— A former astronaut led a ceremonial ground breaking on Monday (Nov. 17), beginning to clear the way for a new education complex and permanent home for the original full-scale "inspiration" for NASA's winged space shuttle orbiters.

Garrett Reisman, who flew on two shuttle missions, took hold of the center gold shovel at the future site of the 20,000-square-foot (1,900-sq.-meter) "Inspiration" expansion of the Columbia Memorial Space Center in Downey, California. Joining him were Ben Dickow, president and executive director of the space center; Hector Sosa, the city's mayor; and State Senator Bob Archuleta along with seven other officials.

Rockwell (today Boeing) retirees representing NASA's prime contractor for the shuttle orbiter, students from the Downey Unified School District and members of the surrounding community also came out for the ceremony.

"I can't think of a better name for the project, because that's exactly the whole mission of this facility, of this mockup: to inspire the next generation of scientists, engineers and astronauts," said Reisman, clad in his NASA-blue flight jacket, as reported by The Orange County Register.

Originally nameless, the 122-foot-long by 35-foot-tall (37-by-11 meter) shuttle mockup helped Rockwell win the contract to build NASA's first new spacecraft after the Apollo moon landing program. The one-wing model — its left wing and part of its vertical stabilizer, or tail, was removed after its debut — remained in Rockwell's design and engineering room for more than 30 years before being placed into storage for 25 years.

The wood and plastic mockup began being called "Inspiration" around the same time it was rediscovered by the Columbia Memorial Space Center as a possible new exhibit. In 2024, it was relocated in segments to a nearby facility for its restoration, ahead of it becoming the featured centerpiece for the space center's new building.

"For decades, Downey had been known for its innovation and aerospace legacy," said Sosa. "The expansion of this Columbia Memorial Space Center will allow us to honor that legacy in a modern and forward-thinking way."

The space center, which was opened in 2009 to both preserve the aerospace history of the Downey area and engage students in science, technology and engineering through hands-on exhibits, plans to use "Inspiration" — the facility, not the shuttle — to double its programs and provide new education enrichment opportunities for students, families and communities across Southern California.

The center will also use its namesake, the mockup, as well as other space artifacts including an Apollo boilerplate capsule, to educate about the mechanics and ingenuity that were required to build the spacecraft. The planned indoor display for the historic "Inspiration" mock shuttle will provide students and visitors of all ages the opportunity to step into its payload bay.

To complete the expansion, the "Project Inspiration" campaign aims to raise $50 million to cover building plans, specialized exhibits and new science education programs and special events. The purchase of personalized "virtual" shuttle tiles at $250 to $2,500 each (depending on the location of the tile the orbiter's body) helps "create a home for the Inspiration."

"It's going to be a hub of creativity, critical thinking and dreaming big, as well as being a community resource for everyone in Southern California," said Dickow. "We want to celebrate the past that got us here, but also really look to the future."