Keith’s update: Looks like the Constellation rehash FISO telecon (see below) has been changed (no explanation given). Instead, this week’s presentation is “Making Human Mars Exploration Affordable: Results of a Workshop” Joseph Cassady, Aerojet Rocketdyne & Michael Raftery, Boeing”. It will be held tomorrow (Wednesday) at 3pm EST. Dial in: 877-921-5751 Passcode: 623679. Also, and perhaps I am being a little paranoid, but when I try to reach this link […]

NASA Human Space Flight Industrial Base in the Post-Space Shuttle/Constellation Environment, Bureau of Industry and Security’s Office of Technology Evaluation “The Shuttle retirement and CxP transition will impact future NASA HSF programs through a loss of unique skills, capabilities, products, and services by select suppliers. The assessment highlights and prioritizes immediate areas of concern for NASA, with focus on the 150 survey respondents that identified themselves as dependent on NASA. […]

Keith’s note: Word has it that Mark Geyer has decided to cut the Constellation Flight Test Office budget by 75%. This is the same group that recently completed the very successful Pad Abort 1 (PA-1) launch. The remaining budget will only be enough to mothball equipment and facilities. The majority of the team is located at DFRC but the program is managed at JSC.

NASA order may force shutdown of Constellation moon-rocket program, Orlando Sentinel “In a surprise move, NASA has told the major contractors working on its troubled Constellation moon rocket program that they are in violation of federal spending rules — and must immediately cut back work by nearly $1 billion to get into compliance. As many as 5,000 jobs from Utah to Florida are expected to be lost over the next […]