The presidential panel reviewing the U.S. space program sees little hope for NASA's Ares 1 moon rocket, though it found the program technically sound. The problem, the board said in its final report, is a question of timing.
To make up for budget shortfalls, NASA delayed development, postponing the rocket's debut until at least 2017, according to the advisory panel which was tapped to come up with options for the U.S. human space program.
By then, the International Space Station will have been removed from orbit, though the panel also recommended funding the station through at least 2020. Unfortunately for Ares 1, additional funding for station likely would delay Ares' debut another couple of years.
"I think there is argument that it was a sensible program to begin with. There is a real question as to whether it’s a sensible program today ," said space review panel chairman Norm Augustine. "The (schedule) slippage has caused a mismatch between what Ares 1 is needed for and what it’s going to be able to do.
"It’s very useful to be told that you’re on a track that you don’t have enough money to stay on, and we can continue down, but I think … a few years from now there will be a group back here saying ‘What happened?’" he added.
The favored option appears to be a public-private partnership, with NASA kicking in about $5 billion to jump-start development of commercially operated space taxis. The proposal is sure to rankle members of Congress representing districts that have work tied to the existing Constellation program.
The report was delivered on Thursday to NASA and the White House.
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