WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas), Ranking Member on the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, today said she was pleased to see NASA delay the launch of the space shuttle Discovery to November 1, 2010, and push back the scheduled launch of space shuttle Endeavour to February 26, 2011.  Senator Hutchison has consistently stated that the President's NASA proposal should include a short-term stretch out of the shuttle program’s remaining flights in order to protect the nation’s $100 billion investment in the International Space Station.

“The decision to extend America’s shuttle program by moving these flights will safeguard our nation’s human spaceflight capability while providing needed support and equipment for the International Space Station,” said Senator Hutchison.  “I have called on the President to support stretching out the remaining flights, while adding the launch-on-need flight.  Moving these existing flights is an important first step in maintaining our capabilities while we assess and plan for the station’s needs and work on a bipartisan compromise on NASA’s future.  The Administration must now work with members of Congress to add the launch-on-need flight as an actual shuttle flight as well.”

                                                          # # #

Additional resources:

Orlando Sentinel Op-Ed -- Sen. Hutchison: Bipartisan approach to NASA in Congress

 
The Hill Op-Ed -- Hutchison and Kosmas: Bipartisanship Key for the Future of Space Program