On Fri, 13 Feb 2004 10:08:58 -0800, Brett Buck
wrote:

Seems perfectly simple and well-defined to me. No on-orbit repair
capability because it's too expensive, no ready rescue flight because
it's too expensive, so all shuttle flight go to ISS as a safe haven.

What's so hard to understand about that?

The "no ready rescue flight because it's too expensive" part. It would
be inconvenient (to ISS) but not particularly expensive.

Brian