Oil Trumps Space (Update)

Keith’s 16 Jun note: Today’s burning question is whether NASA will be able to forward the budgetary language and back up budget info that Congress has asked for by COB today. This is needed so as to tweak the inevitable continuing resolution (CR) in a way that could allow some of the President’s policy items to be pursued in lieu of a formal FY 2011 budget such Orion’s redesignation as a CRV. Despite a lot of work on NASA’s part, the White House is preoccupied with oil (they don’t multi-task it would seem). As best I understand the situation, it doesn’t look like NASA will meet deadline today. As such, there is a good chance that the CR will just continue things as they were in FY 2010 leaving both the Constellation and Shuttle programs in a zombie state of limbo – neither dead or alive.
Panel Demands NASA Documents to Support Budget, NY Times
“Annoyed that the National Aeronautics and Space Administration has been slow to explain how it plans to overhaul the human space-flight program, a Congressional committee is demanding that the agency provide a host of records related to its budget request for 2011. The space agency missed a Wednesday deadline to update its budget request with details of its new plan. In a letter sent Thursday to the NASA administrator, Maj. Gen. Charles F. Bolden Jr., leaders of the House Committee on Science and Technology wrote, “Congress must now insist upon the production of all materials NASA relied upon in formulating its proposal.” The committee said NASA should provide these documents by next Friday.”
Lawmakers Demand Documents Behind Human Spaceflight Plan, Space News
“Frustrated by a lack of visibility into the planning and analysis underpinning NASA’s dramatic shift in course for its human spaceflight program, House lawmakers have given NASA Administrator Charles Bolden until June 25 to deliver all records, charts, e-mails, voice messages and other supporting materials used in drafting the agency’s 2011 budget proposal.”