The Government Accountability Office, the congressional budget watchdog, found cost overruns in at least nine big NASA projects:
Mars Science Laboratory. Price: $2.3 billion, up $657.4 million since October 2007. Launch delayed 25 months to October 2011.
NPOESS Preparatory Project a satellite to study atmosphere and sea temperatures. Price: $794.6 million, up $121.8 million since October 2006. Launch delayed 26 months to June 2010.
Kepler Earth-like planet hunter. Price $594.8 million, up $97.3 million since October 2006. Launch delayed 9 months to March 2009.
Glory global warming satellite. Price: $347.9 million, up $81.8 million since October 2007. Launch delayed 6 months to June 2009.
Fermi Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope. Price: $774.5 million, up $51.2 million since October 2006. Launched June 2008, 9 months late.
Orbiting Carbon Observatory global warming satellite. Price: $273.1 million, up $37.9 million since October 2007. Launch delayed 5 months to February 2009; equipment failed after launch, project destroyed.
Solar Dynamics Observatory sun-studying satellite. Price: $817 million, up $31.5 million since October 2006. Launch delayed 17 months to January 2010.
Aquarius Earth water probe. Price: $253.1 million, up $11.7 million since October 2007. Launch delayed 10 months to May 2010.
Dawn asteroid explorer. Price: $465 million, up $4.6 million since October 2006. Launched in Sept. 2007. No delay.
Source: Government Accountability Office. Cost estimates are as of December 2008.
