Space Shuttle on Bargain-Basement Clearance

[mckitterick]

This is a tad depressing: NASA has slashed the price of a surplus Space Shuttle from last year's $42 million to $28.8 million, and moved the "gotta clear 'em out!" date from next year to the fall of this year.


Click the image to see the story.

Even more depressing is that no one wanted to buy the engines or other artifacts, so they're now available free (plus shipping and handling).

C'mon, Rich People, don't you want to build an awesome museum around one of these puppies? Or donate them to the appropriate air & space museums? Geez, doesn't it cost more to replace the heat tiles on these than they're charging? I feel like my childhood has been put on fire-sale. Thanks (?) to james_nicoll for the heads-up.

Note to self: Must get down to the Cape some time this year if I want to see a Shuttle launch. I doubt any buyers will be flying these things.

EDIT: Here's NASA's Shuttle and Rocket Launch Schedule. Seems like a heavy schedule, but only a few months planned in advance.

Chris

Comments

[chernobylred.livejournal.com]

That's sad news. =(

Look up possible dates for launch. Sounds like a good vacation to me!

[nojay.livejournal.com]

They're white elephants (well, the same colour). Any buyer of a Shuttle will have to drop an 8-digit chunk of cash on the purchase. It then needs to be shipped to its final destination, more megabucks and then it needs to be housed appropriately, very much more megabucks. Assuming it is on display for twenty years or more it will require conservation and structural maintenance, lots more bucks ongoing. My BOTE guesstimate is that a proud owner would need to budget 100 mill or so over a twenty year period to take on the responsibility of owning one of these Triumphs of Modern Technology from the early 70s, and never have the pleasure of actually flying in it. I doubt very much that you can sell enough tickets to gawkers to even come close to breaking even on the deal.

[ericreynolds.livejournal.com]

I would really hate to see the shuttle go the same way the Saturn V did. From what I hear we now know very little technical details about the Saturn V. And $28.8 million sounds like an incredible bargain.

[normalcyispasse.livejournal.com]

I read that the other day.

Kinda makes me want to pick up an engine, though. . .

[madmatmax.livejournal.com]

The cosmosphere has an F1 Saturn 5 rocket motor on display. I am kind of surprised they dont pick up some of it