Death Star Proposal Rejected By White House

The White House has rejected a petition signed by thousands of people calling for a Death Star to be built.

Started by a John D, from Colorado, the petition demanded that work should begin on the project within the next four years.

He claimed having a Moon-sized space station and inter-stellar weapon from the Star Wars film series would strengthen national security and create jobs.

But Paul Shawcross, chief of the White House's Office of Management and Budget's Science and Space Branch, replied to the 35,000 signatories.

He said: "The Administration shares your desire for job creation and a strong national defence, but a Death Star isn't on the horizon."

He explained in the letter, titled This Isn't The Petition Response You're Looking For, that the estimated cost of constructing a Death Star would be over \$850,000,000,000,000,000 (\$850 quadrillion).

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

US officials are forced to respond if a petition on the We The People site gets more than 25,000 signatures - this one received over 34,000.

Mr Shawcross wrote that the White House "does not support blowing up planets" but highlighted that there is "something already floating in the sky".

"Yes, we already have a giant, football field-sized International Space Station in orbit around the Earth that's helping us learn how humans can live and thrive in space for long durations."

And he showed himself to be something of a Star Wars fan, signing off the letter with the line: "Remember, the Death Star's power to destroy a planet, or even a whole star system, is insignificant next to the power of the Force."