Arguments for keeping shuttle around longer

We should not forget that the shuttle is not all bad. Especially now
that we have it pretty well debugged. I think we should fly them even
knowing their problems, limitations. If we are going to have a shuttle
derived heavy lift architecture then it is not going to be an extra
cost to keep the shuttles flying indefinitely.

The shuttles provide a convenient environment for nursing satellites
before launch and they are the only thing we have if we want to bring
something back that does not have its own heat shield. The shuttles and
the SDHL complement each other.