The safety bar is too high for an inherently flawed vehicle like the shuttle to reach. My bet is: Over the next week of debate they will decide to go ahead with the July launch. But the shuttle never flying again might be a very good thing. That is a TON of money that could go to rapid development of a CEV and a shuttle-based heavy-lift cargo-only launch vehicle. We just need to tell our allies sorry charlie but your ISS components will have to wait a little longer until we get a safer system in place.

Sure it would be great to see the shuttle fly again a few more times for old times' sake, but we're paying a huge sticker price for it. Let's quit effin' around already and MOVE ON.