I am starting to wonder if congress is holding NASA hostage due to the unwillingness of them for not doing the Hubble servicing mission with regards to the needed increase in budget to pay for the shuttle return to flight in 2008.

Nasa's Marshall facility has received assurances that its work on the phased-out Orbital Space Plane will be relevant when NASA builds a new Crew Exploration Vehicle. About three-fourths of the work on the space plane which was going to replace the space shuttle in servicing the International Space Station - is common to the new exploration vehicle, which will be built to go beyond low earth orbit.

The article talks about awarding contracts and I feel that Nasa is still using the same old mind set. It appear that there has been no cultural change for how Nasa plans on doing business.

Well I finally had the chance to listen to the Propulsion part of the hearing. Which most agreed in that use what you have, do not look for advanced break thoughs, keep doing nuclear research, and much more.
The political response for not doing nuclear stems from safety concerns, and other issues.
I feel that if nuclear is to be disarmed from the fronts of war then a new partnership for space use must be made from the current ISS partners that have nuclear capabilities.

I have been listening to the audience part of the hearing and found the lady that spoke on behalf of there daughter was done with great Ideas and of much for thought. More space camps and other stuff need to be in more places to make it more affordable and closure to all that would go.