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Parabolic Arc: Wolf’s “Reconfigured” Commercial Crew: Less Money, Less Competition, More Regulation:
We now know what the House has in mind for NASA’s “reconfigured” commercial crew program. I’ll let Rep. Frank Wolf, chairman of the House’s Science subcommittee, explain in his own inimitable way:Commercial Crew development is funded at $500 million, consistent with the current authorization and the report accompanying the House Budget Resolution. In light of limited budgets and the need to find the fastest, safest and most cost effective means of achieving a U.S. capability for access to the International Space Station, the bill directs NASA to winnow the commercial partners and advance the schedule for moving to traditional government procurement methods.So, the House’s “fastest, safest and most cost effective” approach can be summed up as follows:{...}
- Slash $350 million from the President’s request so NASA doesn’t have enough money to do the program the way it wants
- Use the lack of funds to force NASA to down select earlier than it wants, thus limiting competition that will keep prices down
- Require NASA to use traditional government procurement methods as soon as possible, which will likely raise costs even further.