The Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex today announced plans to build a $100 million exhibit featuring a flown shuttle orbiter -- assuming NASA awards one to the Space Coast. The 64,000-square foot facility showing the orbiter as it appeared in flight is included in a 10-year master plan nearing completion.
"We would be honored to showcase one of the space shuttle orbiters so we have begun designing a dynamic, interactive exhibit to tell the space shuttle story from our own unique perspective," Bill Moore, the visitor complex's chief operating officer, said in a statement. "Kennedy Space Center is home to the space shuttle; all of the 132 missions have launched from here."
NASA has solicited interest from museums and other institutions interested in publicly displaying Atlantis, Discovery and Endeavour after the fleet is retired next year. NASA will charge nearly $29 million to ready each orbiter for display. The timing of an announcement awarding the orbiters is unknown.
IMAGE: A peek into the future of Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. Visitor Complex officials hope to be selected by NASA to display a retired space shuttle orbiter. This initial concept design for a new orbiter exhibit showcases the space shuttle as it appears "in flight." Credit: KSCVC
11 comments:
Looks like a great concept, a lot better than simply having an orbiter on its wheels or a stand on the floor. It ought to be displayed "in action". Members of the public can show their support for KSC's bid to housr an orbiter at spaceshuttleproject.com. You can learn about the space shuttle and sign the online petition to let everyone know you want florida's Space Coast to be a retirement home for an orbiter.
"KSC plans $100M exhibit if it lands shuttle orbiter"
Poor choice for headline there FLT. Either way, without an orbiter, there would be no exhibit.
"Children, this display harkens back to a time when well-paying jobs were available in Brevard County."
Perhaps "IMAGE: A peek..."
What is the return on the $100M tax money investment? I can't think of any. What about the cost of ownership? How much cost each year to maintain and operate it?
The KSC Visitor Complex is operated completely from the revenue it generates from tickets, food and retail. It gets no funds from taxes. In addition, it pays the state millions in sales tax revenues annually. It is also responsible for hundreds of jobs. It is a really good thing for Brevard.
Three hangers, three orbiters; park them at KSC until NASA gets direction to use them again for a US space program. Just building the thrust structures and airframe and engines are beyond NASA. Save them for reuse by a 'going' concern.
The SpaceX craft are made by a 'private' company that has already been paid $300 million for launching a tin can that you could stack EIGHT in a single shuttle payload bay.
We have paid to reduce the risks of shuttle. The risks are not gone from Dragon and won't be for another four years. This is a bad investment but NASA doesn't have any other ideas but to blame their failure on private industry!
The Orbital system at Wallops uses !!!RUSSIAN!!! engines, as do the Atlas 5 and Deltas. Maybe we should buy advanced technology from North Korea, they are less dangerous than the Russians.
NASA needs to toss Mr. Bolden's new "directives".
Focus on the only reason for NASA to exist: find a way into low earth orbit that is cheap enough to allow homesteading, full use of the unique properties of space for research and industrialization, and honeymoon trips into the hundred mile club.
20,000 civil servants took 40 years to mess that up so bad the US will not launch Americans for five years at any price. $20,000,000,000 budget for 20,000 civil 'servants' is
ONE million dollars a piece each, each and every year.
Don't forget to tip for good service!
I have this to say.To my mind it would be completely stupid if the KSC vistor complex didn't get an orbiter to exibit.After all they are processed in the VAB and other buildings,and have taken off and landed there for decades.It should be automatic really.
Er by the way YOU CAN NEVER EVER mitigate all the risks in space flight,whatever vehicle you fly.It simply cannot be done,it's a machine and they occasionally go wrong.!!
@10:29: Delta uses Russian engines? Do tell! I came in to check the comments just to see if there's any dissing of Orbital and SpaceX just because Shuttle retirement is even MENTIONED in the article. Sure enough, you can count on always finding some here.
Fact: Shuttle retirement has been in the making for 6 years. It's too late to cry about it now. And it's completely lame to try to compare it to any "commercial" vehicle which is designed to a completely different set of requirements. Those companies are not at fault for where NASA is now, NASA itself is. Über-engineer Mike Griffin in particular. Blame him and his pet rocket for NASA not having anything to show for by now, don't blame SpaceX because they HAVE something to show for, however unremarkable and "retro" YOU may think it is.
Is this going to be a "KSC" exhibit, or a "Delaware North" ripoff?
What I think is a sad note is Charlie Bolden said NO civil servants would lose any jobs! Here's a big story for you, I suddenly seen 20 new faces with temp badges that have been hired as civil servants by NASA for KSC! Not one looks over 30 and think its great to be starting at KSC! So if the money has stayed the same as 2010 then why cut whats needed, force lay-offs of NON-civil servant workers (which has done everything since the beginning only with NASA oversight)and start hiring more protected personnel? All NASA personnel do at KSC is sit in plush offices in suits and read reports of all the contractors work being done!
Charlie you better get your priorities straight or you will sink whats left of space flight ANYWHERE in the US.
As to the redecorating that was done...yes to headquarters for NASA personnel. Every building out there is filled with asbestos and is falling apart! if we dont fix them we need to tear them down and I know you will never find and NASA personnel driving fancy cars doing any demo work! NASA pays huge salaries to people (some of which dont even have more than a HS diploma)I'm talking over 100k to sit in an office and read papers and go for long walks or work out in the health clubs that are off limits to anyone BUT NASA personnel.
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