Anyone who has walked, or wheel - chaired, around Discovery can't help but feel a sense of awe, and deep respect for the people that built, maintained and flew it. It's BIG! ... I strongly urge anyone visiting the D.C. area to take the opportunity to see it in person and admire all the other wonderful planes and spacecraft on display. :)t
I can't wait to see the reaction when the LA Science Center display opens up. It's one thing to see the vehicle in person, but when she's upright.....
Sen. Durbin D-IL – “Houston has a problem – A Space Shuttle has been exhibited at Smithsonian in Chantilly, VA for 12 years. It has had 25 million visitors. One of the states that lost the competition has a new idea: let’s do it over again and make sure Texas wins. They added $85 million to move the shuttle to Texas. That is not what is necessary or what it would cost. NASA and Smithsonian said the cost would be $305 million. Where will Houston get the money to house the shuttle – $178 million would have to be added onto the cost. This will be the first time in history of the Smithsonian that someone has forcibly taken possession of an exhibit. Let’s be honest about this – if you are going use reconciliation funds to move this – its a heist by Texas because they lost the competition 12 years go.”
NASA Appropriations Mark-up Hearing [Jul 10]QuoteSen. Durbin D-IL – “Houston has a problem – A Space Shuttle has been exhibited at Smithsonian in Chantilly, VA for 12 years. It has had 25 million visitors. One of the states that lost the competition has a new idea: let’s do it over again and make sure Texas wins. They added $85 million to move the shuttle to Texas. That is not what is necessary or what it would cost. NASA and Smithsonian said the cost would be $305 million. Where will Houston get the money to house the shuttle – $178 million would have to be added onto the cost. This will be the first time in history of the Smithsonian that someone has forcibly taken possession of an exhibit. Let’s be honest about this – if you are going use reconciliation funds to move this – its a heist by Texas because they lost the competition 12 years go.”
Quote from: StraumliBlight on 07/10/2025 03:49 pmNASA Appropriations Mark-up Hearing [Jul 10]QuoteSen. Durbin D-IL – “Houston has a problem – A Space Shuttle has been exhibited at Smithsonian in Chantilly, VA for 12 years. It has had 25 million visitors. One of the states that lost the competition has a new idea: let’s do it over again and make sure Texas wins. They added $85 million to move the shuttle to Texas. That is not what is necessary or what it would cost. NASA and Smithsonian said the cost would be $305 million. Where will Houston get the money to house the shuttle – $178 million would have to be added onto the cost. This will be the first time in history of the Smithsonian that someone has forcibly taken possession of an exhibit. Let’s be honest about this – if you are going use reconciliation funds to move this – its a heist by Texas because they lost the competition 12 years go.”Times have evolved, and adherence to rules and civility has diminished. The future remains uncertain, and it is no longer possible to predetermine historical outcomes or practices.
Quote from: catdlr on 07/10/2025 04:00 pmQuote from: StraumliBlight on 07/10/2025 03:49 pmNASA Appropriations Mark-up Hearing [Jul 10]QuoteSen. Durbin D-IL – “Houston has a problem – A Space Shuttle has been exhibited at Smithsonian in Chantilly, VA for 12 years. It has had 25 million visitors. One of the states that lost the competition has a new idea: let’s do it over again and make sure Texas wins. They added $85 million to move the shuttle to Texas. That is not what is necessary or what it would cost. NASA and Smithsonian said the cost would be $305 million. Where will Houston get the money to house the shuttle – $178 million would have to be added onto the cost. This will be the first time in history of the Smithsonian that someone has forcibly taken possession of an exhibit. Let’s be honest about this – if you are going use reconciliation funds to move this – its a heist by Texas because they lost the competition 12 years go.”Times have evolved, and adherence to rules and civility has diminished. The future remains uncertain, and it is no longer possible to predetermine historical outcomes or practices.And the way you phrase this makes it sound like you approve. Maybe that's not your intention?
https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2025/07/03/space-shuttle-texas-smithsonian-congress/"Cornyn said in a statement that he looks “forward to welcoming Discovery to Houston and righting this egregious wrong.”Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Cornyn called the Smithsonian’s cost estimate “purposefully overblown,” adding that “an outside vendor skilled at moving military equipment like tanks, military aircraft larger than a space shuttle, and the shuttle mock-up has estimated the total cost to be between $5-$8 million.” That cost estimate, the spokesperson said, includes transporting the shuttle from the Smithsonian to a barge, the trip on the barge to Houston (via the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico) and the transfer from the barge to Space Center Houston."
