$3 billion Per Year To Keep Shuttles Flying

NASA: Keeping shuttle costs $3 billion yearly, AP

“The cost of continuing the life of the space shuttle past next year’s planned retirement is $3 billion a year plus extending the risk of a deadly accident, NASA’s chief said Thursday. NASA Administrator Michael Griffin told an industry group that NASA has looked into what it would take to keep flying the aging shuttle past 2010. Otherwise, it will mean five years of relying on Russia to get astronauts to the international space station.”