Paul Shawcross, Chief of the Science and Space Branch at the White House Office of Management and Budget, sent out an email last night crushing the hopes of 34,000+ petition signers who had hoped to have the US Government build a Death Star. The tongue in cheek email read in part

“The Administration shares your desire for job creation and a strong national defense, but a Death Star isn’t on the horizon. Here are a few reasons:

The construction of the Death Star has been estimated to cost more than $850,000,000,000,000,000.

We’re working hard to reduce the deficit, not expand it.

The Administration does not support blowing up planets.

Why would we spend countless taxpayer dollars on a Death Star with a fundamental flaw that can be exploited by a one-man starship?”

It went on to talk about the The International Space Station and the six astronauts aboard it and point out that we have “two robot science labs — one wielding a laser — roving around Mars, looking at whether life ever existed on the Red Planet.”

Also mentioned was a reminder that President Obama “knows his way around a light saber and (an) advanced (marshmallow) cannon“.

It ended on a more serious note, encouraging people to pursue careers “in a science, technology, engineering or math-related field” and reminding us about the “White House science fairs and Astronomy Night on the South Lawn because (The President) knows these domains are critical to our country’s future, and to ensuring the United States continues leading the world in doing big things.”

It is nice that as serious as politics and governence seem this White House can still have fun.