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What To Do With An Old Space Shuttle? Need A Lawn Ornament?
December 17, 2008 5:51 PM
ABC News' Gina Sunseri reports:
What to do with an old space shuttle? Its one of the most complicated vehicles ever built, though it relies on 1970's technology, and has only one bathroom.
NASA is looking for ideas for its space shuttle fleet, which includes Endeavour, Atlantis and Discovery. The orbiters will be retired in 2010 after 133 flights unless President-elect Barack Obama decides to keep them flying past the retirement date decreed by President Bush when he unveiled his plan to go back to the Moon and then eventually on to Mars.
You would have to have plenty of room to keep a space shuttle -- they are big. The orbiters are 183 feet tall by 78 feet wide.
The Orbiter is attached to a large external fuel tank, & solid rocket boosters before launch. The shuttle contains more than 2.5 million parts, 230 miles of wire, 1060 valves, 1,440 circuit breakers. It weighs approximately 4.5 million pounds at launch, and accelerates to an orbital velocity of 17,500 milers per hour, 25 times faster than the speed of sound, in just over eight minutes. That's zero to 100 mph in ten seconds. The shuttle includes the orbiter, the external tank, and the solid rocket boosters. On liftoff it weighs 4,525,808 pounds, but will be delivered without the tank and the boosters.
NASA is asking museums and other scientific organizations for proposals on what to do with the orbiters –- the Smithsonian already has the prototype Enterprise on exhibit. Any ideas?
December 17, 2008 | Permalink | Share | User Comments (32)
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If we can keep B52's flying for decades surely we can keep these in service for a few extra years.
Posted by: steve salter | Dec 18, 2008 6:57:39 PM
Space Shuttles are only capable of flying to low Earth orbit, not to the moon or anywhere else. The launch pads are being torn down and replaced with ones for the new ships. We would not be able to launch shuttles even if they were kept in storage.
Posted by: Lee | Dec 18, 2008 9:59:32 PM
These venerable work horses should definately be kept in the United States as upon their retirement, people will want a chance to see these beauties.
And my GOD, at MACH 25, these vehicles which come back to Earth essentially like an airplane travel much faster than the often quoted speeds for the mythical Aruora Hypersonic Spy Plane whose existence is the subject of occasional speculation Area 51 enthusiasts.
Regardless of whether or not any such myths have any validity, the venerable space shuttles should be put on display at three different locations within the United States. They have become a culteral icon and a symbol of what we Americans can do when we cooperate with each other.
The shuttles, as mueseam show pieces can stand tall and proud and be a source for further dreams and space craft yet to be built designed and conceived. I would like to see this vehicles put on display with electronic audiovideo displays and a with an adjacent fancy artistically embosed plack containing the phrase "What Dreams May Come!"
Posted by: James M. Essig | Dec 19, 2008 12:40:20 AM
Why not gut it and use it as a shuttle to go between earth and moon? Essentially refit it and use it as a big freight vehicle. Boosters could be lifted to orbit mounted, and we have a snazzy transporter.
Posted by: Dan | Dec 19, 2008 10:21:49 AM
Further clarification: The shuttle would remain in orbit permanently.
Another idea, extra space for the ISS, as well as a better re-entry escape vehicle.
Posted by: Dan | Dec 19, 2008 10:35:22 AM
Having spoken to eyewitnesses of the US's newest AG (triangle) craft (photos at EarthFiles), yes these chemical powered craft belong in a museum.
Posted by: PeteS | Dec 19, 2008 1:47:01 PM
Retired USAF:
I love your idea! The Old Man's work deeply influenced an entire generation, sending a gaggle of bright youngsters into engineering, and is as responsible as anything else for us getting to the Moon in the first place. Let's mine his writing and see where else it can take us! NASA should spend some time looking at his figures for flights to Mars (and other spots) in the expanded "Expanded Universe". All of the aeronautical engineers I have spoken with in Wichita swear that his figures are correct, and that all we need is the political will to make these journeys possbile TODAY!!
In the meantime, let's definitely keep at least one shuttle in a "Bravo" status at the ISS, just in case a lifeboat is needed. One of the others should go to whatever museum is capable of keeping it in (restoring it to?) perfect condition so people can see just how fantastic these machines really are. A final one could be docked at the ISS, retrofitted, and used for transport from LEO to Moon Station One, in orbit over Luna City, and return. They're a bit truck-like now but I'm sure Virgin Galactic could convert them to pleasant and functional taxis and turn a profit operating them.
RAH, RAH, R.A.H!!!
(with fond credit to Spider)
Posted by: Walker Evans | Dec 19, 2008 3:06:41 PM
You can't leave them in space for several reasons. They have to be constantly heated or they would freeze up solid. At that point you couldn't restart them even if you wanted. Also they can only achieve low Earth orbit so they would eventually decay and come crashing down on Earth who knows where.
Posted by: Scot Vaughn | Dec 19, 2008 3:42:22 PM
The shuttle was one of the biggest wastes of federal money that came at the expense of real space science. The ISS is the WORST waste of science money. To my knowledge, no useful science came out of it at all. Unmanned probes like Spirit/Opportunity and the Hubble are far better uses of taxpayer's money.
Posted by: Calvin Broadus | Dec 19, 2008 9:35:13 PM
One word for you all: eBay. Sarting bid, $ 0.99, Low Reserve, Local pick-up only.
Posted by: Gary | Dec 19, 2008 9:56:34 PM
WHY not put them up for bid-----OR put them in play ground for the kids----or sink them in the ocean----make one living quarters-----WHAT EVER just moveon-----
Posted by: Michael Mooneyham | Dec 22, 2008 3:01:42 AM
Use it to search for H.R. Giger's Alien. Bring it back to earth and have it spend a night with Cheney.
Posted by: bill1037 | Dec 22, 2008 7:55:49 AM
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