What was the immediate critical need NASA faced after the conclusion of the Space Shuttle program?
Answer
NASA found itself without a domestic means to ferry astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS).
When the Space Shuttle program reached its retirement, it created an immediate void in American spaceflight capability. Specifically, NASA lost its domestic system for transporting astronauts to and from the International Space Station (ISS). This created a critical necessity that was immediately addressed by contracting commercial entities under the Commercial Crew program to develop transportation solutions capable of filling this vital capability gap, preventing a lapse in U.S. access to the orbiting laboratory.
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