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As of late, there’s been talk about killing the Space Shuttle program. You know what? I agree. The Space Shuttle has never lived up to its promise of a low-cost reusable launch vehicle. Even before the Columbia disaster, the shuttle has required an almost complete rebuild between missions, that some say are due to initial price reductions in the design during the inflation-crazy 1970’s (”See? We save $30 million here, and only need to spend $5 million on maintence between flights to make up for it! What else can we price cut?”). The Space Shuttle was also designed to compliment an American space station, which evolved into plans for Space Station Freedom during Regan’s administration. The International Space Station that replaces it is an effective sham, a large pork-barrel project floating miles above our heads. Private industry is chomping at the bit to push into low Earth orbit. Let them. NASA has always been the “dreamer” arm of the US government, so I say let them use their budget monies for dreamer projects, and let the routine fall upon the private sector. In other words, let the private sector worry about launching commercial satelites and removing trash from the ISS. Let NASA focus on things like moon bases and manned missions to Mars. Heavy launch vehicles like the Delta IV can provide suitable heavy lift capacity, as can the Shuttle-C programme, until private industry techs up to mach. And while private contractors are busy making space work, NASA can be busy with developing advanced spacecraft, and pushing the limits of mankind.