Democratic candidate Barack Obama today called on Congress to allow the next president to have all options for spaceflight, including more shuttle flights.Republican candidate John McCain previously asked President Bush not to take any action that would prevent shuttle flights beyond 2010 when the shuttle program is scheduled to stop.
NASA Administrator Mike Griffin has ordered a study on what it would require to fly the shuttle beyond 2010.
Here is a portion of Obama's letter to leaders in Congress: "In the meantime, while we await the results of NASA's Shuttle study, there are three concrete steps that Congress should take immediately. I urge you to:
"Extend NASA's waiver of INKSNA (a treaty that prohibits dealing with the Russians) so we keep that option open for allowing U.S. astronauts to utilize the ISS beyond 2011.
"Demand that NASA take no further action that would make it more difficult or expensive to fly the Shuttle beyond 2010.
"Provide additional funding in FY2009 above that contemplated in the pending appropriations bills to support the single extra Shuttle flight already approved overwhelmingly by both House and Senate authorizers earlier this year."
Read the entire text of Obama's letter HERE.
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