In a May 2003 online feature of Popular Science magazine, several potential candidates for replacing NASA's aging space shuttles are examined. Although budget problems have made the outlook somewhat bleak for any new designs in the near future, a number of existing proposals are outlined. An especially eye-catching concept is an enormous flying wing, which would climb to 40,000 feet and serve as a launching pad for a rocket. Another possibility, which would be an intermediate step before the full-fledged shuttle replacement, is the Orbital Space Plane. This would likely be less complex than the shuttle while serving as a manned or unmanned taxi to space. The five-page article also describes NASA's changing needs and how the shuttle no longer meets them.