EON

Space Agency Examines Possibly Extending Shuttle Service

Cape Canaveral, Florida- With a number of reports from staff and service workers inside of NASA, it appears that the Space Agency is examining if the current Space Shuttle Program should be extended until 2015, when the next era space vehicle, the Orion, will be operational.

“We are examining making sure that there is no gap for travel by US space vehicles to the International Space Station,” said schedule manager and space manifest supervisor for Johnson Space Center John Coggeshall.

President George Bush urged NASA in 2004 to try and complete the International Space Station project and retire the Space Shuttle program by 2010, and continue toward its goals for the next Space Shuttle program and returning to the Moon by 2020.

Congress will meet and discuss with NASA and the President regarding the possible extension of the current Space Shuttle by five years, to 2015 to help provide transportation until the Orion spacecraft is operational.

If the Space Shuttle is retired according to the current plan by 2010, then the only method of travel to the ISS will be by Soyuz capsule, provided and maintained by Russia.

This has not been a problem but with world tension increasing in areas such as the Republic of Georgia, and the battle and combat there, it is an issue of concern, if the relationship between the United States and Russia were to be complicated then there may be no trips to the ISS without either Russian transportation, or some other option.

It is for exactly this reason that officials are looking at possibly extending the Space Shuttle program.