with the SLS development plans that were required by the Congress to have been delivered in the Section 309 Report that was due on January 10th. While some have highlighted that the assessment characterizes some of the cost estimates provided by NASA as "optimistic", the report findings underscore that the lack of such a vehicle "architecture" decision, and commitment to proceed with program development, is the primary reason that some of the materials provided to Booz Allen Hamilton for review were incomplete."

Keith's note: Either Sen. Hutchison and her staff have problems with the English language or they are deliberately parsing/misrepresenting what the cost report (one with no actual costs included) actually said with regard to NASA's SLS cost estimates. Such deliberate and blatant misrepresentations are deceptive and not in the public interest. In addition, she openly admits that NASA did not provide everything that Booz Allen Hamilton needed, but that's apparently OK with her so long as they gave her enough words like "reasonable" etc. to selectively quote to push her political position. This is crappy policy making in action.

Report to NASA: Independent Cost Assessment of the Space Launch System - Executive Summary

"None of the estimates reviewed by the ICA Team support establishment of long-term budgets or detailed baselines consistent with NPR 7120.5 requirements. They are, however, reasonable AoA estimates appropriate for supporting trade studies and comparative analyses. All three Program estimates assume large, unsubstantiated, future cost efficiencies leading to the impression that they are optimistic. A scenario-based risk assessment, which excludes cost estimating uncertainty and unknown-unknown risks (historically major sources of cost and schedule growth), reveals all three Programs' reserves are insufficient."