RE: Ares 1 work continues despite cancellation threat

Flightglobal:

Rocket builder Alliant Techsystems (ATK) says work is proceeding on several tests aimed at proving out its first stage for the NASA Ares 1 low-Earth orbit......

Author: John Croft

Date: 23 September 2009

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If the DIRECT proposals had been adopted instead of being(surprise, surprise) totally ignored; AugPan Option 1 could have been fulfilled (minus the ARES of course!) at a total cost of 19B instead of $30B+ using a budget increase factor of 1.5 - realistic considering NASA's track record of totally innaccurate estimating! Also with Shuttle being retired the money and workforce could be transferred - due to DIRECT's "architecture" - with a lot fewer Engineers and Technicians cast in the wilderness of todays Employment Climate.