Prometheus 1 Budget Check Is Called For

NASA should determine the exact cost of its Prometheus 1 propulsion project before proceeding with the program, according to a Government Accountability Office study.

The aim of the project is to develop a nuclear-electric propulsion system for space exploration. NASA has asked for $319.6 million for the year beginning in October, and has projected the annual cost to rise to about $779 million by 2010, according to budget documents. Yet the Congressional Budget Office estimates the project will cost as much as $10 billion.