Nasa needs more cash

2010-03-09 20:06

Cape Canaveral - Nasa's space shuttle manager says it wouldn't be hard to add more shuttle flights. The real question is money.

Programme manager John Shannon said on Tuesday it costs $200m a month to keep the fleet flying.

Right now, the space shuttles are supposed to retire this autumn. Four more missions are planned. Some in Congress, though, are pushing for additional flights.

Last month, President Barack Obama killed Nasa's Constellation programme, which would have created a shuttle successor.

Shannon says Nasa already has a fuel tank and set of boosters for one additional flight. He says getting other shuttle parts would not be a problem.

- AP