NASA finally acknowledges the elephant in the room with the SLS rocket

Here's something that might surprise you — after 15 years and over $30 billion, NASA finally admits the SLS rocket isn't living up to expectations. You see, this massive rocket has been plagued with delays and skyrocketing costs, mainly because of its complex ground systems and the tricky hydrogen fuel. According to Eric Berger writing in Technology, the last time NASA tried to launch the giant orange rocket in 2022, it faced multiple scrubs during its critical fueling tests. It was rolled back to the hangar, then brought back to the pad, only to be delayed again. So what does this mean for NASA’s space ambitions? Well, Berger points out that despite all the time and money spent, the SLS is still slow and expensive — kind of a white elephant. But here's where it gets interesting: NASA’s finally recognizing these flaws openly. That shift could push the agency toward new, more efficient ways to explore space — something to watch for in the coming years.