Robotic shuttle for freight

The ones we are now retiring. Refurbish them for unmaned cargo carriers.
"Use the technology, Luke"
Update computers, remove life support systems. Removing life support removes a lot of weight and we get an R cubed result on capacity.

By keeping the launch format, we get extra time to make a much lighter weight version of a shuttle. Reduce costs, easy to do. The insurgent engineeers at NASA were right, there are still economies of scale to be gained in the shuttle format. The solid rocket booster system finally worked and can be scaled down for lighter weight versions. The AirForce proved the robotics, and hopefully re-entry with their flying bomb. So, with robotics on the current shuttle, we retain the potential and reduce processing costs enormously, while retaining cargo capacity.

Then scale down the liquid fuel tank and make a lighter weight version, starting robotic to reduce costs. Robotics, in these cases greatly reduce development costs all the way around, and separate the accounting and design of manned system components.

I was a rocket scientist for seven years. I know this stuff.