LIVE: Enterprise Ferry on SCA from Dulles to New York City - April 27, 2012

[Skylon]

I am glad that Enterprise is protected now by the temporary enclosure, but Intrepid's past history of promises to build an enclosure for Concorde failing to materialize don't leave much optimism:

In 2003 to secure Concorde as an exhibit, the Intrepid museum proposed housing Concorde in a glass dome structure, which never materializes.The Intrepid museum closed for extensive refurbishment between 2006 and 2008; Concorde was relocated to a sports centre at Floyd Bennett filed, but never opened to the public. In the summer of 2008 Alpha-Delta Aviation enthusiasts around New York State were horrified to find out that her famous nose had been ripped form her fuselage at the sports centre by a passing truck.

http://www.concordesst.com/latestnews.html

The nose has been repaired, as seen in this of aircraft being loaded off the Intrepid to make room for Enterprise: http://www.nycaviation.com/newspage/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/scimitar-3-620x413.jpg

The comments about the Concorde, as a sign of Enterprise's fate are really starting to bug me. When I visited the Intrepid several years ago, I went on the Concorde and it was possibly the most uncomfortable experience I ever had on a commercial aircraft (and it was sitting on the ground). Everything except the aisle was enclosed in what could have been plexiglass....you could look, but not touch a single passenger seat. It made for a very narrow walk (and the Concorde was certainly not made with space in mind to begin with). But, the interior was very well protected.

I understand the utter failure for a building to house the Concorde as a cause for some people to be ticked, but there is also some misinformation getting thrown around here.

[manboy]

Therefore....they don't want the general public to see shuttle for free.

Well that's certainly an idea. I'd have thought though that being able to see it inside the bubble would make people go 'Oh wow! lets go get a closer look.'

To me the white plastic just makes it look unfinished and somewhere the public can't go. Maybe they can paint a full size image of the Shuttle on it.

A clear bubble probably would make the paint fade.

It's the constant limbo the plans have been in since the selection process that has everyone skeptical about what will end up happening to her.

Okay, let's examine that "limbo" —

1. The Intrepid has an artist sketch designs based on a conceptual glass hangar before being awarded an orbiter, based on a general display idea but without the benefit of meeting with NASA and/or the Smithsonian about the specific requirements for safely exhibiting the shuttle.

2. The Intrepid recognizes an opportunity to not only display Enterprise but use its arrival to launch its long held plans to expand into a larger museum facility. Space (no pun intended) is limited aboard the aircraft carrier, so they propose doing more than building a single-use hangar, but a full museum.

3. The Intrepid recognizes a potential location for such an expanded museum and educational facility adjacent to its pier. There are several issues with the location but nothing insurmountable. In the meantime, it comes up with a temporary display plan on its flight deck that is better than the original plans to keep and display Enterprise at JFK Airport.

4. The Intrepid identifies more than one location for its museum expansion and spends some time weighing its choices because the decision will reach beyond just Enterprise's display but the future of the Intrepid Museum Complex. It still plans a world class facility for Enterprise, even proposing a long-term plan to dynamically showcase Enterprise's roll in the Approach and Landing Tests.

And that brings up to current day. Now, I could see perhaps being bothered or concerned if the Intrepid began with a sprawling display plan and then withdrew into a smaller scale effort but instead the museum has only proposed improving upon its original ideas, and if anything, creating a larger fanfare for the space shuttle and its history. And that's viewed as a bad thing?

I wonder if they could expand the pier?

[AstroMickey]

Therefore....they don't want the general public to see shuttle for free.

Well that's certainly an idea. I'd have thought though that being able to see it inside the bubble would make people go 'Oh wow! lets go get a closer look.'

To me the white plastic just makes it look unfinished and somewhere the public can't go. Maybe they can paint a full size image of the Shuttle on it.

A clear bubble probably would make the paint fade.

It's the constant limbo the plans have been in since the selection process that has everyone skeptical about what will end up happening to her.

Okay, let's examine that "limbo" —

1. The Intrepid has an artist sketch designs based on a conceptual glass hangar before being awarded an orbiter, based on a general display idea but without the benefit of meeting with NASA and/or the Smithsonian about the specific requirements for safely exhibiting the shuttle.

