Brian Thorn wrote:
But I do think NASA screwed the pooch once too often with the Ares
debacle, and this might have been the last chance it was ever given.

Yeah, their whole post-Shuttle manned program initiatives have been one
long string of cancellations.
It would be fun to tally up how many billions of dollars have been
wasted that way over the past years.
Up to the moment, Constellation has cost $9.1 billion:
http://www.seattlepi.com/national/15...sa_future.html

Pat