In sci.space.policy Henry Spencer wrote:
In article , John Doe wrote:
Rutan would be the only one capable of whipping up something cheap and simple
within 2 years.

There are plenty of people who could at least be *testing* something
suitable in a couple of years or so... given generous funding and an
absence of bureaucratic roadblocks. But it would probably be another year
or so, even in a maximum-speed program, before the result was cleared for

Random thoughts:
The shuttle could going to ISS could several test articles of minimal reentry
devices.

Load them up with stuff that would otherwise be going down in the progress,
and throw a few dozen overboard when at a safe distance from ISS.

Unlikely unfortunately.