A NASA inspector general report revealed that the cost of building a second mobile launch platform for the Space Launch System could exceed six times its original estimate. Initially contracted to Bechtel for $383 million in 2019, the cost for Mobile Launcher 2 (ML-2) has ballooned to potentially $2.5 billion, with completion delayed to 2029. A 2022 audit had already projected costs nearing $1.5 billion. NASA’s baseline commitment now sets the cost at $1.8 billion with a delivery date of September 2027.