Mars Science Laboratory to Liftoff at ~10am

[Bignate603]

A lot of the added cost came from NASA dragging out funding for the project. Also, Russian Plutonium to power the rover doesn't come cheap.

Congress had them delay it which drives up the cost, then points the finger at them when they go over budget. Funny how that works.

 

[Jeff7]

...actually they're probably discussing prosecuting someone.

http://news.yahoo.com/medvedev-suggests-prosecution-russia-space-failure-151946059.html

Phobos-Grunt ( to mars and return to earth with samples ) - $166 million

Mars Science Laboratory ( rover / sampling / experiments ) - $2.4 billion

Mars and back? About tree-fiddy.

Congress had them delay it which drives up the cost, then points the finger at them when they go over budget. Funny how that works.

Same story everywhere. :\
A variation:
1) Give engineering a tiny R&D budget. Engineering wants tools that are going to be expensive. Don't give engineering tools they need.
2) Very low price target.
3) Engineering does the best they can with the constraints and lack of equipment. Engineering warns management that the product will generate warranty issues.
4) Time passes.
5) Management blames engineering for causing warranty issues.
6) Rage.