Nasa's new shuttle design dropped

Nasa's replacement for the space shuttle has been cancelled.

The X-33 was also known as the Flying Wedge because of its sleek design.

The project cost £610 million but was cancelled because it relied on too many untested technologies.

Two years ago its lightweight fuel tanks failed to work and the entire craft has never made a single test-flight.

Art Stephenson, director of Nasa's Marshall Space Flight Centre, says the project was dropped as a "business decision".

He said: "Our technology has not yet developed to the point that we can successfully develop a new reusable launch vehicle that substantially improves safety, reliability and affordability."