A legislative measure allocating $85 million to relocate the retired Space Shuttle Discovery from its Smithsonian Institution home in Virginia to Houston, Texas, has ignited a significant debate among lawmakers, historians, and aerospace experts. The plan faces criticism over its high costs, logistical complexity, and the potential for irreparable damage to the historic spacecraft.
Key Takeaways
- A July spending bill provides $85 million to move the Space Shuttle Discovery to Houston by early 2027.
- Texas lawmakers, including Senators John Cornyn and Ted Cruz, advocate for the move, calling Houston the shuttle's "rightful home."
- Historians and museum experts warn the move is a costly "vanity project" that could damage the priceless artifact.
- Logistical challenges are immense, with cost estimates for a safe relocation ranging from $120 million to over $300 million, far exceeding the allocated funds.
- The Smithsonian Institution legally owns Discovery, creating a potential conflict over the federal government's authority to seize the artifact.
A Political Push for a National Treasure
The Space Shuttle Discovery, a veteran of 39 space missions, is currently the centerpiece exhibit at the Smithsonian's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia. However, a provision within a 331-page spending bill signed into law in July has mandated its relocation. The legislation directs that the orbiter be moved to Houston, home of NASA's Johnson Space Center, within 18 months.
Powerful Texas lawmakers are the primary drivers behind the initiative. "Houston has long been the cornerstone of our nation’s human space exploration program," Senator John Cornyn stated in July, arguing that it is overdue for "Space City" to receive the shuttle. The move is also supported by Space Center Houston, the official visitor center for the Johnson Space Center.
William Harris, the president and CEO of Space Center Houston, expressed his support in a letter to Texas senators. He stated that exhibiting Discovery in Houston would "significantly enhance educational opportunities and support the growth of our space economy."
Widespread Opposition and Expert Concerns
Outside of Texas, the proposal has been met with strong resistance. Critics describe the plan as politically motivated and technically reckless. During a Senate Appropriations Committee meeting, Senator Richard Durbin of Illinois characterized the effort as a "heist."
Legal and Ethical Questions
The Smithsonian Institution, a private trust, officially took ownership of Discovery in 2012. Experts argue that a forced relocation by the federal government would set a dangerous precedent for museum collections nationwide and represents a potential overreach of government authority.
Historians have voiced sharp criticism, warning of the risks to the artifact. "Such a move would be a waste of money—a vanity project that is apt to destroy a near-priceless American treasure," said Matthew Hersch, a legal history fellow at New York University School of Law.
"The removal of Discovery from the Smithsonian Institution would be a theft, by the federal government, of a $2-billion artifact from a private museum that owns it and has been maintaining it properly for over a decade." - Matthew Hersch, New York University School of Law
Lisa Strong, an art historian at Georgetown University, echoed these concerns, emphasizing the Smithsonian's world-class expertise in preserving complex engineering artifacts. She noted that the Houston museum lacks the same level of specialized conservation capability. A bipartisan group of senators, including former astronaut Mark Kelly of Arizona, formally opposed the move, warning it would "inevitably and irreparably" damage the shuttle.
The Original 2011 Placement Decision
This is not the first time Houston's claim to a shuttle has been debated. When NASA retired its shuttle fleet, then-Administrator Charles Bolden announced the final homes for the orbiters in April 2011. The decision was based on a competitive process that ranked potential host museums on criteria like attendance, funding, and international reach.
Discovery was awarded to the Udvar-Hazy Center, Atlantis to the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, and Endeavour to the California Science Center. Houston's proposal ranked among the lowest of the applicants. An investigation by NASA's Office of Inspector General in 2011 confirmed the agency followed its own ranking system without political interference.
Why Houston Lost the First Time
According to a 2011 NASA Inspector General report, Space Center Houston's bid was rated poorly due to a lack of financial support from the city of Houston and the state of Texas. Charles Bolden, NASA administrator at the time, stated that while Houston was his personal preference, he was obligated to follow the formal ranking process.
Bolden, who was a founding board member of Space Center Houston, recently recalled the lack of local financial commitment. "We got zero support from the city of Houston or the state of Texas," he said. "They weren’t interested." At the time, the estimated cost to transport and house a shuttle was $42.8 million.
The High Cost and Risk of Moving a Shuttle
Relocating a space shuttle is an enormous and delicate engineering task. The orbiter is covered in approximately 24,300 ceramic tiles, each so fragile that simple fingertip pressure can break them. These tiles, essential for protecting the shuttle during atmospheric reentry, are no longer manufactured.
The Smithsonian and NASA provided a joint cost estimate to the White House budget office, stating that simply relocating Discovery would cost between $120 million and $150 million. The total cost, including the construction of a suitable climate-controlled facility, is estimated at $305 million—far exceeding the $85 million allocated by Congress.
Transportation Challenges
Several methods for moving the orbiter have been discussed, each with significant drawbacks:
- Ground and Barge: A private company suggested this method could be done for $8 million, a figure experts call unrealistic. The shuttle is too large to fit under highway overpasses, meaning its fragile wings and tail would need to be removed. A barge trip also exposes the delicate tiles to damaging moisture.
- Air Transport: The most feasible method involves using a specially modified Boeing 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA). However, both SCAs were decommissioned over a decade ago. One is stored in a desert and would require millions to be made airworthy again. The other is already an exhibit—at Space Center Houston.
Even if flown to Houston, moving the shuttle from the airport to the museum presents its own hurdles. The 12-mile move of the Shuttle Endeavour in Los Angeles cost roughly $10 million and required extensive planning and specialized equipment, most of which has since been scrapped.
An Unprecedented Timeline
The spending bill requires the transfer to be completed by January 4, 2027. Given the need to potentially recertify a 747, retrain pilots, modify hangars, and fabricate new transport equipment, experts believe this timeline is extremely challenging, if not impossible, without compromising the safety of the artifact.
With a fast-approaching deadline and a funding gap of over $200 million, the plan to move Discovery faces immense obstacles. The Smithsonian has stated it will "carefully evaluate any request to move Discovery" in light of its obligation to preserve the artifact for the nation. The outcome will depend on whether political will can overcome the significant financial, logistical, and preservationist hurdles that stand in the way.