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This being investigated by The Review of US Space Flight Plans Committee hearings in DC., AKA the "Augustine Commisson". Member list at bottom.
Basically, and as I've reported here before, the Ares I and V programs have been in huge trouble because of poor design and technical problems. Things finally came to a head.
Several things are now on the table including using the Delta IV heavy lifter, a proven design, instead of Ares I to loft the Orion spacecraft - or perhaps to use the Direct 3.0 plan put forth by "renegade" NASA engineers, which is fully shuttle derived; deciding to use Orion only for deep space and lunar missions while using commercial spacecraft (such as SpaceX's Dragon) for low Earth orbit missions and ISS etc.
One of the first to give a presentation was Elon Musk of SpaceX. Here's a video of his presentation (WMV) link....
MSNBC Cosmic Log story link....
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Dr. Wanda Austin, president and CEO, The Aerospace Corp.
Bohdan Bejmuk, chair, Constellation program Standing Review Board (Constellation being the current, troubled lunar program), and former manager of the Boeing Space Shuttle and Sea Launch programs.
Dr. Leroy Chiao, former astronaut, & ISS commander and engineering consultant.
Dr. Christopher Chyba, professor of Astrophysical Sciences and International Affairs, Princeton University, and member of the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology.
Dr. Edward Crawley, Ford Professor of Engineering at MIT and co-chair, NASA Exploration Technology Development Program Review Committee.
Jeffrey Greason, co-founder and CEO, XCOR Aerospace (NewSpace rocket-ride company competing with Virgin Galactic) and vice-chair, Personal Spaceflight Federation.
Dr. Charles Kennel, chair, National Academies Space Studies Board, and director and professor emeritus, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego.
Retired US Air Force Gen. Lester Lyles, chair, National Academies Committee on the Rationale and Goals of the U.S. Civil Space Program, former Air Force vice chief of staff and former commander of the Air Force Materiel Command.
Dr. Sally Ride, former astronaut, first American woman in space, CEO of Sally Ride Science and professor emerita at the University of California, San Diego.
Basically, and as I've reported here before, the Ares I and V programs have been in huge trouble because of poor design and technical problems. Things finally came to a head.
Several things are now on the table including using the Delta IV heavy lifter, a proven design, instead of Ares I to loft the Orion spacecraft - or perhaps to use the Direct 3.0 plan put forth by "renegade" NASA engineers, which is fully shuttle derived; deciding to use Orion only for deep space and lunar missions while using commercial spacecraft (such as SpaceX's Dragon) for low Earth orbit missions and ISS etc.
One of the first to give a presentation was Elon Musk of SpaceX. Here's a video of his presentation (WMV) link....
MSNBC Cosmic Log story link....
==========================
Chairman: former Lockheed Martin CEO Norm Augustine, well known in the space business for his integrity and (to a fault) independence.
Dr. Wanda Austin, president and CEO, The Aerospace Corp.
Bohdan Bejmuk, chair, Constellation program Standing Review Board (Constellation being the current, troubled lunar program), and former manager of the Boeing Space Shuttle and Sea Launch programs.
Dr. Leroy Chiao, former astronaut, & ISS commander and engineering consultant.
Dr. Christopher Chyba, professor of Astrophysical Sciences and International Affairs, Princeton University, and member of the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology.
Dr. Edward Crawley, Ford Professor of Engineering at MIT and co-chair, NASA Exploration Technology Development Program Review Committee.
Jeffrey Greason, co-founder and CEO, XCOR Aerospace (NewSpace rocket-ride company competing with Virgin Galactic) and vice-chair, Personal Spaceflight Federation.
Dr. Charles Kennel, chair, National Academies Space Studies Board, and director and professor emeritus, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego.
Retired US Air Force Gen. Lester Lyles, chair, National Academies Committee on the Rationale and Goals of the U.S. Civil Space Program, former Air Force vice chief of staff and former commander of the Air Force Materiel Command.
Dr. Sally Ride, former astronaut, first American woman in space, CEO of Sally Ride Science and professor emerita at the University of California, San Diego.