My understanding is that over the last six months considerable rewriting of the software has been required.

We will see how it all turns out.

They’re doing V&V.

“Do you have a link or other evidence?”

No, my sources are people I know participated in the FRR dry run. I realize you may choose to reject this – but, that is the situation. This whole matter has gotten to be politically touchy. I will not (for what I hope are obvious reasons) say anything to further identify them.

“There is a small pot of money (~5%, IIRC) within the COTS budget for the NASA program office.”

That might be the source of the funding. Probably alright to use it for testing support, but it would be a stretch to use it for actual coding.

Fair criticism.

“What actually has happened is that in the dry run for this test flight FRR”

Do you have a link or other evidence?

“where the money to pay the non-Space X personnel”

There is a small pot of money (~5%, IIRC) within the COTS budget for the NASA program office.

An interesting progression of descriptive language. First MSNBC reports:“but more time is needed to analyze changes in SpaceX’s flight software and make sure all systems are go.”

Then MSNBC reports (siting their own previous article):”but SpaceX said liftoff would be held up while NASA was double-checking changes in the flight software.”

So “analyze changes” had been changed to “double-checking”.

Then “Dark Blue Nine” changes the description again:“because NASA technicians need more time to understand the mission software”.

So “double-checking” is now changed to “understand”.

Then “Dark Blue Nine” asserts:“The schedule slippage is due to NASA, not SpaceX.”

Blaming the delay on NASA not understanding Space X software (even though he is the only one to imply that NASA does not understand Space X software).

What actually has happened is that in the dry run for this test flight FRR last fall the Space X software just plain did not work. NASA has been working with Space X since that time to fix Space X software problems. It would be interesting to know – for those who claim to believe that the COTS program is commercial – where the money to pay the non-Space X personnel to help Space X fix its software problems is coming from:
– Is Space X being billed?
– Is the money coming from COTS (and how does that match up with ‘fee for service’)?
– Or is the money being transferred from other NASA accounts?

NASA is not going to fire a company when NASA technicians need more time to understand the mission software:

“The launch of SpaceX’s Dragon capsule atop a Falcon 9 rocket at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida had been set for May 7, but SpaceX said liftoff would be held up while NASA was double-checking changes in the flight software.”

http://cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/05/03/11525131-spacex-chief-wants-to-be-spaceflier?lite

Don’t be a flaming idiot, fella. The schedule slippage is due to NASA, not SpaceX.

“You are aware that Constellation Systems (for whatever reason) was cancelled, right?”

For whatever reason? Don’t be so naive Joe – Constellation was far over budget, far behind schedule, and according to the GAO it lacked a clear business case. Because of that a bipartisan Congress cancelled it without much discussion or disagreement.

The bigger question now is what happened to the people who were responsible for the cost & schedule overruns?

Fired for mismanagement? Promoted for spending so much money? Sent back to management school?

Until we address the reasons why NASA programs go so horribly over budget, NASA will never be able to afford to leave LEO.

“Should we fire the managers of Constellation for being years behind schedule and billions over budget?”

You are aware that Constellation Systems (for whatever reason) was cancelled, right?

Take your pills and goto bed.