Is OMB Considering Shuttle Termination?

Editor’s 19 Sep note: David Radzanowski at OMB (Office of Management and Budget) issued an action to NASA at the beginning of September asking the agency to provide him with an estimate of what shutdown costs would result from a termination of the Space Shuttle program in FY 2006. NASA provided a response to OMB on 9 September.

Editor’s 21 Sep note: Reporters have been calling NASA PAO to get a comment on this NASA Watch posting. PAO’s response is something along the lines of “we continue to hold regular meetings with OMB …” i.e. no confirmation, no denial. Meanwhile, OMB PAO has been calling NASA and asking them what they should say in response to media inquiries and telling reporters to call NASA. Stay tuned.

Editor’s 22 Sep note: The issue of whether or not to shut down the Shuttle program is still under discussion at the White House. The fact that the issue has not been dropped has a number of people involved rather concerned.

Shuttle Launch Not Likely Until May, NASA Boss Says, Washington Post

“Griffin acknowledged that “we’re in a hole” but said it would not be cost-effective to abandon the shuttle because it would “decimate the workforce” needed to build the new spaceship and manage the spaceflight program, as well as “cause a lot of [other] collateral damage” that “wouldn’t save much money.”