That "X-33" feeling
This post from below fits pretty well here.
As much as I would like to have seen Constellation succeed,...right from the beginning, I had that "X-33" feeling in the pit of my stomach.
I just don't think NASA can pull off an Apollo scale program anymore,..especially one that must bridge WH administrations, with differing priorities.
Do any of you seriously think their will be a private sector manned mon mission within 10 years? The private sector has been good at making promises, but ends up with years if not decades of delay; or ends up going bankrupt or losing launch hardware.
Private Space can't do it alone.
It reduces down to whether or not Congress has the will to fund a HLV, like Jupiter 241, which remains a possibility.
If that happens, best get out of the way of Private Space.