2. The Intrepid recognizes an opportunity to not only display Enterprise but use its arrival to launch its long held plans to expand into a larger museum facility. Space (no pun intended) is limited aboard the aircraft carrier, so they propose doing more than building a single-use hangar, but a full museum.

3. The Intrepid recognizes a potential location for such an expanded museum and educational facility adjacent to its pier. There are several issues with the location but nothing insurmountable. In the meantime, it comes up with a temporary display plan on its flight deck that is better than the original plans to keep and display Enterprise at JFK Airport.

4. The Intrepid identifies more than one location for its museum expansion and spends some time weighing its choices because the decision will reach beyond just Enterprise's display but the future of the Intrepid Museum Complex. It still plans a world class facility for Enterprise, even proposing a long-term plan to dynamically showcase Enterprise's roll in the Approach and Landing Tests.

And that brings up to current day. Now, I could see perhaps being bothered or concerned if the Intrepid began with a sprawling display plan and then withdrew into a smaller scale effort but instead the museum has only proposed improving upon its original ideas, and if anything, creating a larger fanfare for the space shuttle and its history. And that's viewed as a bad thing?

I wonder if they could expand the pier?

They can't really expand the pier. Widening it would infringe on the adjacent cruise terminal pier.  Given the larger widths of modern cruise ships, they need the space.  As to extending it further into the river, the US Army Corps of Engineers originally prevented the piers from being extended, which is why they were recessed into the land.  I was at the adjacent cruise terminal this past weekend, and I can say that as large as the shuttle is, it by no means overwhelms the Intrepid.

[glanmor05]

Less than 2 weeks to go to opening day, she's been under cover a while now.  I've been watching the glossy update videos on the Intrepid site.  No mention of the damage and no news of any repair.

Anyone know anything?  I'd hate to think that they'd let loads of people come gawp at her without putting things right.

[brettreds2k]

Doubt they will repair it, it will be left how it is with the cover up of the damage.

[glanmor05]

That's (1980s) BOGUS!

[jacqmans]

MEDIA ADVISORY: M12-132

NASA ADMINISTRATOR BOLDEN TO HELP OPEN INTREPID SPACE SHUTTLE PAVILION

WASHINGTON -- NASA Administrator Charles Bolden will attend the
Thursday opening of the Space Shuttle Pavilion at New York's Intrepid
Sea, Air & Space Museum.

Bolden, who on April 12, 2011, announced Intrepid would receive space
shuttle Enterprise, will join museum officials and three of the four
original Enterprise pilots at an 11 a.m. EDT ceremony on Intrepid's
Flight Deck, located at Pier 86 (46th Street and 12th Avenue) in
Manhattan.

Immediately following the ceremony, officials will participate in a
ribbon cutting in front of the pavilion, officially marking the
opening of Enterprise to the public. Bolden and Intrepid officials
will be available for media interviews after the ribbon cutting, and
the pavilion will be open to media from noon until 5 p.m.

Enterprise was NASA's first space shuttle, a prototype that conducted
critical tests in Earth's atmosphere in 1977. These pioneering tests
paved the way for the successful orbital flights of later shuttles,
beginning with the first flight of the space shuttle Columbia in
1981.

For Bolden's biography, visit:

http://go.nasa.gov/qawpxG

For more information about NASA, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov

[Ronsmytheiii]

the wing has been restored a bit, a preview picture on Ben Cooper's Twitter:

https://twitter.com/LaunchPhoto

[brettreds2k]

I cant wait for someone to post a picture of two of the way she is displayed in her new pop tent

[Ronsmytheiii]

https://twitter.com/LanceUlanoff

[Rocket Science]

Doesn’t look too bad, we wish her well...

[Ronsmytheiii]

really bad storm keeping press corp stuck in the Enterprise enclosure

[Ronsmytheiii]

one more:

http://gettyimages.tumblr.com/post/27501009132/so-cool-the-space-shuttle-enterprise-is-seen-at#.UAcZBvVdC1d

[Rocket Guy]

I just viewed Enterprise. They did a great job, and yes, they fully repaired the wingtip to the point where you can hardly tell anything happened. The only thing you notice, like areas of all four orbiters, is that the tiles are newer and darker than those around them.

[Mapperuo]

Looks really nice, well lit too.