Another delay has been announced for NASA's Artemis 1 lunar mission.

NASA will need to replace an engine controller aboard the SLS rocket due to a communications issue in the avionics experienced during pre-flight testing. The rocket's principal contractor is Boeing, which has been faced by years of delays and has gone beyond budget by billions of dollars.

The launch of the SLS had been scheduled for February 12th, 2022, but has now been pushed out to March or April. The mission will be the first in the Artemis program, which aims to return men to the surface of the moon by the end of the decade.

NASA estimates to spend an additional $4.1 billion per launch for the SLS and Orion spacecraft after spending $11 billion so far. According to a NASA Inspector General study dated November 15th, this will cost roughly $16.4 billion for four initial flights.

Source: NASA , Tweaktown