Space Exploration
Cost, Schedule, and Performance of NASA's Galileo Mission to Jupiter Gao ID: NSIAD-88-138FS May 27, 1988In response to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the cost, schedule, performance and status of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Galileo mission to Jupiter.
GAO found that: (1) although NASA initially estimated the total costs for the project at $410.1 million, it increased its estimate to $1,362.5 million due to shuttle launch delays, changes to the upper stages of the booster rockets, and the shuttle accident; (2) the original launch date was delayed over 7 years, while the estimated end of the mission was delayed 10 years; (3) because of a space shuttle accident, NASA selected a less powerful but safer upper stage which would increase the cruise time to Jupiter by almost 4 years; and (4) NASA expected the mission to achieve or exceed its original objectives, since it was able to expand the scope of its scientific investigations and add or enhance the scientific instruments due to schedule delays.