http://www.upi.com/NewsTrack/view.php?StoryID=20051104-010053-2243r

NASA seeks $5 billion more for shuttles

WASHINGTON, Nov. 4 (UPI) -- NASA needs about $5 billion more than previously budgeted to operate the space shuttle before the program ends in 2010, said the agency's director.

Michael D. Griffin, the agency administrator, testifying Thursday before the House Science Committee, said the cost of operating the shuttle fleet before it is scheduled to retire in five years was higher than expected, The New York Times reported Friday.

Griffin said "painful choices" might be needed if the National Aeronautics and Space Administration is to fulfill President George W. Bush's plan to send people back to the moon before 2020.

IMHO this is Griffin's way of laying the political groundwork for killing the shuttle now and diverting shuttle funding to immediate development of the HLV. One can only hope!!!

Doing this will lock in the VSE for future administrations. Waiting until 2010 to retire the shuttle would give the next prez the option of killing VSE, never building the HLV, and extending the shuttle further!

Kill the Shuttle now! I'll be breaking open the champagne if this plays out the way I think it will.