Competition is heating up between states angling for one of the space shuttles after the fleet's retirement later this year.The Ohio Congressional Delegation sent a letter to NASA this week reiterating its call for one of the three shuttles to be displayed at the National Museum of the United States Air Force at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.
"The U.S. Air Force played a significant role in developing the nation's space program," Congressman Michael Turner said. "Retiring a space shuttle orbiter at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, just miles away from the historic home of Orville and Wilbur Wright, will strengthen the aerospace heritage of the region."
The Ohio delegation noted that Wright-Patterson is the world's largest and oldest military aviation museum and is visited by 1.3 million people annually, free of charge.
Florida lawmakers are also pressing to retire one of the orbiters at Kennedy Space Center. Altogether some 20 facilities are vying for one of the shuttles, including New York's Intrepid Museum. One of the vehicles, Discovery, has already been claimed by the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C.
About the Image: The space shuttle Atlantis slowly moves out of the Vehicle Assembly Building at Kennedy Space Center Thursday April 22, 2010 for its 6 hour trip to the launch pad. Atlantis is scheduled for lift off May 14, 2010. Photo by: Michael R. Brown
11 comments:
Smithsonian Air and Space in D.C., Wright Patterson, and KSC. That sounds logical.
Putting one on the Intrepid in NYC is just stupid.
They need to retire the shuttles here. We need the tourism, not Ohio!!
If the Smithsonian is getting Discovery, would they put it where Enterprise is now? I assume they will give up Enterprise and someone else will be able to have her.
KSC definitely deserves one. Maybe one of them can rotate. It would be cool to see an orbiter on a SCA every once in a while.
Give 'em the pieces of the one that broke.
Bigchieftain54
Obviously the KSC Visitor Center should get one. Or have we abandoned that like we abandoned the rest of manned space flight in this state?
The Intrepid Museum? You mean they want to put it on top of an aircraft carrier next to their SR-71? Can you have a more NON-NAVAL static display New York?
Of course the Smithsonian should get one.
That leaves one more orbiter up for grabs. Museum of the USAF could make due with the Smithsonian's old Enterprise test bed.
Why not JSC? They played a huge part in the Shuttle Program, and I think their workforce, and local population deserve to have the honor of having one. They can build an indoor museum just like KSC now has for the Saturn V.
Washington, Florida, Texas should have them and give Ohio a SRB.
Ohio, you have got to be kidding. The military involvment in the Shuttle program has be problematic at best. Ohio? Yeah, when I think of aerospace that is the fist state to come to mind.
One for the east coast, one for west coast (not sure where), and Ohio sounds OK for the mid west. The Air Force Musuem is just incredible. You could spend days in there...
The Smithsonian can keep the Enterprise.
I agree that the Air Force Museum is incredible, but it's no place for a space shuttle. I also agree the Smithsonian can keep Enterprise. Why do they get to pick and choose what they get? They grabbed Enterprise, and now that ship won't be good enough?
Discovery is the flagship. She should stay at KSC. Give one of the other two to JSC and how about one at Edwards? That place played a major role in the beginning of the program. Plus, it's close to Palmdale, where the orbiters were built.
Some imbecile on another board said Florida already has Columbia and Challenger, so they don't need another one. Can you imagine someone saying that?
KSC in Florida, Wright-Patterson Museum in Ohio and Edwards AFB in California are the most logical sites for shuttle retirements. Smithsonian staked its claim way too early with Enterprise to be in line for one of the upcoming shuttle retirees. With this configuration, just about every region of the U.S. will be within a reasonable distance from a shuttle exhibit.
I agree with Edwards being a place where the shuttle program spent a lot of time. However, the NASA/Dryden part of the facility is off limits to the general public, as is Edwards. How about the old Rockwell, Downey facility. That is where most of the engineering and a significant part of the fabrication was completed. Believe the facility is now owned by a movie studio, but think there should be some square footage for an orbiter for public viewing.
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