Texas senators want to cut the discovery of the space shuttle

The Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC, has housed the discovery of space shuttle for more than a decade. Each year, millions of visitors have the possibility of nibbling lyophilized “astronaut ice cream” and watching the emblematic spacecraft that launched the Hubble space telescope and built the international space station.

Future visitors, however, will not be as lucky. According to NASA Watch, the White House budget office asked the Smithsonian to start discovering the discovery in preparation to move it to Houston, Texas. The NASA watch described the development of “unprecedented and alarming”, because NASA has not designed the discovery to be dismantled, and this could lead to irreparable damage, in particular in the frame, the thermal shield and the thermal insulation fabric.

Will jeopardize a piece of American space flight history

Discovery was the oldest and most active orbiter of the NASA space shuttle program, stealing 39 missions between 1984 and 2011. In addition to playing an instrumental role in the construction of the ISS and the deployment of the Hubble space telescope, Discovery served as a “Return to Flight” vehicle after the Challenger and Columbia disasters.

The law “One Big Beautiful Bill”, signed on July 4, included a bill presented by the Senators Ted Cruz (R-TX) and John Cornyn (R-TX) to “bring Discovery to the Maison to Texas”. In a recent letter addressed to the Congress authorizing and appropriating the committees – obtained by NASA Watch – The Smithsonian declares that the White House budget office asked him to work with NASA to prepare to move the discovery in the 18 months specified in the bill of reconciliation.

“Although an engineering study is necessary due to the size and weight of the space vehicle, NASA and the Smithsonian believe that the discovery will have to suffer a significant disassembly to move,” said the letter. “The discovery is the most intact shuttle orbit in the NASA program, and we remain concerned that the dismantling of the vehicle will destroy its historical value.”

This decision would also have a significant financial cost. The Smithsonian and NASA estimate that the minimum cost of the relocation of Discovery is around 120 to 150 million dollars, without taking into account the costs associated with the construction of a new installation in Houston to shelter the shuttle. The letter also notes that NASA has transferred “all rights, title, interest and property” from the shuttle to the Smithsonian.

Basic organizers and democratic senators retaliate

The state senator and former astronaut of NASA Mark Kelly (D-AZ)-who carried out two missions aboard the discovery during his previous career-united his strengths with the senators Mark Warner (D-VA), Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Dick Durbin (-I-I) to prevent discovery.

In a letter sent to the Senate credit committee on September 23, they provide spending measures for the 2026 financial year to suspend any effort to move the space shuttle to Houston, citing the “competitive” process which selected the Smithsonian as a place of rest for the discovery.

“Houston’s disappointment not to be selected is fully understandable, but the deletion of an article from the national collection is not a viable solution,” says the letter. “It should be noted that there is little evidence of a large public request for such a decision.”

Meanwhile, the prospect of discovery relocating a basic effort to keep it at Smithsonian. The group, called Keep The Shuttle, firmly believes that the Air and Space Museum is “the most appropriate, secure and respected house for discovery”, according to its website.

It remains to be seen if these efforts are effective, but the risks and costs associated with the discovery of displacement have clearly ruffled certain feathers. Hoping that this emblematic space shuttle will be allowed to remain intact and in place.