Posted on 06/07/2012 5:59:33 PM PDT by Ron C.
HOUSTON A replica space shuttle went on a Sunday morning (June 3) road trip, making its way from the lakeside dock here where it arrived on Friday to the NASA visitor center where it will go on public display.
The 1-mile (1.6-kilometer) trek was originally scheduled to take just three hours to complete, but obstacles along the way doubled that time . The mockup, loaded atop a 144-wheel transporter, was slowly and methodically trucked down NASA Parkway also known as NASA Road 1 to Space Center Houston, the official visitor center for the Johnson Space Center (JSC).
The full-size replica, which was known as "Explorer" during the 18 years it was at NASA's Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida, sailed into Houston's Clear Lake after an 8 day journey by barge. Space Center Houston is planning a contest to select a Texas-appropriate new name for the high-fidelity space shuttle mockup. [Gallery: Space Shuttle Replicas Road Trip
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(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
Whoopty-do, we are supposed to be excited about getting a fake Shuttle.
Why not ? Look at how excited people get about a fake President.
I am not excitied about either of the fakes.
and his composite girls. and his hypothetical sons. and his 57 states. etc.
Nay - I wouldn't be either. But, go look at what that thing is, and what they had to do to get it in place.
Click on the pictures at the bottom of the first link, particularly those near the bottom - you'll get big versions. Then look at that box sticking out of the right side of the replica - sorta messes up the whole 'image' - so to speak.
But - bottom line, look at the bucks we're paying to get this 'exhibit' in place - all courtesy of we the taxpayers.
Someone please explain to me why the second most important space facility was looked over for a place city of degenerates? New York? Its played such an important role in the space program over the years. Ya gotta be kidding me. Money and tourists do speak volumes I guess.
This is all very nice but... we seem to be collecting an immense variety of stuff that naturally tends to deteriorate into its least parts in accordance with the second law of thermodynamics.... The entropy of any isolated system not in thermal equilibrium almost always increases. Rust?
To violate this law takes considerable energy and with that money.
I am as impressed and grateful for the service performed by all manner of obsolete hardware and the bravery of the men who served with it. However, how many battleship memorials can we maintain? Carriers? Space Shuttles? Destroyers? Airplane museums? We have more modern stuff than we have anything and seem to be consumed with the ideas of saving just about everything possible from the breaking yard. Is it feasible? Is it affordable?
I’m sure this is blasphemy to some but how long can we keep collecting so much stuff and the cost of maintaining it? I suppose it is a good idea when you are the one spending money you don’t have and confiscate from someone else.
In all honesty, Texas and Louisiana share a shuttle. I don’t know why they don’t develop a fitting memorial for it.
Great points!
Great points!
Like FReeper Humblegunner says...(paraphrase)
“A replica shuttle deserves to have replica taxes sent back to D.C.”
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