NASA’s Mars Laboratory Project Postponed, Records $400 Million Loss

NASA’s one of the most important projects till date, the Mars Science laboratory is not going to happen soon confirmed NASA spokesperson. Though it was scheduled for somewhere around early part of December but it is to be delayed for at least 2 years.

The setback to 2011 will not only be very frustrating for NASA and all the other space-addicts but also will see a substantial financial loss adding $400 million to the spacecraft’s cost, raising its total price to as much as $2.3 billion.

NASA chief Mike Griffin made a reference to the criticism at the briefing, saying that technical difficulties, not budget issues, forced the delay.

After a parachute landing, 9-foot-long mobile craft would roam the Martian equator, collecting and crushing rock samples for oven analysis over the course of one Martian year, 687 days. It will be looking for chemical precursors to life - that is whay USAtoday reports.

I wonder at this time of overwhelming financial depression, if NASA’s exploration needs a look at the budget rather than just canceling billion dollar projects. What do you think?