Intrepid Reaches for the Stars, Space Shuttle

Original photo of the Intrepid by Wally G

Could the space shuttle Atlantis land in the Hudson? The folks at the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum are crossing their fingers. The NY Times reports that they envision the shuttle, which took hold of the Hubble Space Telescope yesterday, housed in a glass enclosure at the end of Pier 86. They are just "one of 20 institutions that responded by a March 17 deadline to ask NASA about its plan to give away the last of the shuttles: Discovery, Endeavour and Atlantis."

As one might gather from moniker alone, the Intrepid folks aren't ones to back away from the competition. In fact, they told the paper, “We have never shied away from competition or a challenge. This is very important to us, and it would just be an extraordinary, priceless treasure for New York City to receive. You’re going to see a very public campaign for this in the next few months.” If NASA gives the Intrepid the nod, expect a shuttle on display around 2012, after it's "cleared of all toxic chemicals and hazardous materials."

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By Jen Carlson in Arts and Events on May 14, 2009 2:33 PM

Comments [rss]

NannyState

I wish they'd quit junking up a perfectly good aircraft carrier. Don't complain if New York gets bombed in our next war while the Intrepid slowly sinks under the weight of that huge albatross.

evan7257

Next installment after the Shuttle: Battlestar Galactica!

dimadelux

That would be awesome to see right in NYC

glennQNYC

I'd go check it out.

MT

That would be SO COOL!

ed_Extinct

I know the intrepid is big, but the Shuttle is enormous 122ft long! I saw the retired Enterprise at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Washington... HUGE!!!

Spirit of 76

The article clearly says that it would be on the pier, not on the Intrepid. Besides, a Blackbird is not much shorter and there's one sitting on the flight deck, which is almost 900 feet long.

Politburo

FYI for others - The Enterprise isn't at the museum in DC. It's out at the annex in VA by Dulles Airport.

colonelcasey

They would probably set it on a barge, like the Concorde

r1b2

Make no mistake, this would be very cool. The Intrepid is a NYC treasure, not just for tourists but for the families who call this place home. Having the Shuttle there would be very, very cool.