Jeff Foust points to a memo that indicates agreement between NASA and the DoD on new launch systems. Read the comments, too (not just my continuing frustration with the man-rating myth, but the last one by Jim Muncy).

The current climate is more favorable for alt-space than ever before.

For the first time ever in the history of NASA, Dr. Griffin appears genuinely willing to purchase rides to ISS from the private sector on a flat fee per seat basis. Negotiation on how to pay development costs remains ongoing but Dr. Griffin has already shattered a long-standing paradigm.

Now, alt-space needs to come through and actually offer seats at a lower price than NASA can procure through the traditional channels.

Next, Jim Muncy is rightfully proud that NASA is now saying they need the private sector. But there is a flip side. Without NASA in general and ISS in particular there is no market for alt-space to sell to. At Return to the Moon VI, a t/Space representative answered a question I asked by saying their business model is premised on selling rides to NASA.

Selling fuel for NASA lunar operations is their other business model.

NASA needs alt-space and alt-space needs NASA.

= = =

A few weeks ago Dr. Griffin went on national television and told Tim Russert that human destiny was to settle space.

That also is simply paradigm shattering.

= = =

In summary, "I like Mike!"

Chris Shank of NASA spoke this morning at the Mars Society conference. He said that the agreement between DoD and NASA regarding single-stick and Shuttle-derived vehicles for VSE was signed a week ago, with Ron Sega signing for DoD. The deciding factor appears to be that NASA's configuration studies couldn't get CEV down below 23mt to enable use of EELVs. Single-stick will come first, with SDV to follow Orbiter retirement in 2010.

More from Chris Shank here: http://www.marsblog.net/archives/001592.html

First finish the stick CEV retire orbiter. Then, build HLLV.

Does "23MT" mean 23 metric tons? And does that twenty three tons include a third stage booster?

I think I can rigorosly demonstrate that a four segment, "single stick" solid booster first stage won't lift that mass to low orbit, unless there is a surprisingly high performance second stage atop the single stick.

Seriously.

I would assume that that number includes the capability provided by an upper stage. The twenty-three tonnes is for the CEV itself (and whether it includes the launch abort system, which can be jettisoned at a certain point during ascent) is unclear.