Space dems news - NASA contract review

Thanks to the ScienceDEMS web site,
I found some more links to GAO reports on NASA's plan.

Ironically, the page now features a glowing statement by Rep. Udall, of Colorado, praising NASA for granting the huge contract to Lockheed-Martin, which has major operations in Colorado.

However, the same committee requested a GAO report on NASA's long-term contract strategy:

"NASA's current acquisition strategy for the CEV places the project at risk of significant cost overruns, schedule delays, and performance shortfalls because it commits the government to a long-term product development effort before establishing a sound business case"

The key objection seems to be that NASA is awarding a long-term contract
BEFORE key milestones being achieved, such as a PDR (preliminary design
review.)

You can check out the reports yourself:


http://www.gao.gov/htext/d06817r.html [text]


http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d06817r.pdf [PDF]

For more debate on the politics of space, visit spacepolitics.com site