Step as nasa still has low confidence, 30 that it can meet the earlier date. Going forward, we have short and longterm concerns about nasas human Space Exploration programs. In the short term the programs are entering the most risky phases of development. There are still technical hurdles to overcome. Particularly with the orion spacecraft which is addressing challenges with the parachute system and heat shield among others. There is also considerable development and testing ahead for orion in terms of the human support systems. Meanwhile, sos is continuing to pursue the earlier launch dates of december 2017. While nasas urgency is understandable, the schedule for achieving the earlier date mostly with respect to the core stage is very aggressive. Theres little room to address problems. Moreover, it does not appear that orion and the ground system can achieve the earlier date. And the longterm we have concerns about the cost estimating for human Space Exploration programs. Nasas only p
Are entering the most risky phases of development. There are still technical hurdles to overcome. Particularly with the orion spacecraft which is addressing challenges with the parachute system and heat shield among others. There is also considerable development and testing ahead for orion in terms of the human support systems. Meanwhile, sos is continuing to pursue the earlier launch dates of december 2017. While nasas urgency is understandable, the schedule for achieving the earlier date mostly with respect to the core stage is very aggressive. Theres little room to address problems. Moreover, it does not appear that orion and the ground system can achieve the earlier date. And the longterm we have concerns about the cost estimating for human Space Exploration programs. Nasas only produce estimates for sos and ground system through the first flight test and orion through the second flight test. There is still Significant Development ahead for sos after the first flight and significan
That youre in. I guess the only other comment i. Would like for you to answer, because id like all my y colleagues to be able to have time to answer questions is the old line about those of us that ignore the lessons of history. General odierno, you made reference to it. When general shymire came beforell this community and said we had amembe hollow army, i know my friend ere senator reed remembers that also and we were able to recover hardwarewise and ships and airplanes and guns and but it took a lot longer than that to restore the readiness and the morale of members of our military and all four of you made reference to it. I would like you to elaborate a little bit on the personnel side br of this because it seems there is always the best and the. Brightest that leave first when ot youre a pilot that cant fly m and on a ship that doesnt leave br port and on so maybe each of you can give a brief comment about great the intangible that makes us the greatest military on earth. Ill begi
The committee will come to order. We have individuals who would like to disrupt the hearing. So i will ask our spectator who is are here to observe the hearing today to observe the courtesy of allowing us to hear. If cause a disruption, which you usually do, we will have to ask you to leave. I dont know what the point is but if you do, i would ask you to for your courtesy to hear what our distinguished panelists have to say who have served our country with honor and distinction. I hope you would respect that. So we will move forward. The Senate Armed Services Committee Meets today. We will receive testimony on the impact of the budget control act of sequestration on u. S. National security. I am grateful to our witnesses not onlt for appearing before us today, but also for their many decades of distinguished service to our country in uniform. I also appreciate their sincere and ernest attempts over many years to warn the congress and the American People of what is happening to our Arme