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Busy Schedule for Rocket Obama Wants Scrapped, NY Times
"Last month, in a speech at the Kennedy Space Center, President Obama modified his proposal, originally unveiled in February, and called for continuing the development of the Orion crew capsule that was to ride on top of the Ares I, but only as a stripped-down lifeboat for the International Space Station. The Ares program would still be canceled. Jeffrey M. Hanley, the Constellation program manager, said in an interview that given the uncertainty of what might emerge in the final budget, "we felt it prudent to continue to operate in the program as if the program were to continue." He described that possibility as "the unlikely case." ... He acknowledged that his efforts were somewhat at cross-purposes with those of his bosses, who are trying to convince Congress that Constellation is unworkable. "I really have to leave it to them to sort out with the national leadership," he said.
Contractors Face Shutdown Costs as NASA Space Program Morphs, Wall Street Journal
"The current clash stems in part from NASA's tradition of giving the Johnson Space Center --where U.S. astronauts are based -- extra latitude in running programs. According to industry and government officials, the Houston center frequently wasn't required to comply strictly with the same accounting and program-management rules that applied to other parts of the agency. That partly explains why many Constellation managers consistently relied on assurances from some NASA managers that the agency would step in and cover liabilities in the unlikely event termination became an issue."
Charlie Bolden's stand on NASA, Constellation and Ares I tests, Orlando Sentinel
"I talk to Jeff quite a bit. As far as I am concerned, Jeff does exactly what I asked him to do, to be quite honest. And Jeff and NASA, we are in a tough situation in that we have to comply with the 2010 provision in law that says we cannot terminate [Constellation], we cannot do this. Everybody knows that the language is and yet we have to be responsive to my desire to move forward."
With all due respect, in a republic the President merely proposes a change in policy or to cancel a project. Its up to Congress representing the people, to make the final decision.
I know this is often forgotten in the age of the imperial presidents, but it is still how the country works. So until Congress makes a decision its still the project of record and Jeff Hanley is simply doing his job as he is required by law to do.
Now I am not a fan of the Ares I, I much preferred the EELV based proposals, but that has nothing to do with how the process works. So until all the constitutional requirements are completed, and Congress decides, work on Constellation must go forward until it is legally canceled by Congress.
This is also why President Obama should have released his proposed space policy change, and plans to cancel Constellation, to the Congress and the American people before he released his budget, just as every other president before him has done when they decided a major change in space policy was needed.