Author Topic: What to do with the Shuttles after retirement  (Read 5666 times)

Offline SimonShuttle

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What to do with the Shuttles after retirement
« on: 10/05/2005 10:21 am »
Three Orbiters, lots of free time on their hands. What to do with them? Multiple choice as there are three to go around.

Offline Chris Bergin

RE: What to do with the Shuttles after retirement
« Reply #1 on: 10/05/2005 10:24 am »
Only the top four options work for me.
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Offline FransonUK

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RE: What to do with the Shuttles after retirement
« Reply #2 on: 10/05/2005 11:11 am »
World tour sounds good if someone's willing to pay for it. But if you charge 10 quid and get 10,000 people paying, that might cover the cost.

Don't ya wish your spaceship was hot like me

Offline Jason Sole

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RE: What to do with the Shuttles after retirement
« Reply #3 on: 10/05/2005 11:15 am »
The KSC visitor centre would make a fortune to sell tickets to go on board!

Offline SimonShuttle

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RE: What to do with the Shuttles after retirement
« Reply #4 on: 10/05/2005 11:50 am »
Quote
Jason Sole - 5/10/2005  6:15 AM

The KSC visitor centre would make a fortune to sell tickets to go on board!

Imagine all the Chinese getting tickets with notepads and taking whispering into Atlantis' ear (if she had one) about how wondering it would be to work for the People's Army ;)

Offline AndyMc

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RE: What to do with the Shuttles after retirement
« Reply #5 on: 10/05/2005 02:20 pm »
Hi,

Give them to the US Air Force, after all it they that wanted a shuttle like the one they got in the first place. Maybe they have the cash to keep on developing it ;)

Cheers,

Offline Bruce H

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RE: What to do with the Shuttles after retirement
« Reply #6 on: 10/05/2005 02:29 pm »
I don't even want to go into the irony of the US Air Force wanting them.....they sure didn't after Challenger!

Offline FransonUK

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RE: What to do with the Shuttles after retirement
« Reply #7 on: 10/05/2005 02:52 pm »
I'm glad no one has voted for the sold to a millionaire in yet, as you'd know Branson would buy one and deface her :(
Don't ya wish your spaceship was hot like me

Offline kraisee

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RE: What to do with the Shuttles after retirement
« Reply #8 on: 10/05/2005 04:20 pm »
Whatever happens they need to be stored in climate controlled locations, like the Saturn-V Center at KSC now.   Otherwise, they're condition will deteriorate very fast.

I say take them on a world tour, then set them up, one at each major space center and leave Enterprise at NASM.

Discovery should go to KSC
Endeavour should go to MSFC
Atlantis should go to JSC

Each should have retired space hardware installed in the payload bay to simulate a real mission.

And at least one should be opened up for the public to be able to see the insides of these baby's.
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Offline Sergi Manstov

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RE: What to do with the Shuttles after retirement
« Reply #9 on: 10/05/2005 04:46 pm »
Could the OPFs be turned into exhibition areas?

Offline Shuttle Man

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RE: What to do with the Shuttles after retirement
« Reply #10 on: 10/05/2005 05:49 pm »
We'll need at least one for conversion for the CEV, so no. And I don't think we'd want tourists around that area ;)
Ex-Apollo, waiting for NASA to finish what we started.

Offline Chris Bergin

RE: What to do with the Shuttles after retirement
« Reply #11 on: 10/06/2005 02:11 am »
>Butchered and used for other vehicles 0 Votes - [0%]<

I take it we don't get many people from SDC on here ;) Where's spacefire when you need him :)
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Offline Rocket Guy

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RE: What to do with the Shuttles after retirement
« Reply #12 on: 10/06/2005 02:29 am »
One will head to the NASM, one to KSC and the third likely either JSC or Dryden.

Remember, the Smithsonian assumes ownership of all retired NASA equipment and at their discretion is loaned or presented elsewhere.

Offline kraisee

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RE: What to do with the Shuttles after retirement
« Reply #13 on: 10/06/2005 03:02 am »
Quote
Shuttle Man - 5/10/2005  1:49 PM

We'll need at least one for conversion for the CEV, so no. And I don't think we'd want tourists around that area ;)

I don't understand, why?
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Offline Tahii

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RE: What to do with the Shuttles after retirement
« Reply #14 on: 10/06/2005 05:19 am »
Got to do a world tour. I have to see one of these beasts in person.

Offline Flightstar

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RE: What to do with the Shuttles after retirement
« Reply #15 on: 10/06/2005 09:54 pm »
Quote
Ben - 5/10/2005  9:29 PM

One will head to the NASM, one to KSC and the third likely either JSC or Dryden.

Remember, the Smithsonian assumes ownership of all retired NASA equipment and at their discretion is loaned or presented elsewhere.

I agree. The Smithsonian has Enterprise, but I'd expect them to want an Orbiter that has the history of space travel.

Offline Rocket Guy

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RE: What to do with the Shuttles after retirement
« Reply #16 on: 10/06/2005 10:05 pm »
The talk is that Discovery will take the spot of Enterprise. Maybe we will see Enterprise go back to Dryden (my own speculation), since Dryden isn't a big tourist attraction. If I had my way, Discovery would be at KSC in a building adjacent to and similar to the SVC; Atlantis at the NASM and Endeavour at JSC in another facility.

Offline SRBseparama

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RE: What to do with the Shuttles after retirement
« Reply #17 on: 10/07/2005 02:32 am »
One should go on a world tour for sure.

Offline newsartist

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RE: What to do with the Shuttles after retirement
« Reply #18 on: 10/08/2005 08:38 pm »
"...One will head to the NASM, one to KSC and the third likely either JSC or Dryden. ..."

I second Ben's opinion: one to the Smithsonian, one to KSC, and Enterprise to Dryden, (Palmdale, or wherever the off-base museum is now.)

Kudos to the Poll designer, who allowed it to accept all my choices, (and add Dryden.) All too often polls leave you with choices not quite what you actually feel, ...but close.

"...Remember, the Smithsonian assumes ownership of all retired NASA equipment and at their discretion is loaned or presented elsewhere...."

Close, but not quite.When equipment is declared surplus to a Government user, there is a 'pecking order' of government and civil agencies who can acquire it. The Smithsonian is high on the list, but below other NASA centers.

In the case of sensitive or military equipment (think jet fighters, for example,) that are on the restricted distribution 'Tactical List', ownership is retained by the Government, and it is put on long-term loan via the Smithsonian, US Air Force or Navy Museum or NASA.

The system is really designed for cars and typewriters and such, that schools and such can be put on the list for, below all Federal and State entities.

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