Ares-1 zombie to rise again?

On Aug 22, 11:00*am, Pat Flannery wrote:
Frankly, I don't think this is going to happen:http://blog.al.com/space-news/2011/0..._heavy-lift_ro....

Pat

NASA can't afford to develop Ares I *and* another launch vehicle (like
SLS). Then again, it can't afford to develop SLS.

If it can't afford SLS, why shouldn't it develop Ares I as a lower-
cost alternative? Obviously, Ares I can't lift as much as SLS, but it
(and other existing or soon to exist rockets in concert) could support
LEO rendezvous type deep space missions. Ares I offers a key
political advantage - it uses Shuttle derived systems, facilities,
launch sites, and people.

Ares I was well into development. It had its development challenges,
like any rocket, but it was meeting those challenges and would have
worked. Today the third Ares I booster sits in Utah preparing for a
test burn, the first J-2X is on a stand at Stennis, having already
performed three tests (one lasting more than 30 seconds), the Ares I
launch platform is structurally complete at KSC, and the first Ares I
upper stage LOX tank article is welded at Michoud. Orion, the Ares I
payload, is still being developed. Its launch abort system and
recovery system have been tested. And so on.

Why not finish the job?

- Ed Kyle