NASA boss Michael Griffin, NR3A

Griffin - The future of the shuttle

NASA administrator Michael Griffin, NR3A has re-affirmed his backing for a White House directive that calls for the 2010 retirement of the shuttle.

This, after a Florida newspaper published an internal e-mail in
which he expresses dismay over the nation's looming inability to launch its own astronauts.

In the e-mail, obtained by the Orlando Sentinel and published on Sunday, September 7th, Griffin criticized the White House science policy and budget offices for actions that threaten to leave NASA unable to staff the
international space station after the shuttle's retirement.

The initial launchings of NASA's new Orion capsule and Ares I rocket, the shuttle's successor, on missions to the space station are not planned until early 2015.

The space agency, with White House support, is counting on the purchase of Russian Soyuz rockets to transport NASA astronauts to the space station between 2010 and 2015.

The purchases require the approval of Congress, where support waned after Russia's military invaded neighboring
Georgia. If approval fails to get a congressional go ahead participation by the United States in the International Space Station could come to a halt.

The bottom line: No matter what the outcome, the decision on the future of the space shuttle is bound to impact on the overall manned ham radio space program and on-orbit amateur radio operations from the ISS.

Source: ARNewsline, published reports