Support for Space Shuttle Program Hits New Low

I used to be a big fan of the shuttle program. When I was gowing up in the late 1970s, I remember following Enterprise's first deployment from the top of a Pan Am jet. Well, it's 25 years later - Pan Am is long gone, and I fear the shuttle should follow suit. The main obstacle to this step, though, is the International Space Station (ISS). While ships from many countries can get to the ISS, the space shuttles are the only vessels that can carry a large amount of cargo. If the shuttles are out of the equation, the ISS is doomed. So any serious plan to remove the shuttle fleet from service has to take this into account.

I, too, am a former shuttle fan who is no longer inspired by NASA. If the shuttle is integral to the success of the International Space Station, then the international community should foot more of the bill so that NASA can begin other projects.