I'd like to see NASA/JPL adopt a basic interplanetary spacecraft architecture for orbiters and aeroshell transport vehicles. The vehicle could be put in LEO by the Shuttle or an ELV. The vehicle would have an electric propulsion system that could either be powered by RTGs or a solar array. Propelled by it's ion drive, the vehicle would spiral out of LEO and transport it's payload (depending on the mission) to any planet in the Solar System. NASA/JPL would setup one or two big contracts to make 20-100 copies of this basic vehicle (crank em out like Volkswagen beetles). An individual vehicle's scientific instrument suite would be custom made for specific missions. The vehicle's design would allow for extra fuel tanks to be added. I think the The DS-1 spacecraft would make an excellent foundation for such a generic interplanetary vehicle.

Gary