Hyperbola understands that the following will be options in the US Review of human spaceflight plans committee report that is to be about 100-pages long;
- A Space Shuttle extension with more flights beyond any “stretching out” of the current manifest
- The Heavy Lift Vehicle that is a variant of the famous “Shuttle-C” design
- Ares I crew launch vehicle and Orion crew exploration vehicle block one
The key aspect of the first two options is that they fit into the existing budget line. An advantage of HLV is that its cargo carrier could be operated along side the crewed orbiter
Other options Augustine’s committee will put forward will require outlying years’ budgets to be in excess of what Obama’s fiscal year 2010 budget requested. Hyperbola is not aware of any Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle options being included at this time
Various media reports have referred to subcommittees’ of the Norman Augustine led review committee being pro-Shuttle extension but Hyperbola understands that the report itself, expected in a month’s time, will have an option for continuation of Shuttle
Other media reports have referred to Augustine committee members identifying a likely 2017 start for Orion and Ares I. A fourth quarter 2008 report by the Congressional Budget Office made the same determination
