Shuttle diplomacy [NASA´s manned space flight programme]

The loss of Space Shuttle Columbia means NASA´s manned space flight programme is in trouble. The author examines three options. One is to build a new shuttle to replace Columbia. This was the policy followed after the Challenger explosion in 1986 and, undoubtedly, would be the cheaper, faster option. The second is to accelerate the development of the Orbital Space Plane (OSP), a vehicle proposed when space agency heads met to discuss the issue of manned space access. Finally, NASA can do nothing. However, this seems unlikely.