Industry
13 years and $500 million for a stage adapter? Report justifies NASA cancellations.
NASA cancelled the Exploration Upper Stage (EUS) after spending more than $3.5 billion with no operational flights, opting instead to shift toward commercial hardware like Centaur V. On February 26, 2
NASA cancelled the Exploration Upper Stage (EUS) after spending more than $3.5 billion with no operational flights, opting instead to shift toward commercial hardware like Centaur V. On February 26, 2026, NASA formally cancelled the Exploration Upper Stage and Block 1B and Block 2 upgrades, choosing to continue flights using a standardized Block 1 configuration and pursue alternative upper-stage options. The program burned cash and slipped for years while being beaten by available market options.
Source: Ars Technica | 2026-06-24