[Destro]

I hate to burst your bubble--the space shuttle is not a space exploration vehicle--it is a badly designed cargo deployment ship with passenger room. NASA has zero manned space exploration vehicles.

[Truth29]

Oh, my bubble is not burst. I know exactly what the shuttle is. And it IS a badly designed truck, but it is an essential part of our overall space program, including the ISS, satellite deployment and repair, as well as a research platform in its own right. If the politics of this are not handled correctly, there will be no program of any type beyond NEO and an occasional robot probe, and we will simply spend the money on such noble black holes as NEA public education, welfare, social services for illegals, etc. No money will be saved and our future will be greatly diminished.

[Palladin]

This TIME magazine article reinforces everything you have said here:

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1101030210-418518,00.html