What is the justification behind resurrecting the Orion capsule as a
lifeboat? Normally the vehicle that brings the crew to the station is
also the vehicle that serves as the lifeboat. Reasons I can think of
a
* SpaceX and other commercial players are having trouble making their
capsules last for 6 months in space. Thus their vehicles would come
and go, leaving the crew to rely on the lifeboat.
* An insurance policy in case commercial players fail to provide a
vehicle. In this case NASA could refit the lifeboat with an escape
tower for crew launch.
* A get-ahead for a later full-up deep-space version of Orion.
* A jobs program to placate the recent protests and lobbying.
* A result of huge contract termination penalties which make
completing Orion Lite about the same cost as cancelling it.

Any other ideas?