It is time to move beyond Space Shuttle. Time to employ the lessons learned from a program nearly two dozen years old. Time to conceive and develop a more modern means to take us off the surface of this planet to the edge of space and beyond.

But lets keep some perspective. Manned space exploration requires that we develop our capacity to live and work safely in orbit around the earth. We will always need a vehicle that does what Shuttle has done - take us to the edge of Space. And, we will always need a place in orbit around the earth to take the step to the stars.

We've witnessed a great tragedy. Lets be careful not to politicize it. Space exploration is a dangerous enterprise. So lets find and develop the next generation of craft that will safely and routine take us there. We need to look forward, not backwards.