[natch]

This is indeed minor. The major failure is the entire program itself being set up without reusability and with a miserably slow launch cadence.

[JshWright]

Whether or not the program is a failure depends on what you view the end goal of SLS to be.

If you look at it as a federal jobs program that just happens to result in a rocket, then I'd say it was pretty successful...

[signatoremo]

They can still be a job program and also advance the state of the art of space exploration in material, propulsion, in orbit refueling, ISRU, etc. Instead they end up with a rocket using old technology engine, costing $4B a piece, being able to launch at most once a year. It’s a missed opportunity, charitably speaking.

[natch]

They could have had that number of jobs by building out rooftop solar or other beneficial projects.

[lokar]

I assume it has also sustained a large flow of campaign donations.