NASA’s Office of Inspector General (OIG) issued on August 27, 2019 a “Follow-up to May 2019 Audit of Europa Mission: Congressional Launch Vehicle Mandate.”
It notes, among other items, that NASA’s renewed focus on returning humans to the Moon on an accelerated timetable means that a Space Launch System (SLS) will not be available to launch the Europa Clipper mission to Europa before 2025 at the earliest.
“Given all of the foregoing factors, we urge Congress to consider removing the requirement that NASA launch the Europa Clipper on an SLS and allow the Agency to decide whether to use an SLS or commercial vehicle based on cost, schedule, vehicle availability, and impact on science requirements,” the OIG reports.
For full report, go to: