#space-shuttle-discovery

#space-shuttle-discovery

The vehicle must have flown in space and carried astronauts, which technically could also mean the Apollo 10 capsule at London's Science Museum. Working on the basis that it is Discovery to be moved (Cornyn and Cruz certainly think so), the Smithsonian issued a warning last week that dismantling the vehicle for shipment represented the most cost-effective approach, but it would still cost between $120 million and $150 million before considering a facility in which to display the orbiter.

The Space Shuttle was never designed to be dismantled. In addition to its frame and internals, the vehicle is covered with delicate ceramic tiles, capable of withstanding the heat of re-entering the Earth's atmosphere, along with thermal blankets. Then there are the cables and connectors underneath. If it must be moved and legal hurdles such as ownership are overcome, then dismantling it and accepting damage to an irreplaceable artifact is unavoidable.

Today is Monday, Sept. 29, the 272nd day of 2025. There are 93 days left in the year. Today in history: On Sept. 29, 1954, Willie Mays of the New York Giants made a running, over-the-shoulder catch of a ball hit by Vic Wirtz of the Cleveland Indians in Game 1 of the 1954 World Series; The Catch would become one of the most famous plays in baseball history. Also on this date: In 1789, Congress officially established a regular army under the U.S. Constitution.