Here's a newspaper editorial calling for a phaseout of the Space Shuttle. What's surprising about it is the source. It's Florida Today, traditionally one of the best sources of space-related news on the web, and the newspaper of the Space Coast, home of Cape Canaveral and all it entails.

We think the shuttles should fly again, but their day is coming to an end much faster than NASA is willing to admit.

This I agree with.

We believe the fleet should be phased out -- as soon as five or six years, if possible -- and replaced with a new manned vehicle that could be launched atop an unmanned rocket and take crews to and from the International Space Station.

This I don't, at least not if it's going to cost anywhere near NASA's current estimates.

Better in my mind to have no manned space program than a very expensive one based on debilitating and flawed premises.

It's time to take some of those billions that NASA plans to spend on human space transportation, and put them in escrow for companies that can affordably provide it, cash on delivery. I suspect that this might leave Boeing and Lockmart out in the cold, though.

Im not getting it. Just why should the shuttle ever fly again ?
Why not make a museum piece or restaurant building out of each one immediately ?

I'm of the impression NASA should put out bids and if anyone can put the payload up into space cheaper than the shuttle (with reasonable safety) they should get the contract. American firms should also get an advantage if bids are close. If no one can beat the shuttle launch costs or payload size then the shuttle should be used.

This would cut down the use/need for the shuttle and at the same time promote the private sector launch industry.

The shuttles should be grounded and NASA turned into the east coast branch of JPL.
We will NEVER have cheap access to space as long as NASA is in charge.

It makes me very sad to say this. I remember staying home from high school the day of the first shuttle flight. I was SO happy! But the last 20 years has done nothing but convince me that NASA is the wrong way to go. I want to go to space. I *YEARN* to go into space but it will never happen for guys like me (middle class and lower) till NASA is safely building and flying unmanned space craft that do nothing but explore in advance of private manned vehicles. Just think of where we would be today if the goverment had stopped the Wright brothers, or if they had held onto computers.
NASA must go so we CAN go!