House SS&T Hearings on James Webb Space Telescope Program Breach, July 2018

The House Science, Space, and Technology Committee held a pair of hearings on July 25 and 26, 2018 on “James Webb Space Telescope: Program Breach and Its Implications.” NASA has informed Congress that JWST will breach the congressionally-imposed cost cap of $8 billion for development and Congress now must reauthorize the program for it to proceed.  The new development cost estimate is $8.803 billion, a 10 percent increase, and the launch date has slipped from October 2018 to March 2021.

SpacePolicyOnline.com published a summary of the two-day hearing on July 27, 2018:  House Hearing Gives JWST Lots of Love, But Tough Love for Northrop Grumman.

Witnesses on July 25 were:

• Jim Bridenstine, NASA Administrator
• Tom Young, Chair, JWST Independent Review Board (IRB)

Witnesses on July 26 were:

• Wesley Bush, Chairman and CEO, Northrop Grumman (JWST’s prime contractor)
• Tom Young (appearing for a second time)