Senators John Cornyn and Ted Cruz have helped secure $85 million in federal funding to move the shuttle from the Smithsonian in Virginia to Texas. Early estimates say it would cost $400 million dollars. Ars Technica’s, Eric Berger says Nasa is looking at the bottom line. That’s why Nasa’s doing this study now. I suspect they could come up with reasons why it costs even a lot more than that.” Berger said.
One of the main problems, is the aircraft that use to fly the shuttles across the country has now retired so now we have to rely on ground transport- which is much riskier.
Berger says the transport just isn’t practical. “The time for Houston to have a space shuttle was 15 years ago. It lost that competition (to other states). I feel like this is a big mistake, it could do damage to the vehicle. That’s why ultimately, I don’t think it will happen.” He said.
There is hope, however, for hopeful Houstonians wondering why Nasa’s Space Center doesn’t have a shuttle. Berger says officials are anticipating another opportunity. “There’s an Artemis II launch that’s happening as early as next Wednesday. People are flying around the moon in the Orion spacecraft, once it lands and its recovered and studied by Nasa- it will then ultimately be placed at Space Center Houston.
The Artemis and Orion are currently launching out of the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.