© Reuters. The NASA logo at Kennedy Space Center ahead of the NASA/SpaceX launch for a commercial crew mission to the International Space Station in Cape Canaveral, Florida, U.S., April 16, 2021. REUTERS/Joe Skipper/File Photo
According to reports from Reuters, NASA announced on Friday the termination of a project worth over $2 billion aimed at testing satellite servicing capabilities such as in-space fueling. The reason cited for this decision was the significant increase in costs and delays in the project’s timeline.
In October, NASA revealed that the On-orbit Servicing, Assembly, and Manufacturing 1 (OSAM-1) project was facing challenges leading to cost overruns beyond the originally estimated $2.05 billion budget and a launch date set for December 2026.
Explaining the rationale behind discontinuing the project, NASA mentioned ongoing technical difficulties, escalating costs, and timeline constraints. Additionally, a shift in the industry towards moving away from refueling unprepared spacecraft contributed to the lack of a committed partner for the project.
The substantial rise in project costs and delays in scheduling were primarily attributed to the unsatisfactory performance of contractor Maxar, as stated by NASA in their October announcement. Maxar had previously been involved in assisting NASA with the construction of the Gateway platform in lunar orbit, a critical component for upcoming missions to the moon.
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