If NASA trys to create a "one size fits all" space ship then throw the 2008 deaddline to the wind.

I think payloads and humans will be launced separately and meet-up in orbit for the more ambitious missions...Maybe they will meet in a much higher orbit than that of the current space station.

The ball is in NASA's court: Will they take this as an opportunity to simply replace the shuttle or will they build a ship/program with an entirely new set of capabilities. I think the President made it clear that it will have a whole new set of capabilities while still being able to meet some of the old shuttle requirements.

Scott Evil