Is Ares/Constellation cancelled or not?

[banquo's_bumble_puppy]

Tests are happening. Seems like folks don't want this program to die. Without igniting a political debate- is the program dead or undead? Kinda Zombiefied....

[Swift]

bbp,

I've moved this thread to the Space Exploration thread.

[banquo's_bumble_puppy]

bbp,

I've moved this thread to the Space Exploration thread.

thanks.....sorry 'bout that

[NEOWatcher]

...Kinda Zombiefied....

Exactly;
Until there's a final bill or directive they are still bound to previous directives.

[banquo's_bumble_puppy]

Exactly;
Until there's a final bill or directive they are still bound to previous directives.

an all Zombie space program.....kewl

[Parallax M86]

It's not officially dead or canceled. We'll have to see. Hopefully some time before this year is over. Official cancellation will need majority Congressional approval.

For the time being it still proceeds more or less like it's still on. An Orion LAS flight is still scheduled and so is an "Ares I-X Prime" flight which replaces the Ares I-Y flight. Ares I-X Prime will use an actual 5-segment SRB first stage instead of a 4-segment SRB with a dummy fifth segment like Ares I-X did. Ares I-X Prime might also have a test version of the J-2X. The production of the J-2X is still proceeding as far as I know. An Ares V-Y flight to test the Ares V is also still scheduled.

It would be nice to get a decision soon. I don't like living in Limbo like this. My guess is at least some elements of Constellation will continue and at least some elements of Obama's plan will pass. Since Obama's plan is curiously open when it comes to vehicles (it has no official vehicles) the vehicles from Constellation could end up being continued and recycled into Obama's plan by Congress. Project Constellation and Obama's plans aren't package deals so Congress can cut and switch where they want.

[tlbs101]

Exactly;
Until there's a final bill or directive they are still bound to previous directives.

My company is still under contract to deliver upper-stage avionics for Ares I. Part of my paycheck 2 months ago came from a preliminary analysis I did for that "box", and I expect I will be doing the final reliabiity analysis in June or July.

.

[tlbs101]

an all Zombie space program.....kewl

Braaaaiiiinnsss... BraaAAAIIiinsss....

[Antice]

i thought zombie engineers were the ones that had brains already?

[JustAFriend]

The wind blows back and forth..... I wonder if during that conference down here in Canaveral a few weeks ago that the administration finally realized how many people were going to be put out of work during an already difficult economy....

[banquo's_bumble_puppy]

Braaaaiiiinnsss... BraaAAAIIiinsss....

poor zombies would starve to death in the current climate

[NEOWatcher]

The wind blows back and forth..... I wonder if during that conference down here in Canaveral a few weeks ago that the administration finally realized how many people were going to be put out of work during an already difficult economy....

You don't even have to lose the jobs to induce panic in the government.

Over here, NASA is moving jobs from one building to another across the street while they remodel. Unfortunately, the move crosses city lines and will drastically impact the suburb.
Fairview Park faces loss of tax dollars as NASA Glenn relocates workers to Brook Park

[Craigboy]

The wind blows back and forth..... I wonder if during that conference down here in Canaveral a few weeks ago that the administration finally realized how many people were going to be put out of work during an already difficult economy....

But the amount of people are part of the problem, no its not their fault but the shuttle program was/is more expensive than it could have been because of the amount of people required per launch.

[mugaliens]

The wind blows back and forth..... I wonder if during that conference down here in Canaveral a few weeks ago that the administration finally realized how many people were going to be put out of work during an already difficult economy....

NASA's purpose is not "work for welfare." All tax-payer-funded programs should be kept or chucked based on their own merits, not how many people it keeps off the streets.

[Tassel]

There is a Senate committee hearing going on right now (started at 2:30PM) that will probably shed some light on the fate of Constellation.

In addition to the usual suspects in the administration and the senate, Norm Augustine, Neil Armstrong and Gene Cernan will be speaking at some point.

[Craigboy]

There is a Senate committee hearing going on right now (started at 2:30PM) that will probably shed some light on the fate of Constellation.

In addition to the usual suspects in the administration and the senate, Norm Augustine, Neil Armstrong and Gene Cernan will be speaking at some point.

Weird stuff, Neil almost never appears at public events.

EDIT: Awesome they have a label blocking the name of the speakers.

[Tassel]

The NASA TV feed doesn't have the label.

[Craigboy]

Bolden says the first crew commercial flights will occur in 2015.

EDIT: Earliest we will send a human beyond LEO is 2020.

EDIT2: Neil is on.

[Tassel]

Gene Cernan quoting Charlie Bolden on what will happen if commercial crew fails:
"It may be the largest bailout in history".

Gene is really PO'd.

[Craigboy]

Gene Cernan quoting Charlie Bolden on what will happen if commercial crew fails:
"It may be the largest bailout in history".

Gene is really PO'd.

Ya, things aren't looking good for Bolden. But the thing I don't get is that they want constellation to continue but they're not willing to fund it.

[Garrison]

Ya, thinks aren't looking good for Bolden. But the thing I don't get is that they want constellation to continue but they're not willing to fund it.

They're politicians, you were expecting logic?

[Tassel]

The funny thing is that earlier one of the senators called Bolden on the commercial "bailout" quote, how he said it would be "possibly bigger than the GM bailout", etc. and that he heard about that statement from a person who was in the room when it was said. Bolden bobbed and weaved and said he didn't recall saying that. Then Gene comes out and basically tells everyone he was the source, and confirms that yeah, Bolden did say exactly that.

[Craigboy]

I think Hutchinson is missing the point

[Hop_David]

Ya, things aren't looking good for Bolden. But the thing I don't get is that they want constellation to continue but they're not willing to fund it.

A viable space architecture isn't their goal. They're just trying to bring home the bacon to their constituents.

[Tassel]

Gene Cernan for NASA Administrator.

[Craigboy]

Gene Cernan for NASA Administrator.

But he himself also doesn't have a real goal.

[Tassel]

The NASA Administrator doesn't set the goals. The reason I half-jokingly said he should be the administrator is his "get it done" attitude and clear willingness to battle for what he believes.

That and because he threw the current one under the bus, so it's only fair that he fill the position.

[mugaliens]

Meeting adjourned!

ETA: I caught the last half hour. I felt sorry for Mr. Armstrong, as he was really trying to support going back to the Moon, but not doing a very good job of providing detailed justification for doing so. I hope his and Mr. Lovell's written testimony is more substantial.