A measure called the NASA Reauthorization Act, approved by Congres yesterday, managed to cover several aspects regarding the agency’s future, including its budget and fleet fate.

The final decision on whether space shuttles will be used beyond their current retirement date or not will be in the hands of the next president. Also, if the decision will be afirmative for the extended use of the shuttles, there will also be mentioned the period needed before the final retirement, which at this point is believed to be of five years.

The measure approved a $20.2 billion budget for NASA’s next year activities, $2.6 billion more than what President Bush considered sufficient. The money will be used on accelerating the development of the Constellation program, one of the agency’s top priorities.

Rep. Bart Gordon, D-Tenn., who chairs the House Science and Technology Committee, explained that the measure “sends a strong message to the next administration that Congress believes in investing in a balanced NASA program of science, aeronautics and human space flight.”

President Bush is also expected to sign the bill, as it will ensure a good progress over the next few years for all of NASA’s projects.

The biggest concern about grounding the shuttles is that it will take at least five years to prepare for a new and complete manned mission, and during that time the only way of sending Americans in space will demand Russia’s assistance. The plan would be to keep the shuttles running until 2015 when the new models are scheduled for release.