Also, I am aware that private American companies will be shuttling astronauts within 2 years. When government outsources work to people who have to make every penny count, it pays less and gets better quality. Simple economics ensures that. These private companies don't have guaranteed jobs if they screw up. Government employees, however, don't go away until they're pensioned or dead. Not much incentive for quality control, since gung-ho patriotism is out of vogue. Gimme free enterprise any day.