Future Space Shuttle Museum
Featured News Article: "Shuttles for Sale"
So, clearly I am a fan of Star Trek. And this often accompanies in Trekkers an interest in Space Exploration in general, indeed I am very interested in NASA and modern/present day space exploration and travel. I remember a time I went to the NASA Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, asked about a ship they were planning -- and were taking the exhibit down for. Unfortunatly, they had scrapped that ship plan -- but the man was impressed by my knowledge of it. n.n Haha, I've noticed lately that I take every single compliment to my head.
Star Trek actors at the unveiling of the real Enterprise.
Where was I? Oh yes. So Star Trek and NASA have a history of shared interested partners. In fact, the first space shuttle (not everyone knows this) was named Enterprise because of a write-in campaign by Star Trek fans! Little did those Star Trek fans know however, that the first shuttle was merely a test-vehicle and never actually went into space =(
Where was I? Oh. So anyway - I am interested in Space Exploration. And the Atlantis this past week flew its final mission, and is now in the process of being decommissioned. What happens to the only vehicle in Human history capable of multiple space flights when it's retired you ask? Well, they're looking to sell them to museums for 30 MILLION dollars a piece. (Keep in mind, there are 3 Space Shuttles remaining: The Discovery, the Atlantis, and the Endeavour. The Columbia was of course destroyed in 1981, and the Challenger was destroyed in 2003.
30 million is a fair asking price, that's in fact just the cost of transporting the ship basically. The ships cost 1.7 Billion each to build!
What I found interesting were the museums bidding to get them. The Smithsonian in DC I guess is being cocky and just assumed they'd called dibs on the oldest of the remaining shuttles (Discovery) and "bawked at the 30 million dollar price tag." Other "usual suspects" the article notes include a museum in New York, a museum in Florida near the launch pad, the space museum at Johnson Space Command (aka: "Houston" of the "Houston, we have a problem") - but two other places caught my attention. The "National Air Force Museum" (which I've never heard of) in Dayton, Ohio! (Yay for Ohio, but why not expand the NASA Glenn center?) The other place no doubt some of my readers have heard of and others have not. The "Adler Planetarium" is a one of the countries most prominent planetariums, and the birthplace of an old acquaintance...
Coincidentally, the topic of the Adler Planetarium came up the other day at lunch with Panda when she mentioned she was going to Chicago and trying to find out what to do there. We couldn't remember Phillipe's name, and kept wanted to call him Alejandro. Imagine. Us, me and Panda. With Gaga on the Brain. Psh...
While I'm on the topic of space exploration, I wonder who knows that I collect NASA (and other) missions patches. Or at least why, in particular I am collecting the mission patches: there was an episode of Star Trek where they had a bar dedicated to "old fashioned" NASA stuff, and it had a bunch of display cabinets. I want to make those one day! And if anyone is ever looking for a simple gift for me:
These are taken from the Star Trek website Ex Astris Scientia, and were likely collected by an old friend Jorg. I hope they don't mind me borrowing them -- but hotlinking is more annoying I'm sure.
Quote of the Day: "I wanna ride with ya'll! Ya'll got windas!" - Crazy Drunk driver, of a jeep whose windows had been busted out, driving on the freeway next to Moon & Nata on the way home from the fair the other day.
Song of the Day: "Eenie Meenie" by Justin Bieber, ft. Sean Kingston. Okay, Justin Bieber annoys me, as I think he does alot of people my age. But not because we're jealous of the fame he has at a younger age than us. And Amanda actually yelled at me for singing to this song the other day. Oh, correction -- this song is actually by Kingston ft. Bieber. WOW does Kingston look young! How old are these people!? Sean Kingston is currently 20 - born in 1990. Bieber is born in 1994, and therefore 16. Ugh, i am pretty tired of hearing this song actually but the chorus gets stuck in my head the "Please don't waste my time, time, time, time, time,..." part.
When I think of Bieber, I'm reminded of this "Key of Awesome!" parody:
Video of the Day: Lol:
"I am adorable, you can't resist my advances --
I got Carol Brady hair and I know all of Usher's dances..."
