CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Launch control software under development for NASA's deep-space exploration program is more than a year behind schedule and tens of millions of dollars over budget.
That's the word from NASA's own inspector general, who conducted the audit at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The results were released Monday.
The audit found that software needed to support NASA's next-generation rocket and deep-space Orion crew capsule is experiencing the same startup trouble as previous command and control software programs. Development of this new launch control software is now projected to exceed $200 million, 77 per cent above 2012 projections.
The software won't be ready until late 2017, instead of this summer as planned, and important capabilities like automatic failure detection are being deferred.
NASA has agreed to an independent review.
