Fairfax County leaders have put in writing their concerns about the possibility of the Space Shuttle Discovery moving from Chantilly to Texas.<\/p>\n
The Board of Supervisors voted 10-0 on Tuesday (Sept. 9) to send a letter to U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy, asking him to carefully consider whether a move is in best interests of the nation.<\/p>\n
Duffy also currently serves as acting NASA administrator, and \u201cFairfax views his role as pivotal,\u201d said Board Chairman Jeff McKay, who proposed sending the letter.<\/p>\n
The county\u2019s letter asks Duffy to carefully consider the legal, logistical and financial challenges of relocating the craft, as well as the \u201crisk of irreparable damage\u201d if it is moved.<\/p>\n
\u201cA recent report by the Congressional Research Service highlights these challenges, and the Smithsonian has affirmed that moving the shuttle could compromise its preservation<\/a>,\u201d the letter notes.<\/p>\n Discovery flew 39 missions totaling 148 million miles in space from 1984 to 2011. In 2021, the retired craft was relocated to the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center<\/a> in Chantilly near Dulles International Airport. The center is an annex to the National Air and Space Museum, drawing about 1.2 million visitors annually.<\/p>\n As part of the omnibus \u201cBig Beautiful Bill\u201d legislation signed into law in July, Texas\u2019s two U.S. senators inserted an $85 million appropriation to potentially relocate Discovery from the National Air and Space Museum\u2019s soon-to-expand<\/a> Udvar-Hazy Center to the Space Center Houston Museum<\/a>.<\/p>\n The legislation does not specifically target Discovery, speaking more generally about any available space shuttle, but that has been the focus<\/a> of Sens. John Cornyn and Ted Cruz\u2019s lobbying.<\/p>\n Cornyn announced on Aug. 5 that he had \u201csecured\u201d the relocation of a retired space shuttle to Houston, stating that the \u201cintent of the law\u201d was clearly aimed at Discovery. NASA has told FFXnow that Duffy has identified a shuttle for relocation, but the agency declined to confirm which one<\/a>.<\/p>\n Whether Congress and the Trump administration have the power to mandate a move remains an open question, since ownership of the craft was transferred to the Smithsonian Institution, and therefore, it no longer is considered federal property.<\/p>\n Also among the retired space-shuttle fleet, Atlantis can be found at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, while Endeavour is enjoying retirement at the California Science Center in Los Angeles.<\/p>\n Enterprise, the prototype shuttle that was displayed at the Udvar-Hazy Center before Discovery\u2019s arrival, is found at the USS Intrepid Museum in New York City.<\/p>\n The county board\u2019s letter was celebrated<\/a> by Keep the Shuttle, a campaign started by a local resident who opposes Discovery\u2019s possible relocation.<\/p>\n Thank you @JeffreyCMcKay<\/a> and the @fairfaxcounty<\/a> Board of Supervisors for the support! With the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft retired, the only way to take Discovery to Houston starts with a 25+ mile tow through Fairfax County and Northern Virginia \u2013 and that is not going to happen! pic.twitter.com\/qNEs4kHRVa<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 KeepTheShuttle (@KeepTheShuttle) September 9, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n Advocate for animal welfare lauded<\/p>\n At yesterday\u2019s meeting, Fairfax County supervisors honored Elaine Miletta for five decades of service to animal welfare in Fairfax County.<\/p>\n Miletta\u2019s broad-based efforts have included work supporting care for cats across the community through the Animal Allies<\/a> nonprofit organization she has led.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have come a long way because of people like you,\u201d McKay said.<\/p>\n Miletta agreed that animal-welfare efforts in the county have improved considerably over the past half-century. She expressed hope that the county would \u201cmove things forward even more.\u201d<\/p>\n \t