Funding Shuttle and Ares Simultaneously

No to shuttle extension if move would delay Ares, Huntsville Times

"Flying the shuttle while continuing the Ares development is likely to create budget conflicts with the space agency's future rounds of funding, said Keith Cowing, who runs the space agency watchdog Web site NASAWatch.com. "There's two schools of thought on extending the space shuttle," he said. "One is that is would be a way to close the looming gap, but there are people who fly the shuttle and who work on the program that feel that it is time to retire the shuttle because it is not safe to fly. "If there's money across the budget years to fly shuttle and develop Ares, then it is possible," said Cowing. "If the money goes away, then it's impossible."