Plus, once you have the new engine in the new rocket, then you have to do payload integration, and that takes time and money in the new vehicle.

My critics wish that I had gone on a one-way trip.

How can we ensure that if we start this new program which, as I mentioned at the outset, some of us on the SASC have put $100 million in this coming fiscal year to start it--how can we be assured that this is not going to get canceled in a…

In other words, sequester is going to have an impact on assured U.S. access to space.

SLS is designed for the purpose of enabling human exploration beyond low-Earth orbit in support of national objectives and policy.

What opportunities are specifically tied to taking a whole-of-government approach?

It was back a decade or so ago that we said we were going to start the process of the replacement of the RD-180.

Therefore, it is appropriate that we are holding this hearing to discuss reliable domestic space access.

I think we need to be aware of that, that these decisions are long-ranging, have large impacts, and the unintended consequences that can be had with any of these decisions we need to think carefully through.

Be prepared to answer the question, if you got more money, could you accelerate that to 2016.

the tensions with Russia as a result of the Ukraine crisis have forced us to rethink part of the relationships.