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 More than 34,000 people have signed an online petition calling on the Obama administration to build the "Star Wars"-inspired super-weapon to spur job growth and bolster national defense.
But in a posting Friday on the White House website, Paul Shawcross, an administration adviser on science and space, says a Death Star would cost too much to build
-- an estimated $850 quadrillion -- at a time the White House is working to reduce the federal budget.
Besides, Shawcross says, the Obama administration "does not support blowing up planets."
The U.S., Shawcross points out, is already involved in several out-of-this-world projects, including the International Space Station, which is currently orbiting Earth with a half-dozen astronauts.
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White House response to petition:
http://tinyurl.com/asd565g
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