Idea: Get all three Orbiters in one picture

[K466]

9 people clicked like on this idea I posted at Facebook:

Park all three orbiters in the same area after their final flights are finished. Would be nice to see all three together for one before they are permanently separated.

Is this feasible at all? Has it been discussed at NASA?

How much would it cost and where could it be done (SLF?)

I'm not getting my hopes up but it sure would be a nice way to wrap up the program 

[R.Simko]

Photoshop it.

[Longhorn John]

40,000 Americans "liked" the facebook page on the disaster in Japan as retribution for Pearl Habor.

Facebook is a collection is very strange people.

Discovery is being stripped so she'd not look too pretty. One OTS, so two would be in their wheels. Nice idea, but probably not something NASA's inept PAO would even suggest.

[K466]

40,000 Americans "liked" the facebook page on the disaster in Japan as retribution for Pearl Habor.

Facebook is a collection is very strange people.

Discovery is being stripped so she'd not look too pretty. One OTS, so two would be in their wheels. Nice idea, but probably not something NASA's inept PAO would even suggest.

Good point but this was on a comment on a NASA page- I hope most of the people there are awake

The picture would have to wait till the orbiters were 'dressed up' for public display, which probably makes the idea even less feasible. Photoshop is better than nothing, but....

[Chris Bergin]

Love the idea

[Jim]

NASA's inept PAO would even suggest.

How is it inept?

[psloss]

Discovery is being stripped so she'd not look too pretty. One OTS, so two would be in their wheels.

She's only going to look stripped while the obvious external subsystems are being decommissioned.

Theoretically, if something like this was done the OTS wouldn't even be a requirement.

Nice idea, but probably not something NASA's inept PAO would even suggest.

Even if they did suggest it, what makes you think they're the ones with the authority to do something like that?

The picture would have to wait till the orbiters were 'dressed up' for public display, which probably makes the idea even less feasible.

It's less a question of "feasibility" than of other things...someone is going to ask for the price tag to do it.  As you suggest, you're already going to have to keep some level of staffing and support around longer than would probably be planned.

[ChrisGebhardt]

Discovery is being stripped so she'd not look too pretty. One OTS, so two would be in their wheels.

She's only going to look stripped while the obvious external subsystems are being decommissioned.

Yes, but from what I can tell, Endeavour's external subsystem are not due back at KSC until after Discovery is already gone (if the currently timeline for T&R holds). So, no matter what, one orbiter (most likely more than one) would have large substructures missing for the group photo.

[psloss]

Discovery is being stripped so she'd not look too pretty. One OTS, so two would be in their wheels.

She's only going to look stripped while the obvious external subsystems are being decommissioned.

Yes, but from what I can tell, Endeavour's external subsystem are not due back at KSC until after Discovery is already gone (if the currently timeline for T&R holds). So, no matter what, one orbiter (most likely more than one) would have large substructures missing for the group photo.

Yeah, as K466 wrote, the orbiters would have to be to held at KSC until all three were ready for public display...as with the idea in general, holding them up in Florida is also feasible, but it would come with a higher price tag.  And that could be just one of the issues.

[JMartJr]

40,000 Americans "liked" the facebook page on the disaster in Japan as retribution for Pearl Habor.

Facebook is a collection is very strange people.

To be fair, some presumably large part of that was 4chan Anonymi trolling.

Photoshop it.

If you're going to do that, no need to limit it to the three extant vehicles, though I guess at some point the issue of taste arises...

(edited to remove the "sh" word... )

[grakenverb]

Sounds like a great idea!  If I had to compose the shot, I would place Atlantis atop the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft with Discovery and Endeavour in the foreground.

[Downix]

If I was composing, I'd have Enterprise on the 747, with the other three parked on the tarmac in front. with two shadow outlines on either side to represent those proud ladies we have lost on the way.

[R.Simko]

40,000 Americans "liked" the facebook page on the disaster in Japan as retribution for Pearl Habor.

Facebook is a collection is very strange people.

To be fair, some presumably large part of that was 4chan Anonymi trolling.

Photoshop it.

If you're going to do that, no need to limit it to the three extant vehicles, though I guess at some point the issue of taste arises...

(edited to remove the "sh" word... )

I guess each to their own tastes.  Perhaps a realistic pricetag should be posted on Facebook and then the question should be asked.  Are you willing to spend "THIS MANY MILLIONS" for a photo op of all 3 orbiters together, or would you like a composite photo that shows the 3 orbiters?

When I say Photoshop, I didn't mean a fake picture, but to create a story with real photos of the different orbiters during real moments in flight and on the pad.   Done right, I think it could look incredable.

Edit-spelling correction

[nathan.moeller]

There's already a photoshop poster with all five orbiters in it lined up next to one another.  If this was desired, I say do it for real, provided someone is willing to fork over the funding for it.  It's a long shot for sure but one I'd love to see taken.

EDIT: Link to the poster image - http://us.st11.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.com/I/spacestore_1985_25199713

[K466]

Great discussion.

Yes, but from what I can tell, Endeavour's external subsystem are not due back at KSC until after Discovery is already gone (if the currently timeline for T&R holds). So, no matter what, one orbiter (most likely more than one) would have large substructures missing for the group photo.

That's what I was afraid of.

Obviously one advantage of parking the orbiters together would be the chance for shots from many different angles. Not to mention a photoshop just wouldn't be the same, no matter how well done.

The cost, millions of dollars I suppose, is probably too high to get this done, particularly with an already weak economy. Would there be a way for individuals to raise money do do this- not to mention would such a campaign* draw more than a few dollars?

*There's a great perfect site called "the point" that could be used for such a campaign.
(http://www.thepoint.com/doc/learn_more)

[Ronsmytheiii]

Discovery is being stripped so she'd not look too pretty. One OTS, so two would be in their wheels. Nice idea, but probably not something NASA's inept PAO would even suggest.

There was a potential scenario of orbiters being moved around mentioned on L2 after STS-134 lands, And you can put the boiler FRCS/OMS on Discovery if you are worried about the aesthetics, though personally I think it would be pretty cool to see the orbiters in different states.

[K466]

 

Endeavour and Discovery swap places – New retirement dates planned | NASASpaceFlight.com

As Chris's article shows, doesn't look like this idea will be possible. It was great seeing Discovery and Endeavour together this morning, imagine getting all three in one picture?

Come on!!!!!