Weldon calls for new round of spending

Before even contemplating a replacement to the shuttle, NASA’s near-term goal will be to fix and upgrade the shuttle fleet, says Marco Caceres, an aerospace analyst with the Teal Group in Fairfax, Va. “What they’re not going to do is anything rash.” A re-examination of alternatives to the shuttle won’t come until after space shuttles are flying again and supplying the space station, he suggests. Any alternatives to the shuttle would also likely generate a new round of federal spending. A smaller, more agile spacecraft called the orbital space plane has been under consideration. If built, the plane would not take the place of the space shuttle. “The orbital space plane is more of a ferry, tugboat or lifeboat,” Caceres says.