So, clearly I am a fan of Star Trek. And this often accompanies in Trekkers an interest in Space Exploration in general, indeed I am very interested in NASA and modern/present day space exploration and travel. I remember a time I went to the NASA Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, asked about a ship they were planning -- and were taking the exhibit down for. Unfortunatly, they had scrapped that ship plan -- but the man was impressed by my knowledge of it. n.n Haha, I've noticed lately that I take every single compliment to my head.
Star Trek actors at the unveiling of the real Enterprise.Where was I? Oh yes. So Star Trek and NASA have a history of shared interested partners. In fact, the first space shuttle (not everyone knows this) was named Enterprise because of a write-in campaign by Star Trek fans! Little did those Star Trek fans know however, that the first shuttle was merely a test-vehicle and never actually went into space =(
Where was I? Oh. So anyway - I am interested in Space Exploration. And the Atlantis this past week flew its final mission, and is now in the process of being decommissioned. What happens to the only vehicle in Human history capable of multiple space flights when it's retired you ask? Well, they're looking to sell them to museums for 30 MILLION dollars a piece. (Keep in mind, there are 3 Space Shuttles remaining: The Discovery, the Atlantis, and the Endeavour. The Columbia was of course destroyed in 1981, and the Challenger was destroyed in 2003.
30 million is a fair asking price, that's in fact just the cost of transporting the ship basically. The ships cost 1.7 Billion each to build!
What I found interesting were the museums bidding to get them. The Smithsonian in DC I guess is being cocky and just assumed they'd called dibs on the oldest of the remaining shuttles (Discovery) and "bawked at the 30 million dollar price tag." Other "usual suspects" the article notes include a museum in New York, a museum in Florida near the launch pad, the space museum at Johnson Space Command (aka: "Houston" of the "Houston, we have a problem") - but two other places caught my attention. The "National Air Force Museum" (which I've never heard of) in Dayton, Ohio! (Yay for Ohio, but why not expand the NASA Glenn center?) The other place no doubt some of my readers have heard of and others have not. The "Adler Planetarium" is a one of the countries most prominent planetariums, and the birthplace of an old acquaintance...
Coincidentally, the topic of the Adler Planetarium came up the other day at lunch with Panda when she mentioned she was going to Chicago and trying to find out what to do there. We couldn't remember Phillipe's name, and kept wanted to call him Alejandro. Imagine. Us, me and Panda. With Gaga on the Brain. Psh...While I'm on the topic of space exploration, I wonder who knows that I collect NASA (and other) missions patches. Or at least why, in particular I am collecting the mission patches: there was an episode of Star Trek where they had a bar dedicated to "old fashioned" NASA stuff, and it had a bunch of display cabinets. I want to make those one day! And if anyone is ever looking for a simple gift for me:
These are taken from the Star Trek website Ex Astris Scientia, and were likely collected by an old friend Jorg. I hope they don't mind me borrowing them -- but hotlinking is more annoying I'm sure.
Quote of the Day: "I wanna ride with ya'll! Ya'll got windas!" - Crazy Drunk driver, of a jeep whose windows had been busted out, driving on the freeway next to Moon & Nata on the way home from the fair the other day.
Song of the Day: "Eenie Meenie" by Justin Bieber, ft. Sean Kingston. Okay, Justin Bieber annoys me, as I think he does alot of people my age. But not because we're jealous of the fame he has at a younger age than us. And Amanda actually yelled at me for singing to this song the other day. Oh, correction -- this song is actually by Kingston ft. Bieber. WOW does Kingston look young! How old are these people!? Sean Kingston is currently 20 - born in 1990. Bieber is born in 1994, and therefore 16. Ugh, i am pretty tired of hearing this song actually but the chorus gets stuck in my head the "Please don't waste my time, time, time, time, time,..." part.
When I think of Bieber, I'm reminded of this "Key of Awesome!" parody:
Video of the Day: Lol:
"I am adorable, you can't resist my advances --
I got Carol Brady hair and I know all of Usher's dances..."
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