NASA mulls early retirement for space shuttle

While there will be possibly dire reprecussions with the retirement of the Shuttle Program, it is envitable - and perhaps sooner rather than later. In fact, NASA may retire the space shuttle program before the planned 2010 date. From MSNBC we learn that "even as NASA gears up for the space shuttle's return to flight [this year], officials at the space agency are quietly studying the possibility of cutting back its number of missions and retiring the spacecraft years ahead of schedule". Its replacement? Robot rocket missions.

And while the American commitment to space wanes, let us not forget the Taikonauts!