The successor to the space shuttle is called Orion and is a return to the more traditional rocket design akin to the Saturn V, made with modern tech. It's mainly a capsule that will house the crew and controls that sits on top of a large rocket/ cargo stage, and will probably be used for the first manned mission to mars. The first crewed flight is scheduled for sometime in 2016, and in the meantime the gov't will employ the use of private space contractors such as SpaceX (owned by Tesla motors founder Elon Musk), and foreign space agencies to send crew and equipment into orbit.
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