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Want a retired space shuttle? They're up for grabs
By MARCIA DUNN, AP Aerospace Writer Marcia Dunn, Ap Aerospace Writer Thu Dec 18, 3:24 am ET
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – NASA's soon-to-be-retired space shuttles are up for grabs.

The space agency said Wednesday it's looking for ideas on where and how best to display its space shuttles once they stop flying in a few years. It's put out a call to schools, science museums and "other appropriate organizations" that might be interested in showcasing one of the three remaining shuttles.

Beware: NASA estimates it will cost about $42 million to get each shuttle ready and get it where it needs to go, and the final tab could end up much more.

The estimate includes $6 million to ferry the spaceship atop a modified jumbo jet to the closest major airport. But the price could skyrocket depending on how far the display site is from the airport. Only indoor, climate-controlled displays will be considered.

"The orbiters will not be disassembled for transportation or storage," NASA insists in its nine-page request for information.

One space shuttle appears headed to the Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum in Washington. The remaining two would be placed in storage at Kennedy Space Center until their final homes are decided.

If a space shuttle is too pricey, NASA is offering some of its shuttle main engines for anywhere between $400,000 and $800,000, not counting shipping costs.

The space shuttles, so you know, will not come with any main engines.

NASA plans to retire Discovery, Atlantis and Endeavour by Sept. 30, 2010, in keeping with President George Bush's initiative calling for a return by astronauts to the moon by 2020. A transition team set up by President-elect Barack Obama is reviewing all the options, however, including the possibility of keeping the shuttles flying beyond 2010.

If that happens, then all space shuttle deals are off.

So if they retire all the shuttles by 2010, how are they gonna get to the ISS? Ask the Russians nicely for a lift?

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Magister Aviation
It's all in my book

No, pay the Rusians alot of money for a lift.

I think the brass at NASA have been drinking too much rocket fuel hile watching the HBO series, From the Earth to the Moon, they are going from the shuttle to a capsule that looks like a collision between a Apollo and a Soyuze.Seems that they are going backwards in design, why doesn't NASA just gather up all the old Apollo hardware, dust it off and use it ? There are flight ready Lunar landers that were not used, as well as a Saturn V, and I am sure there are a couple of command and service modules still around.

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Matt Gunsch, A&P, IA, Warbird maint and restorations
Jack, You have Debauched my sloth !!!!!!
We tried voting with the Ballot box, When do we start voting from the Ammo box, and am I allowed only one vote ?
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Would you want to ride on a Saturn 5 that was 35 years old?

I thought the Air Force Museum was getting one? Whats NASM going to do with Enterprise?

Mike

Why not, we fly around in planes that were intended to last 100hrs, 60 yrs after they were built .

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Matt Gunsch, A&P, IA, Warbird maint and restorations
Jack, You have Debauched my sloth !!!!!!
We tried voting with the Ballot box, When do we start voting from the Ammo box, and am I allowed only one vote ?
Check out the Ercoupe Discussion Group on facebook

The Saturn V here at JSC-Houston was the subject of a recent multiyear major restoration, it seems the Saturn components were never meant to last 35 years on the Gulf Coast with 0 protection from the elements ! Who knew ? Apparently, not the rocket scientists who parked it there ! In some cases the only thing holding parts of it together was the paint !!

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"You cannot invade the mainland United States. There would be a rifle behind each blade of grass..."
Admiral Isoruku Yamamoto

I'll bet when the good General in Ohio heard the price tag, he 'bout choked ! Maybe the NMUSAF board decided they might not need one afterall !

It might be a lot cheaper and easier to send one to Pensacola. One could be put on a barge and delivered from KSC directly to Pensacola NAS . Lot cheaper than flying it on the 747 !

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"You cannot invade the mainland United States. There would be a rifle behind each blade of grass..."
Admiral Isoruku Yamamoto

Dang! I'm a little short. Can anyone loan me 41.99 million?

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What is red, furry and on your six?

Evergreen was supposed to get one...... I don't know if they knew they were $42 mil when they built the new building.....

A friend close to the shuttle program says that they are running low on spares, flying them isn't as safe as it used to be. Everyone keeps their fingers crossed when they go now.......

But then, what do I know?

Mark H

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Fly safe or you get to meet me .......

Where is the Natl Museum of the USAF or any other museum for that matter going to come up with that kind of money to acquire one of the shuttles? Chris, can you enlighten us at all?

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Ain't no sunshine when she's gone!

It's my understanding that one shuttle stays at Kennedy and that one of the operational shuttles goes to NASM. Enterprise and the remaining operational shuttle should be the ones available for assignment/loan, I believe. Can anyone confirm? I think it goes back to NASM wanting operationally used hardware.

Since most aviation museum's hangars aren't climate controlled (and if you look at the RFI it specifies temperature and humidity controls) I'd guess that removes a bunch from consideration. You also have to have a 8,000-10,000 foot long runway adjacent to your museum, so that pretty much eliminates a whole bunch more museums. You also have to have demonstrated to NASA that you have the infrastructure and equipment, or access to it, to move the shuttle around and to maintain it. That means having a reasonable aircraft industry/airline maintenance/military installation at your airport museum. It's probably going to require a museum that has specifically constructed a building for the shuttle. That building would need to be in the area of 200' long by 100' wide by 70' tall with 60' tall doors to get the shuttle indoors. That size building would allow you to display the shuttle along with additional interpretive exhibits around the shuttle, plus an elevated gallery to allow people to look at the shuttle from above. A 20,000 sq.foot building that is climate controlled with a floor that can support an (approximately) 160,000 pound vehicle is probably going to run in the $200/sq.foot range for a building cost of at least $4-5million. Add some additional endowment funds to support the exhibit long term, and it's not out of the question that having a shuttle come to your museum probably costs in the neighborhood of $50 million. What could most museums do with that cash? I would bet that even the Paul Allens of the world would rather restore and fly 10 or 12 of their own aircraft at 4-5 million each than pay that amount to house NASA's old hardware. (neat as it is)

The other question in the mix is, what kind of revenue could a musuem expect annually (and only an increase over what they're doing now) by having one of only 4 shuttles on display? Would the revenue offset the annual operational/display costs, not considering the acquisition costs?

Just some food for thought...

kevin

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FOUND the elusive DT-built B-24! Woo-hoo!!!

Kevin, The Natl Museum of the USAF has plans to construct just such a building to house a shuttle but I dont know if they knew about the extra 42 million when those plans were drawn up. It will be interesting to see how it all shakes out.

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Ain't no sunshine when she's gone!

You would think for 42 mil you would get the engines with it.
I think it is great if they save and display all of them.

Les

Les, you guys know they can't let the engines go with it.. Some misguided unwashed soul might try to fly it !

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"You cannot invade the mainland United States. There would be a rifle behind each blade of grass..."
Admiral Isoruku Yamamoto