NASA's "Notional" Capability Driven Exploration

Keith’s note: SOMD AA Bill Gerstenmaier made a presentation to the 16 June Space Council meeting. The last slide (larger image) from his presentation (the rest of it is just pretty pictures) titled “Capability Driven Exploration” offers some insight into where a combined SOMD/ESMD exploration plan might be headed. Alas, this chart (and the path it suggests) is “notional” – like just about everything NASA says about its future plans these days. You have to wonder how long the agency can limp along with all this “notional” stuff taking the place of real, concrete, executable plans for exploration.