The outrageous cost seems to be the main motivating factor in ending this program. Now america will have to "hitch" a ride with the Russians to get to the space station etc. Talk about humiliating. Russians take over space exploration, the Chinese take over all manufacturing and development, India takes over all technology, Japan has its hands in many pots concerning technology, manufacturing, engineering, sciences etc etc, Middle East and Africa supplying americas oil and the Europeans will soon control all of americans economy as they gain more control over industries, stock markets and even the money supply