Obama announces Shuttle ends and Orion begins in 2010

William Atkins
Sunday, 01 March 2009 21:16

Science - Space

A new manned space era is now quickly in the official transition stage for NASA as new U.S. president Barack Obama announced that the old Space Shuttle fleet will definitely be retired in 2010 so the development of the new Orion capsule fleet can move forward in the most efficient way possible.


[Updated 3/9/2009]

Speculation has been rampant that the Space Shuttle fleet (or, at least one or two shuttles) would remain on active duty past their previously announced retirement in 2010.

However, U.S. president Obama announced on Thursday, February 26, 2009, that he is taking the advice of the former Bush Administration, and retiring the Space Transportation System (STS) and its three space shuttles in 2010.

His Thursday announcement came during his budget proposal that he presented to the U.S. Congress.

The Obama Administration is gearing NASA to perform nine more shuttle (STS) missions, with a possible tenth mission that may be announced in April 2009.

The nine missions include eight more assembly missions to the International Space Station—in order of liftoff: (1) STS-119, (3) STS-127, (4) STS-128, (5) STS-129, (6) STS-130, (7) STS-131, (8) STS-132, and (9) STS-133—and one repair and service mission—(2) STS-125—to the Hubble Space Telescope.

The last mission, STS-133, is now tentatively scheduled for May 31, 2010.

What about the tenth possible shuttle mission? Please read page two.