Most here are posting as though management has blown a sure thing.
This has never been a sure thing. I will admit that the news of the wildly disproportionate results of the detector and the statements about it being only an engineering issue relative to the optimization of the VCSEL could lead one to reasonably believe otherwise.
Mack, your highly recommended post is really wonderfully written! And your conclusion is sound, but only if you assume our guys did not become convinced, rationally or not, of the immediate need for funds to avoid running out.