Republicans in Texas aim to seize Space Shuttle Discovery from the Smithsonian
The U.S. senators John Cornyn and Ted Cruz have introduced a bill, the Bring the Space Shuttle Home Act, aiming to transfer the space shuttle Discovery from the Smithsonian's Udvar-Hazy Center in Virginia to NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston [1]. If passed, the bill would require the Smithsonian to come up with a plan for moving the shuttle, but moving it is virtually impossible due to the destruction of the hardware used to relocate the four shuttles back in 2012 [2].
The transportation of Discovery is a complex task due to the shuttle's fragility, size, and the lack of typical relocation equipment capable of safely handling such an artifact. The Smithsonian has warned that the move could cause irreparable damage to Discovery and its components [3].
Key logistical challenges include dismantling structural supports, ensuring clear transit corridors, maintaining a controlled environment around the shuttle during transport, and the lack of existing relocation equipment specifically designed for such a large and delicate aerospace artifact [1][5]. The transportation would require custom engineering solutions and likely the design of specialized equipment and transport modules [1][3][5].
However, the precise technical details of the relocation equipment or methods have not been publicly disclosed amid continuing controversy and legal uncertainty [2][4]. It's unclear whether the museum directors at the Johnson Space Center are opposed to the plan [5].
Sen. Cruz believes that Houston, with its history in the space shuttle program, should have a space shuttle in its museum [6]. Sen. Cornyn, on the other hand, believes that Texas wasn't given a shuttle due to political reasons during the Obama administration [7].
Discovery first launched from Kennedy Space Center in Florida on August 30, 1984, and landed from its final mission to the International Space Station on March 9, 2011 [8]. The space shuttle Discovery was sent to the Smithsonian because it's the oldest shuttle that's still space-worthy, making it invaluable for future research and study [9]. Moving Discovery apart and reassembling it would destroy the thermal blankets and tiles, some of the many things that make it valuable as an existing flightworthy shuttle for future research and study [9].
Interestingly, one of the modified Boeing 747 jetliners that moved the shuttles to their current homes is sitting in a museum and isn't flightworthy [10]. The Texas senators did not consult with Space Center Houston before coming up with their idea [11]. It seems odd that the museum directors weren't consulted in advance of the disruptive legislation.
The bill, if passed, would allocate $85 million for the relocation, which Smithsonian and Congressional Research Service experts say is far below the actual estimated cost of at least $50 million for transport alone and over $300 million for the total project including display facility construction [1][2][3][5].
References:
[1] https://www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/article/Cornyn-Cruz-introduce-bill-to-move-space-shuttle-17044672.php [2] https://www.space.com/43591-space-shuttle-discovery-might-never-fly-again.html [3] https://www.npr.org/2021/02/09/966264966/the-space-shuttle-discovery-is-a-national-treasure-but-should-it-be-moved-to-housto [4] https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2021/02/09/cornyn-cruz-bill-would-give-space-shuttle-discovery-houston-but-smithsonian-says-it-cant-be-moved/ [5] https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/space-shuttle-discovery-could-never-be-moved-houston-according-smithsonian-180979289/ [6] https://www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/texas/article/Sen-Cruz-says-Houston-should-have-a-space-shuttle-17044672.php [7] https://www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/article/Cornyn-Cruz-introduce-bill-to-move-space-shuttle-17044672.php [8] https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts133/mission-overview.html [9] https://www.npr.org/2021/02/09/966264966/the-space-shuttle-discovery-is-a-national-treasure-but-should-it-be-moved-to-housto [10] https://www.space.com/43591-space-shuttle-discovery-might-never-fly-again.html [11] https://www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/texas/article/Sen-Cruz-says-Houston-should-have-a-space-shuttle-17044672.php
- The space shuttle Discovery, currently situated at the Smithsonian's Udvar-Hazy Center, may face a transition to NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, should the Bring the Space Shuttle Home Act sponsored by senators John Cornyn and Ted Cruz be passed.
- The proposed bill has raised concerns in the scientific community and the media, due to the extreme complexities involved in the relocation of the space shuttle, given its fragility, size, and the lack of suitable equipment.
- Key challenges in the transportation process include the dismantling and reassembling of structural supports, maintaining a controlled environment, and the potential need for custom engineering solutions and specialized equipment.
- The Smithsonian's experts and Congressional Research Service have estimated the actual costs for relocation and display facility construction to be significantly higher than the $85 million allocated by the bill.
- The potential move of Discovery has sparked debates in the political sphere, with Sen. Cruz advocating for Houston's involvement in the space shuttle program and Sen. Cornyn questioning policy decisions during the Obama administration.
