Smithsonian opposes order to transfer space shuttle Discovery to HoustonThe recent passed reconciliation bill included a provision ordering the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum to transfer the space shuttle Discovery back to NASA so that it could be shipped to Houston for display, budgeting $85 million for the task.
The Smithsonian however is now opposing that provision, claiming Congress and the President had no authority to do so as it owns Discovery and had not agreed to the transfer.
In a formal response, the Smithsonian Institution says it owns Discovery, which, like the rest of its collection, is held in trust for the American public. The Smithsonian asserts that NASA transferred “all rights, title, interest and ownership” of the shuttle to the Institution in 2012, and that it is “part of the National Air and Space Museum’s mission and core function as a research facility and the repository of the national air and space collection.”
It does appear the Smithsonian might have a case, based on past precedent and the laws that established the institution as an independent entity. At the same time, Congress provides two-thirds of its funding, which surely gives Congress a say in its actions. Moreover, recent court rulings have generally ruled against such independent institutions, ruling that the Constitution does not allow Congress to cede either its authority or the President’s in such cases.
So, even if the Smithsonian should win in court, its funding could be threatened if it defies Congress. It will be entertaining to watch this kerfuffle play out.
On Christmas Eve 1968 three Americans became the first humans to visit another world. What they did to celebrate was unexpected and profound, and will be remembered throughout all human history. Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8, Robert Zimmerman's classic history of humanity's first journey to another world, tells that story, and it is now available as both an ebook and an audiobook, both with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.
The print edition can be purchased at Amazon. from any other book seller, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit.
The ebook is available everywhere for $5.99 (before discount) at amazon, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. If you buy it from ebookit you don't support the big tech companies and the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.
The audiobook is also available at all these vendors, and is also free with a 30-day trial membership to Audible.
"Not simply about one mission, [Genesis] is also the history of America's quest for the moon... Zimmerman has done a masterful job of tying disparate events together into a solid account of one of America's greatest human triumphs."--San Antonio Express-News
The recent passed reconciliation bill included a provision ordering the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum to transfer the space shuttle Discovery back to NASA so that it could be shipped to Houston for display, budgeting $85 million for the task.
The Smithsonian however is now opposing that provision, claiming Congress and the President had no authority to do so as it owns Discovery and had not agreed to the transfer.
In a formal response, the Smithsonian Institution says it owns Discovery, which, like the rest of its collection, is held in trust for the American public. The Smithsonian asserts that NASA transferred “all rights, title, interest and ownership” of the shuttle to the Institution in 2012, and that it is “part of the National Air and Space Museum’s mission and core function as a research facility and the repository of the national air and space collection.”
It does appear the Smithsonian might have a case, based on past precedent and the laws that established the institution as an independent entity. At the same time, Congress provides two-thirds of its funding, which surely gives Congress a say in its actions. Moreover, recent court rulings have generally ruled against such independent institutions, ruling that the Constitution does not allow Congress to cede either its authority or the President’s in such cases.
So, even if the Smithsonian should win in court, its funding could be threatened if it defies Congress. It will be entertaining to watch this kerfuffle play out.
On Christmas Eve 1968 three Americans became the first humans to visit another world. What they did to celebrate was unexpected and profound, and will be remembered throughout all human history. Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8, Robert Zimmerman's classic history of humanity's first journey to another world, tells that story, and it is now available as both an ebook and an audiobook, both with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.
The print edition can be purchased at Amazon. from any other book seller, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. The ebook is available everywhere for $5.99 (before discount) at amazon, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. If you buy it from ebookit you don't support the big tech companies and the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.
The audiobook is also available at all these vendors, and is also free with a 30-day trial membership to Audible.
"Not simply about one mission, [Genesis] is also the history of America's quest for the moon... Zimmerman has done a masterful job of tying disparate events together into a solid account of one of America's greatest human triumphs."--San Antonio Express-News
Really?
New York City gets a Space Shuttle, but the Smithsonian does not?
The Smithsonian even takes good care of their Shuttle, placing it inside a strong, climate controlled facility, but New York damaged theirs during shipping, then they placed it inside a flimsy tent that collapsed onto their Shuttle during a storm.
Houston is taking the wrong Shuttle from the people who highly deserve one and leaving the Shuttle with the people who never should have had one in the first place.
How are we going to do the painful cuts we need to reduce the deficit, if the people see us spend money on this?
If Texas wants the shuttle Texas can pay for it – the entire move. I see absolutely no reason why my federal tax money – or the money of anyone outside of Texas – should pay one dime for that.
$85 million is a waste of federal tax dollars.
Edward,
Agreed.
What rot. Color me unimpressed with the arguments on all sides over what you want to do with lawn ornaments. Orbiters should have been sold to the highest bidders to fly 4 turnkey commercial space stations based on the wingless orbiter (GD Convair) concept after the fleet was retired.
It was possible to fly the wingless orbiter, plus ET, plus ullage, plus whatever you wanted to put in the payload bay for a fully shuttle compatible 150 ton turnkey man capable (or manned) space platform for $1-2 b apiece. Nobody even wanted to have the conversation as it would negatively impact political support for ISS.
Am I bitter? You bet your bippy. And yes, I remember the Klaus Heiss proposal to purchase a 5th orbiter in 1980 in return for ability to schedule unused Shuttle payload bay volume/mass to orbit. Cheers –
I’m with you agimark.
Couldn’t they get with Brick Price Movie Miniatures and make their own mock-up?
That would be a wise use of public funds in that it would save lots of sets from the dumpster.
agiumarc touches on an interesting line of questions as to why the Shuttle seemingly proved to be such a dead end. Given the march of technology, why was an updated — and safer — Shuttle never in the cards, and why isn’t such an improved design with reusable boosters of any interest to the private sector at this point? As Homer Hickham suggested in his novel Back to the Moon, a modified shuttle could even have taken Americans back to the moon, had anyone really wanted to return there.
OK, sure, it was a *novel*, but could anyone explain why the *engineering* in the story was impossible? Strap on another external fuel tank — exactly as was used in its launch into orbit — once you reach orbit, and you have pretty much all that would be needed to go to the moon and back. (What are the fuel requirements for a transfer orbit to the moon as opposed to achieving low earth orbit? Would a larger external tank be required?) And — wait for it — one of the original Apollo lunar landers (or even a larger version) would have easily fit in the lunar shuttle’s cargo bay. Likewise, the Shuttle carried a much larger crew and consumables than Apollo, which would make for longer duration, more complex missions. Call me crazy, but…
PS — Hummmm. Are the people at the Smithsonian learning to play politics? https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/2025/07/31/trump-impeachment-smithsonian/?location=alert
PPS — Edward is right. The Smithsonian should tell Texas to go pound sand.