Awarding agency: National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Who got paid, how much, for what, and whether it is defensible. Citizen opinion on the record, not a mandate.
Status and record
IGF::CT::IGF RS-25 PRODUCTION RESTART TO BE UNDERTAKEN BY THE CONTRACTOR IN SUPPORT OF PROVIDING SIX RS-25 ENGINES MODIFIED AS NECESSARY FOR THE TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS UNDER THE SPACE LAUNCH SYSTEM, RECERTIFICATION OF PRODUCTION, IMPROVEMENTS IN MANUFACTURING, AND CERTIFICATION FOR FLIGHT PROGRAM.
$3.3B · DEFINITIVE CONTRACT · National Aeronautics and Space Administration · CA
FEDERAL SPENDING · CITIZEN OPINION
Was this federal payment to AEROJET ROCKETDYNE OF DE, INC worth it?
$3.3B · National Aeronautics and Space Administration to AEROJET ROCKETDYNE OF DE, INC
1 citizen weighed in · 100% worth it
What this award is
AI analysis
This is a contract between NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) and Aerojet Rocketdyne, a rocket engine company, to restart production of the RS-25 rocket engine and build six engines for the SLS (Space Launch System), which is NASA's large rocket designed to send astronauts into deep space. The company will also update manufacturing processes and certify the engines to be safe for flight.
DEEPER CONTEXTAnalysis · Risks · Arguments
WHY THIS MONEY IS BEING SPENT
WHY WAS THIS FUNDED?
This contract was made possible through NASA's human spaceflight programs, specifically the development of the SLS rocket, which Congress authorized to carry astronauts beyond low Earth orbit, including to the Moon and eventually Mars. The RS-25 engines were originally used on the Space Shuttle, and restarting their production was required to power the new SLS rocket.
WHAT PUBLIC PROBLEM IS IT TRYING TO SOLVE?
The United States needed a powerful rocket capable of carrying astronauts and heavy cargo to deep space destinations, and no domestic engine capable of doing that job was currently in production, creating a gap in American space launch capability.
WHO BENEFITS?
Aerospace workers at Aerojet Rocketdyne facilities, primarily in California, benefit through jobs created or sustained by this contract. The broader public benefits if the SLS rocket successfully enables NASA missions such as lunar exploration and future deep space travel.
Plain-language reading generated from the USASpending award record. Not legal or financial advice.
RISKS AND TRADEOFFS
WHAT ARE THE RISKS?
At $3.3 billion over roughly 14 years, this is a large, long-term contract, and cost overruns or schedule delays are a known risk in complex aerospace programs. There is also a policy debate about whether government investment in proprietary rocket engines is the most efficient use of taxpayer dollars given the growth of commercial space launch competitors.
WHAT HAPPENS IF FUNDING IS REMOVED?
If this contract were cancelled, NASA would lose its primary domestic engine supplier for the SLS rocket, potentially grounding or significantly delaying planned crewed missions to the Moon and deep space. It would also result in job losses at Aerojet Rocketdyne and could force NASA to seek alternative, possibly more expensive or less tested, propulsion solutions.
FOR AND AGAINST
ARGUMENTS FOR
- •Restarting RS-25 production preserves a proven, powerful engine design and keeps critical aerospace manufacturing expertise inside the United States.
- •The SLS rocket supports NASA's Artemis program goal of returning astronauts to the Moon, which has broad scientific, economic, and national prestige benefits.
- •Long-term contracts like this provide stability for skilled aerospace workers and help maintain a domestic industrial base for space and defense technology.
ARGUMENTS AGAINST
- •Critics argue that the cost of restarting and certifying RS-25 engines is extremely high when compared to newer commercial rockets that can launch at a fraction of the price.
- •The long timeline of 2015 to 2029 raises concerns about whether taxpayers are getting timely results, especially given past cost overruns in the SLS program overall.
- •Some experts question whether investing in SLS engines makes sense when private companies are developing competing deep-space capable rockets that may reduce the need for government-built alternatives.
SPENDING TIMELINE
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