Within the next 12 months, NASA plans to retire the Space Transportation System, commonly referred to as the Space Shuttle. When the Shuttle retires, America will have no means of getting astronauts into space, but will have to rely on a foreign government. An associate of Shuttlecom has offered NASA $4.5B to buy the Shuttle program and keep the Shuttle flying as is, but NASA refused because they had no authority. To add insult to injury, NASA must spend $28M to clean up the Orbiters so that they can be GIVEN to museums. Shuttlecom needs your help to petition NASA, the White House, and Congress to authorize that the US Space Shuttle be commercialized and continue to be supported until another domestic man-rated launch vehicle is ready. Since the first launch in 1981, NASA has spent over $180B to launch the world’s only reusable rocket 132 times. An additional $15B was spent to develop the Shuttle in the 70’s. When added together, the nearly $200B is more than 10 TIMES the current fiscal budget of $19B for the entire National Aeronautics and Space Administration. After 132 missions, there have been 2 orbiters lost to accidents with only 3 remaining: Discovery, Atlantis, & Endeavor, making the Space Shuttle one of the safest means of getting into space. The newest orbiter, Endeavor, cost $3.2B when it replaced Challenger in 1987. Although NASA has spent many $B on studies to upgrade the Shuttle, almost all of the upgrades were NEVER implemented. In essence, the Shuttle is still a 70’s launch vehicle. Although the orbiters are designed for 100 flights each; Discovery has only 38, Atlantis has 32, and Endeavor has just 24 flights. NASA has been directed by the current administration to only STUDY a new launch vehicle until 2015. Based on the fact that NASA just spent $9B to partially develop Ares I, a completed vehicle will take many times more money to be flight ready for man flight. UNTIL a domestic rocket is ready, NASA must rely on Russia for access to space. NASA has contracted Russia to fly astronauts to the Space Station until 2014 for $55.8M each. After which time, Russia can charge whatever they want. We think that NASA’s plan to retire the Space Shuttle without an alternative manned-rated launch vehicle is a grievous misappropriation of Tax Payer money as well as a National Security Risk. Please show your support for ShuttleCom in the commercialization of the US Space Shuttle and protecting our National Security BY SIGNING YOUR NAME BELOW! Additional information can be found by going to Shuttlecom’s website at: http://shuttlecom.services.officelive.com