The first SpaceX rocket to launch on two NASA missions will soon land on exhibit in Houston.
Space Center Houston, the visitor center for NASA's Johnson Space Center and a Smithsonian affiliate museum, has announced it will display the twice-flown Falcon 9 first stage beginning this summer.
"We're excited to welcome Falcon 9 to our growing center," said William Harris, president and CEO of Space Center Houston. "We are deeply grateful to SpaceX for their contribution."
JSC01 Member
Posts: 84 From: Houston, Texas, USA Registered: Nov 2011
posted 05-10-2019 10:37 AM
This is going to look awesome! Nice location too... since they cleared out all that brush, folks entering JSC will have a great view. This will almost connect the displays at SCH to Rocket Park. Now just get a Dragon capsule to go alongside it.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 43392 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 08-16-2019 08:55 AM
Space Center Houston has broken ground for the upcoming display of the SpaceX Falcon 9 first stage.
"X" marks the spot. Construction on our newest experience is underway.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 43392 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 09-16-2019 01:01 PM
Space Center Houston release
Getting Ready for SpaceX
We recently broke ground on the next exciting experience we are bringing to you – the only opportunity outside of the SpaceX headquarters to get up close to a SpaceX Falcon 9 flown booster B1035. The exhibit will be located in front of the Special Events Building where guests will be able to walk underneath the first stage engine.
The core will travel from Florida soon, and we anticipate it going on display by the end of the year. This will be the first commercial space exhibit for Space Center Houston. This rocket launched as part of two NASA missions. The first, CRS-11, was a resupply mission to ISS. This core acted as the first stage of the Falcon 9 rocket that propelled a Dragon spacecraft into orbit.
CRS stands for Commercial Resupply Service and is part of NASA's contract with SpaceX to provide U.S.-based supply launches to ISS. This mission launched June 3, 2017 and was the first time a Dragon spacecraft was reused.
B1035 flew again Dec. 15, 2017, marking the first time NASA allowed a reusable rocket stage to be reflown for one of its missions. SpaceX had previously reflown a booster, but for private company launches.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 43392 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
A SpaceX rocket has quietly touched down in Houston, landing under the cover of night at the NASA visitor center where it will soon go on display.
The Falcon 9 first stage, which was used to launch supplies to the International Space Station on two NASA-contracted missions, was delivered by truck to Space Center Houston late on Tuesday (March 3). The arrival came 10 months after it was first announced that the booster would be joining the outdoor exhibits at the non-profit science and space exploration learning center, which also serves as the visitor center for NASA's Johnson Space Center in Texas.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 43392 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 03-06-2020 12:40 PM
Space Center Houston video
We are getting close to unveiling our new SpaceX experience! Stay tuned for updates on this ground-breaking exhibit.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 43392 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
You can now get up close, around and even under the first-ever commercial rocket to launch on two missions for NASA.
Space Center Houston, the visitor center for NASA's Johnson Space Center in Texas, is welcoming the public to see its newest exhibit — a "flight proven" SpaceX Falcon 9 booster. The rocket's first stage, still displaying the scorch and soot marks from its two launches, has been elevated off the ground and exhibited horizontally, affording a first-of-its-type view of a commercial spaceflight artifact.
posted 03-12-2020 11:15 AM
The article mentions silicone use for preservation. Is the whole stage covered to preserve the flight weathering, or will it be slowly replaced by weather weathering?
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 43392 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 03-12-2020 11:55 AM
My understanding is that the silicone was only applied to the areas on the stage where openings or joints would have allowed water intrusion. Space Center Houston will be inspecting the rocket on a regular basis, so action can be taken if and when needed.
SkyMan1958 Member
Posts: 877 From: CA. Registered: Jan 2011
posted 03-12-2020 04:13 PM
Looks like a fun exhibit to visit.
Given that SpaceX has their own Mission Control in California, and launches at Florida, why is the exhibit at Houston? I would have thought Florida would be the more logical stopping place.
Did SpaceX pick up at JSC a lot of the rocket technology that helped them start with Falcon 1 and early Falcon 9 efforts, or something of that sort?
Of course, given that SpaceX will almost certainly have other multi-flown Falcon 9 rockets lying around in the near future, I suspect they will donate one to the KSC visitor center in the not too distant future.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 43392 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 03-12-2020 06:05 PM
Jessica Jensen with SpaceX addressed that question at the ribbon cutting today:
We've been working with NASA for years and when Space Center Houston approached us and asked us about having a flown Falcon 9 displayed here — first of all, I work in the Los Angeles office of SpaceX but I had come to Houston all the time, I've probably been here 30 times for work and I know all the iconic vehicles that are here, the history that was made here — so we were just flabbergasted and honored that they even asked us to send a Falcon 9 booster here.
I think having it sent here speaks to the testament of the partnership between SpaceX and NASA that has been going on for more than 10 years now. So we were really honored, happy and proud to be asked to have a booster here.
With regards to Florida, Elon Musk previously gifted SpaceX's first "flight-proven" booster to be launched and recovered for a second time to Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. There are no details though, as to where and when that rocket will go on display.
oly Member
Posts: 936 From: Perth, Western Australia Registered: Apr 2015
posted 03-13-2020 12:49 AM
SpaceX have a large collection of flown Falcon 9 first stage rockets stored on the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, perhaps the KSC visitor centre may gain another addition to their rocket garden some time in the future.
It would be great to see three additional monuments added, a Falcon 9 launch vehicle with the Dragon capsule, a Falcon 9 with the Crew Dragon, and a Falcon Heavy. Perhaps one day.
posted 05-09-2019 10:00 PM
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