Space is big, but it ain't cheap

NASA has a problem: its current space shuttles are expected to be retired in 2010, after ten more missions, but the new one won't be ready until 2014, leaving them with a long window of no equipment to fly: "Since the program's inception, NASA has been working an aggressive plan to achieve flight capability before our March 2015 target," Rick Gilbrech, associate administrator for the Exploration Systems Mission Directorate, said in an announcement. "We are still confident the Constellation Program will make its first flight to the International Space Station on or before that date."

Rico says he sure as hell hopes so; the Constellation Program is going to help sell his father's book on the subject...