Ares & Orion Delayed until 2015

According to NASA Chief Mike Griffin the development schedule of the Ares rocket and the Orion space craft will slip 4-6 months pushing it into 2015. This is at least partly due to exploration budget reductions for 2007 of more than $900 million. However, there is some reports that both the Ares and Orion programs are already missing schedule targets before the 2007 budget came out.

The Shuttle is set to retire in 2010, so this leave NASA without it's own space vehicle for up to five years. Either the COTS program of Russia will be the only way for NASA to get into space for that time period.

Here is the transcript of Dr. Griffin's speech to Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation Subcommittee on Space, Aeronautics and Related Sciences.

Space Today has more.