For clarification to:

"That reminds me all too much of O'Keefe caving in to similar pressure and foisting the "Faster, Better, Cheaper" fantasy on NASA."

It was actually during the Goldin years that that mantra became imbued into NASA.

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I remember him going to Congress each year and saying effectively "Please sir, may I have less?".

I think that O'Keefe's approach could best be described as slow and steady. Let's lay out our technology needs, see what we've got, what we're close to, and what technology we need by when and start working our way towards it. a/k/a/ the Spiral methodolgy.

As for the CEV, he was in the process of going out to American industry and asking "How do you see this problem? What kinds of solutions would you propose?". It didn't seem to be achieving much, but it was within budget. It also introduced some new names into the space field, like t/Space.

Mr. Griffin clearly knows all the answers and has the sheepskins and professional background and management team to prove it. O'Keefe's work was therefore unnecessary. You are in good hands. You have nothing to worry about.
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