Space Shuttle Enterprise's last flight.

[APG85]

Enterprise had a major clean-up/re-paint back in 2004. They towed her in and spent 8 months cleaning her and repainting the cargo doors and other areas. The interior got a good cleaning as well. She was a little rough after years of testing, outdoor storage and sitting in a tin shed at Dulles for 17 years waiting for the Hazy Center to be built.

Three interesting articles about Enterprise, her restoration and how the NASM got her...

http://blog.nasm.si.edu/2011/06/06/gett ... rime-time/

http://www.nasm.si.edu/udvarhazy/articl ... pening.cfm

http://www.askbob.aero/sites/default/fi ... rprise.pdf

[TAdan]

Spotted this interesting bit of news thanks to the Indy Transponder... Cruise ship got a bit too close to the Intrepid...

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/2 ... 60173.html

I am happy for the Intrepid Museum, (I'm thrilled I have two shuttles near me) but I'd have really liked to have seen a shuttle go to Dayton... Yesterday on TV during the landing ceremony at JFK Sen. Chuck Shumer (sp) stated something to the effect that as soon as he heard the shuttles were up for grabs he gave the VP of the U.S. a call to lobby for one.

On the plus side Lenord Nemoy was there.

[mustangdriver]

MY issue is that there were rules in order to throw your hat in the ring. You had to meet certain criteria. Two of the museums getting shuttles do not meet them. One museum that had a special building built and in place got passed over (I'd be suing if I was the MOF), and one museum that has plans to build the facility, the funds in place, and the facility to place it on public display in a climate controlled facility while the building was going up.
How stupid does it look when the head of the Intrepid says how they are having all the trouble they can handle keeping up the aircraft on the deck, turn around and not an hour later get a shuttle.

[TAdan]

MY issue is that there were rules in order to throw your hat in the ring. You had to meet certain criteria. Two of the museums getting shuttles do not meet them. One museum that had a special building built and in place got passed over (I'd be suing if I was the MOF), and one museum that has plans to build the facility, the funds in place, and the facility to place it on public display in a climate controlled facility while the building was going up.
How stupid does it look when the head of the Intrepid says how they are having all the trouble they can handle keeping up the aircraft on the deck, turn around and not an hour later get a shuttle.

I agree with you Chris. I think the selection results left alot to be desired.

[Pat Carry]

MY issue is that there were rules in order to throw your hat in the ring. You had to meet certain criteria. Two of the museums getting shuttles do not meet them. One museum that had a special building built and in place got passed over (I'd be suing if I was the MOF), and one museum that has plans to build the facility, the funds in place, and the facility to place it on public display in a climate controlled facility while the building was going up.
How stupid does it look when the head of the Intrepid says how they are having all the trouble they can handle keeping up the aircraft on the deck, turn around and not an hour later get a shuttle.

The selection process as we have discussed before was totally based on politics. Nothing else was taken into account.

[peter]

It does seem an odd location for a shuttle to go? I wonder if they have an agreement with NASA for its upkeep as I imagine it will not take long for it to deteriorate..

[TAdan]

It does seem an odd location for a shuttle to go? I wonder if they have an agreement with NASA for its upkeep as I imagine it will not take long for it to deteriorate..

I think the last plan I saw was to store it on the deck of the Intrepid inside an inflatable sports practice dome until a more permanent building across the street was constructed.

[APG85]

One of the good things that could come of this, is that it could force the hand of the museum to obtain funds for a large facility to properly house their collection indoors, on land. This would be a good thing for the Shuttle and the aircraft (if the aircraft are included) and would be a nice expansion to the museum. A Space Shuttle can bring a lot of attention...and dollars...

Last edited by APG85 on Sun Apr 29, 2012 6:32 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[k5083]

Whatever your thoughts on the disposition of the vehicle it caused quite a stir floating around town. In my office and around NY, it was unusual to see so many people focused for a time on something that didn't involve a sports championship. It got people taking about aviation and space policy and a lot of younglings learned something new. The shuttles likely will never get so much attention at once again, anywhere, ever.

August

[Jerry O'Neill]

I understand the problems and discussion about the all of the four Orbiters final resting places, but for me, it's just sad that one is not somewhere in the middle of the country. Three on the East coast and one in California seems a bit weighted.
Jerry

[Steve Nelson]

Does anyone know if Atlantis will be on public display by August? We're planning a visit to KSC as part of our vacation.

SN

[maradamx3]

Does anyone know if Atlantis will be on public display by August? We're planning a visit to KSC as part of our vacation.

SN

Atlantis won't be on display until next year - May I think.

[APG85]

Does anyone know if Atlantis will be on public display by August? We're planning a visit to KSC as part of our vacation.

SN

Atlantis is currently in OPF #1 undergoing it's "Transition and Retirement Processing". The general public cannot view her in there. There is a possibility that she will be moved to storage in the Vehicle Assembly Building in "late Summer" where the public will probably be able to see her (Discovery was on display in the VAB for awhile). See the article below for details...

http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2012/04/ ... departure/

[CH2Tdriver]

Here are some of those who have been "evicted" from the I by Enterprise:

http://nycaviation.com/forum/threads/43 ... your-house

That Skynight is one nice looking resto! Nice job by the Intrepid shop. Too bad I now have to head up to ESAM at Schenectady to see it. Same with the Scimitar.

It almost qualifies as the worlds smallest "Aircraft Carrier"