Events overtake NASA study

Delays in establishing a clear space policy may have rendered NASA plans to narrow the post-shuttle "gap" in U.S. human access to space out of date before implementation. A Constellation Program Acceleration Study released April 20 finds the U.S. space agency $1.9 billion short of the funds it needs to meet an internal initial operational capability target date of September 2014. (Source: Aviation Week, 04/22/09) Gulf Coast note: Michoud Assembly Facility and the National Center for Advanced Manufacturing, both in New Orleans, and Stennis Space Center, Miss., are all involved in the Constellation Program.