I suspect that the “status quo” powers got to Senator Nelson, and we are left with the best excuse he could come up with for changing his position.

FWIW,

– Al

As to Scolese comments, very sad too. It may take multiples of $150M to actually get a human-rated vehicle per NASA’s guidelines, but how many multiples until the cost of Ares/Orion? Especially if the eventual sole purpose of Constellation is go to LEO.

If the leadership cannot get to the realization that it may take awhile but, if there is will, Private space will make it happen with whatever funds they have. If it so happens then NASA’s exploration, especially if limited to LEO, will become irrelevant and obsolete. Then said leadership can go cry to Congress to get any money to do anything that makes sense!

Sen. Nelson is interested in throwing federal tax dollars at an empty launch pad that, even after sinking considerable Florida tax dollars into the facility, no one is interested in using and therefore won’t create any ongoing business, jobs, or tax revenue in Florida.

But Sen. Nelson is not interested in accelerating the development of a space transportation capability that NASA and the private sector are interested in using and that would create an ongoing business, jobs, and tax revenue in Florida.

I’m no fan of parochial politics, but if we’re going to twist the nation’s space program and siphon my federal tax dollars to serve Florida, then let’s at least do so intelligently in a way that actually benefits Florida.

How idiotic…

http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2009/06/01/090601fa_fact_gawande?currentPage=all

Nonsense.

The fiscal black hole called the bank bailout & the DoD would be more likely targets not to mention the REAL federal budget problem, medical cost growth.

“…If we brought the cost curve in the expensive places down to their level, Medicare’s problems (indeed, almost all the federal government’s budget problems for the next fifty years) would be solved….”

Be honest and pay attention to the whole picture not just your pet area.

The reason? The fiscal black hole called Ares.