The Space Shuttle Endeavour was moved from the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Florida to Los Angeles in 2012. The total cost for the overland portion of the move, from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to the California Science Center, was estimated at around $10 million. The California Science Center and private donations covered this cost. The transportation of such a large and delicate object like Endeavour presented significant logistical challenges:Size and weight: Endeavour, weighing 172,000 pounds with a 78-foot wingspan, was too large to be transported by helicopter and too heavy to be moved by conventional methods without potential damage.Overland route: To navigate city streets and avoid underpasses, a 12-mile route through Los Angeles and Inglewood was selected. This required the temporary removal of street obstacles such as streetlights, signs, and traffic signals.Infrastructure Impact: The weight of the shuttle and its transporter necessitated careful planning to avoid damage to roadways and underground utilities. Engineers performed extensive analysis and utilized steel plates to distribute the load and protect sensitive areas.Community Concerns: The move also faced opposition due to the necessary removal of trees along the route. The California Science Center addressed these concerns by pledging to replace the removed trees at a higher rate and investing in community projects. The move of Endeavour was a highly complex and visible event, requiring collaboration between various agencies and attracting significant public attention. The California Science Center is currently raising funds for a $425 million project that includes the building of the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center, which will be the permanent home for Endeavour, displayed in a vertical, "ready-for-launch" configuration.
If you want to have a little fun, go to Googlemaps and type in "Udvar-Hazy Center" in Virginia. Then zoom out until you see the nearest bit of navigable water, which is to the south. Figure out roughly how many miles the shuttle would have to be towed over roads to get there. That does not account for things like power lines and street lamps that would have to be removed, or overpasses that the shuttle cannot go under. That doesn't account for the local terrain or whether there is even a location that it can be towed to the river and placed on a barge.I live about 20 miles from the museum and I've been there dozens of times. I'm a little familiar with the area. It's not exactly perfectly flat. It will be interesting to see if NASA pays for a transportation route survey.
poles along the route and are coiled up. Numerous trees were cut down, and new trees were replanted after the move. Special measures were taken to reinforce bridges where necessary, and traffic was halted while the
Quote from: catdlr on 07/14/2025 05:06 ampoles along the route and are coiled up. Numerous trees were cut down, and new trees were replanted after the move. Special measures were taken to reinforce bridges where necessary, and traffic was halted while the I'm sure that the people who live in the area of Northern Virginia where the trees will have to be cut down and the roads will possibly be damaged will have warm fuzzy feelings about all this. It's one thing to face that disruption when your community is benefiting. It's different when you face the disruption and damage so that somebody else can take something away from you.
Quote from: Blackstar on 07/14/2025 05:01 pmQuote from: catdlr on 07/14/2025 05:06 ampoles along the route and are coiled up. Numerous trees were cut down, and new trees were replanted after the move. Special measures were taken to reinforce bridges where necessary, and traffic was halted while the I'm sure that the people who live in the area of Northern Virginia where the trees will have to be cut down and the roads will possibly be damaged will have warm fuzzy feelings about all this. It's one thing to face that disruption when your community is benefiting. It's different when you face the disruption and damage so that somebody else can take something away from you.Ultimately, it was the cutting down of old trees and replacing them with new, small ones that most angered the public.
