ATLANTA – As the Space Shuttle program winds to an end, a new tourist attraction looms.
At least 20 museums nationwide are clamoring for one of the space shuttles that are set to be retired. A decision on their final destination could be announced this summer.
“Showcasing an authentic space shuttle will not only bring visitors by the millions, it will inspire countless people to learn, explore and dream of adventure,” U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., said in a statement.
The Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum in New York and the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force in Dayton, Ohio, are among the museums lobbying for a shuttle.
“Ohio’s proud flight heritage, our proximity to a majority of the U.S. population and the aviation tradition of the National Museum of the United States Air Force provide all the essential elements for a dignified display educating the nation and the world on the tremendous accomplishments of the United States space program,” Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland said, according to Cleveland.com.
“Locating a shuttle at the Intrepid has been called a ‘no-brainer’ – and we couldn’t agree more,” Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum President Bill White said in a news release. “With millions of American and foreign tourists visiting New York City every year, putting a shuttle at the Intrepid would create an ideal platform to share our national pride in our space program with the entire world, pay tribute to the men and women who have played a role in our greatest technological achievement, and provide an opportunity to educate future generations on the exploration of space.”
The National Air and Space Museum’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center is home to the space shuttle Enterprise, a non space worthy shuttle. But, it appears that the space shuttle Discovery will be headed to the National Air and Space Museum, and the Enterprise will likely be relocated.
IF YOU GO: In the meantime, space is closer than you think – or at least the space-related attractions are. From Atlanta, head to the National Air and Space Museum in Washington – an easy trip by plane. Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla., is a roughly eight hour drive and a perfect daytrip from Orlando and Walt Disney World. The U.S. Space & Rocket Center, located in Huntsville, Ala., is just more than three-and-a-half hours from Atlanta.
