It seems that that language that sets up the process you just described is a little vague.

It's been a long time since I chaired one of these Space Subcommittee hearings.

Thanks to Senator Hutchison and to Senator Barbara Mikulski, they had added another billion dollars, over and above the White House request.

one of the things that maybe you, Senator Mikulski, and Senator Hutchison could all explore is language that would give additional flexibility.

Thank you, also, in an uncertain budget year, where we haven't had budgets submitted by the White House that have matched with the authorization.

I am further concerned that being forced to make those choices can have the effect of undermining the traditional constituency for NASA.

It's just amazing, Mark, how you can just put it on a dime, and you don't have an engine.

Excuse me for interrupting, but wasn't there one program that you told us, for example, in the development of the heat shield, that you could take out of exploration and put into aeronautics?

I think that most of us believe it would be more efficient than the government, and, therefore, a good deal.

And then, you would have to have the government oversight, because it's going to interface with a government facility, the Space Station.

What do you think is going to be the impact upon the work force, both civil servants and contractors?