UNITED STATES: NASA to Extend Shuttle Operations

NASA’s Office of the Inspector General has released a report indicating that NASA will be unlikely to fulfill its mission quota and retire the Space Shuttle fleet on schedule later this year. The report went on to state that it was likely the aging Shuttle fleet would remain in operation until the second quarter of 2011. President Obama has allocated additional funding to NASA to continue the Shuttle fleet’s operation until December of 2010 – 3 months past the last scheduled Shuttle flight – but NASA indicated that additional funding would be required of the fleet cannot complete its missions and retire on schedule.