NASA has announced plans for disposal of the Space Shuttle fleet and spare main engines. The space agency intends to donate one orbiter to the Smithsonian museum, and give the others to educational institutions, science museums and other appropriate organizations, so NASA just might have something for you after the shuttle program ends in 2010.

 

The organizations that ultimately receive a Space Shuttle Orbiter or SSME hardware must abide by the International Traffic in Arms Regulations. The Orbiters and SSMEs are export controlled. The Space Shuttle Orbiters and SSMEs shall not be transferred to foreign persons, in the US or abroad, or exported out of the US, without notification to NASA and the specific approval or export license from the Department of State.

However, there might be a problem. Federal, state and local lawmakers are distressed about losing thousands of jobs now associated with shuttle operations at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Some also point out that speedy retirement of the shuttle will force NASA to temporarily rely on Russian launches to reach the International Space Station.

 

NASA Administrator Michael Griffin has clashed with the head of the Obama transition team over its sweeping questions about the agency's current plans and assumptions. Mr. Griffin has maintained that there won't be enough funding to simultaneously extend shuttle flights to 2015 while ramping up funding for the replacement program. Besides,

keeping the Shuttle flying is not without risks. An internal National Aeronautics and Space Administration study projects that extending the program until 2015 would cost up to an additional $13 billion and could increase the chances of accidents with astronauts aboard.

 

NASA officials have declined to comment on specifics of the study, but on Monday an agency spokeswoman said its findings "will have to be integrated with other studies" before definitive conclusions are reached.

Due to the significance of the Space Shuttle Orbiters and the role they have played in the Nation’s space program, special attention will be paid to ensuring they will retire to appropriate places. Orbiters would be available for donation no earlier than September 30, 2011.

 

The agency said the purpose of the initiative is to decide whether institutions or other members of the community have the appropriate wherewithal to display a shuttle or engines, including the ability to fund such efforts.

 

It's probably safe to say, however, that NASA doesn't intend for the recipients of the shuttles to fly them, and as such, probably won't be providing astronauts with the delivery of the spacecraft.