That's the thing about Flexible Path. It allows future administrations to set their own agenda without having ti cancel anything. No one has to worry about continuing "The Obama Plan". They can simply use the technology to go where they can, or just continue the R&D work. The buy in for each administration is low enough to stay below the political radar.
The problem is that most manned space efforts require at least 10 years to go from planning to operation, while the particular administration that initiated don't last more than 8 years (if they are lucky). So if administration A starts out with a grand scheme to conquer the solar system, it will be left to administration B (or more likely C) to finish the job. The thing is, most administrations do not want to expend the resources (both financial and political) to build what they see as a technological monument to the previous administration (see Nixon 1969).
Unfortunately, we are likely to see this dynamic continue.
Slashdot Mirror
That's the thing about Flexible Path. It allows future administrations to set their own agenda without having ti cancel anything. No one has to worry about continuing "The Obama Plan". They can simply use the technology to go where they can, or just continue the R&D work. The buy in for each administration is low enough to stay below the political radar.
Damn you sir, damn you all to hell!
The problem is that most manned space efforts require at least 10 years to go from planning to operation, while the particular administration that initiated don't last more than 8 years (if they are lucky). So if administration A starts out with a grand scheme to conquer the solar system, it will be left to administration B (or more likely C) to finish the job. The thing is, most administrations do not want to expend the resources (both financial and political) to build what they see as a technological monument to the previous administration (see Nixon 1969). Unfortunately, we are likely to see this dynamic continue.