It really is worth pointing out, again, that it’s $10 billion…for the entire estimated lifetime cost of the project. Amortized out over 20 years? I’m not saying it’s nothing…but given the US federal budget, it’s kind of nothing.

Compared to, oh, let’s say, $1.6 trillion dollars…

https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/air-force-admits-f-35-...

But that’s just petty to point that out.

I too would like to see a debrief on “what went wrong”…if there is anything that really went wrong. I mean, there isn’t exactly an off-the-shelf solution for an infrared space telescope deployed to a phenomenally distant orbit. One might reasonably expect a few cost overruns, when you’re making mirrors that have no real precedence anywhere in human history.