Quote from: catdlr on 07/14/2025 05:39 pmQuote from: Blackstar on 07/14/2025 05:01 pmQuote from: catdlr on 07/14/2025 05:06 ampoles along the route and are coiled up. Numerous trees were cut down, and new trees were replanted after the move. Special measures were taken to reinforce bridges where necessary, and traffic was halted while the I'm sure that the people who live in the area of Northern Virginia where the trees will have to be cut down and the roads will possibly be damaged will have warm fuzzy feelings about all this. It's one thing to face that disruption when your community is benefiting. It's different when you face the disruption and damage so that somebody else can take something away from you.Ultimately, it was the cutting down of old trees and replacing them with new, small ones that most angered the public.How hideously expensive would it be to recommission the 747 Shuttle carrier and just fly it out of there? That's how they delivered it ti Uvar-Hazy in the first place. Uvar-Hazy is on a taxiway at Dulles airport.
NASA operated two modified Boeing 747 aircraft as Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCAs) to transport Space Shuttle orbiters. Both of these aircraft are retired.Here's the status of each:N905NA: This 747-100 model is now preserved and on display at Space Center Houston in Texas, with the replica Space Shuttle Independence mounted on its back.N911NA: This 747-100SR model is preserved and on display at the Joe Davies Heritage Airpark in Palmdale, California. It was also used as a source of parts for NASA's SOFIA aircraft (another modified Boeing 747) after its retirement.
NASAwww.nasa.govShuttle Carrier Aircraft Recordation - NASAThe two SCAs were under the operational control of NASA's Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX. - Launch-to-Landing Process. - Historical Narrative. - SCA Videos.https://www.nasa.gov/shuttle-carrier-aircraft-recordation/AirHistory.netwww.airhistory.netAircraft Photo of N905NA | Boeing 747-123/SCA | NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration | AirHistory.net #690647It has been on display on Independence Plaza at the Space Center Houston since 30 April 2014. Sitting on its back is Independence, which is not a real Space ...https://www.airhistory.net/photo/690647/N905NAWikipedia, the free encyclopediaen.wikipedia.orgShuttle Carrier Aircraft - WikipediaHigh Confidence Response: Joe Davies Heritage Airpark. Context: Preserved at. 905: Space Center Houston. 911: Joe Davies Heritage Airpark, Palmdale, ...https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shuttle_Carrier_Aircraft#:~:text=Preserved%20at,Davies%20Heritage%20Airpark%2C%20Palmdale%2C%20California
How hideously expensive would it be to recommission the 747 Shuttle carrier and just fly it out of there? That's how they delivered it ti Uvar-Hazy in the first place. Uvar-Hazy is on a taxiway at Dulles airport.
Quote from: DanClemmensen on 07/14/2025 07:53 pmHow hideously expensive would it be to recommission the 747 Shuttle carrier and just fly it out of there? That's how they delivered it ti Uvar-Hazy in the first place. Uvar-Hazy is on a taxiway at Dulles airport.Could Stratolaunch's Roc carry the Space Shuttle? Its max payload is 227 tons, while an empty Shuttle is 76 tons, however ground clearance might be an issue.
Dan, to answer your question, the best option is the one in Houston, but it will require removing the replica Space Shuttle that's on top of it, repairing and recertifying the 747 for flight, rehiring the pilots, getting insurance, and obtaining FAA approval, which will probably cost around $85 million. (Just kidding).
Quote from: Blackstar on 07/14/2025 05:01 pmQuote from: catdlr on 07/14/2025 05:06 ampoles along the route and are coiled up. Numerous trees were cut down, and new trees were replanted after the move. Special measures were taken to reinforce bridges where necessary, and traffic was halted while the I'm sure that the people who live in the area of Northern Virginia where the trees will have to be cut down and the roads will possibly be damaged will have warm fuzzy feelings about all this. It's one thing to face that disruption when your community is benefiting. It's different when you face the disruption and damage so that somebody else can take something away from you.Ummm...... Discovery is at Udvar-Hazy, so they'd just back her out of the hangar and use cranes to mount her on the 747 like they did when they delivered her. I think the comments about cutting down and replacing trees refers to delivering/moving Endeavour from LAX to the California Science Center.
