NASA HLV Development: Hurry Up And Wait

Deputy NASA leader Lori Garver thinks stalemate between Congress and White House is over, Huntsville Times
“Garver was asked how NASA can plan at the same time to either fast-track a new rocket next year or continue working on the Constellation program the administration still wants canceled. What happens to NASA’s workforce if the issue isn’t decided? “If we were still in a stalemate, a continuing resolution would be tough,” Garver said. “The (workforce) transition would be difficult.” Marshall Director Robert Lightfoot accompanied Garver to the editorial board meeting and said his center is ready to get to work on a heavy-lift rocket. “We don’t need to study it anymore,” Lightfoot said. However, he said NASA can’t release its heavy-lift acquisition strategy until it knows what the new rocket must be capable of doing. That still hasn’t been decided, he said.”