

Despite massive budget shortfalls and a looming retirement date, the US space agency (Nasa) will not abandon its shuttle programme and will keep its promise to finish building the International Space Station.


WASHINGTON - Efforts to replace the space shuttle fleet with new Moon-bound spacecraft would receive big spending increases under NASA's 2007 budget request, while nearly every other part of the U.S. space agency's budget would be held flat or decline.


The US space shuttle Columbia has broken up as it re-entered the Earth's atmosphere killing all seven astronauts on board.
