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Author
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Topic: 'Inspiration' mock space shuttle on the move
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Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 52128
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 01-13-2016 02:00 AM
   
collectSPACE Shuttle for tomorrow: Mock NASA orbiter 'Inspiration' moving for river tourA full-size model of a NASA space shuttle may soon journey on the waterways of the United States, embarking on a mission of education and "Inspiration." The mock-up orbiter "Inspiration," which for two decades sat parked outside the Astronaut Hall of Fame in Florida, west of NASA's Kennedy Space Center, will depart on its first move as soon as Saturday morning (Jan. 16) to begin its transformation into an educational outreach tool and the showpiece for a company developing new communications technologies for future missions into deep space. "It is kind of an educational and promotional thing," stated John Pederson, the chief executive officer of LVX System, which has an agreement with NASA to study applications for visual light communication — using LED light to stream data — for missions to Mars and other destinations.  |
p51
Member Posts: 1784
From: Olympia, WA
Registered: Sep 2011
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posted 01-13-2016 11:10 AM
Does anyone know what role this played — if any — with the Florida Space Camp? I've been to the Hall of Fame building there a few times in the last few years and it was never open to the public, so I've always wondered what the inside was used for and what it looked like inside the shell... |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 52128
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 01-13-2016 11:42 AM
Space Camp Florida apparently used the crew cabin for simulated missions aboard "Endeavour" (and Endeavour was at one time written on the starboard wing). In the mid to late 2000s, the crew cabin was upgraded to feature an even more detailed flight deck and middeck.The payload bay was originally open to the public as the "Shuttle to Tomorrow." As described in the article, it housed a 72-seat theater for what today would be called a 4D movie: the seats rumbled for launch and other effects immersed you in a spaceflight (though nothing to the extent or effectiveness of the Shuttle Launch Experience). John Glenn (appearing in the film) was the commander of the mission. |
p51
Member Posts: 1784
From: Olympia, WA
Registered: Sep 2011
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posted 01-13-2016 12:12 PM
Thanks for the info, Robert. Are there any photos of the inside of it when it was being used? When did they close it to the public? I was there in 2011 and it looked like it'd been closed to the public for a long time, even then. There's very little info out there about the Florida Space Camp these days... |
Joel Katzowitz
Member Posts: 872
From: Marietta GA USA
Registered: Dec 1999
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posted 01-13-2016 12:48 PM
I remember being in the payload bay "theater" back in the early 90's. I believe the 4D experience also included the front of the shuttle raising up which gently pushed you back into the seats to create some liftoff G force. I may have some photos somewhere, I'll take a look. |
mf451
Member Posts: 85
From: NY, NY
Registered: Nov 2014
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posted 01-13-2016 06:13 PM
My memory is pretty hazy, but I went to Space Camp there maybe 20 years ago now. The culmination of the program was the simulated flight, which took place in the front simulated cockpit here.I really wish I could remember more now; I doubt I have any photos but if I find any I'll post them. Perhaps someone else has some photos of the cockpit. I'd love to see it again. And I'm curious what it looks like today. |
Hart Sastrowardoyo
Member Posts: 3469
From: Toms River, NJ
Registered: Aug 2000
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posted 01-13-2016 08:37 PM
I remember "shortly" before this moved to near the water at Kennedy Space Center, I was lamenting that we could have gone inside as we were just there a few months prior, but opted to do SLE again. However, I don't know whether it was closed or open to the public. |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 52128
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 01-13-2016 09:03 PM
The Inspiration has been in the same place outside the Astronaut Hall of Fame for 20 years. Prior to that, it didn't exist. The space shuttle mockup you are thinking of is the Independence, formerly the Explorer, which was moved from the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex to the Complex 39 turn basin before departing by barge to Space Center Houston. |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 52128
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 01-16-2016 03:27 PM
collectSPACE 'Inspiration' in motion: Mock space shuttle on the move"Inspiration," a full-scale space shuttle model that for two decades stood along the state road leading into NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, rolled, and then floated away on Saturday (Jan. 16), beginning its journey towards becoming a traveling exhibit and marketing showpiece. The 122-foot-long mockup, which at one time housed a theater and simulator, left its mount outside the former Space Camp Florida and U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame facility in Titusville just after 9:30 a.m. EST. Riding on a multi-wheeled transporter to a barge about a half mile away on the shore of the Indian River, the "Inspiration" left on a four hour trip across the water to a Beyel Brothers Crane and Rigging's work yard on Merritt Island, where it will spend upwards of a year being repaired and upgraded for its new mission.  Photo gallery presented in collaboration with AmericaSpace. |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 52128
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 04-29-2016 12:38 AM
collectSPACE Replica on the runway: Mock orbiter lands on real space shuttle stripAlmost five years after NASA's last space shuttle landed in Florida, an orbiter returned to the runway at the Kennedy Space Center. The model orbiter "Inspiration" was rolled out to Kennedy's Shuttle Landing Facility on Wednesday (April 27), where it will be rebuilt into a traveling exhibit. The full-scale mockup was previously on display at the now-former location of the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame in Titusville.  |
p51
Member Posts: 1784
From: Olympia, WA
Registered: Sep 2011
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posted 04-29-2016 07:12 PM
Looks like she got a decent set of landing gear from the photo. Are there any photos showing this from the opposite side?Why'd they go to the trouble of wheeling it out onto the runway, was it to get photos of it sitting there? I couldn't imagine a tour group going through there as this was going on as some of the KSC tours do roll right up to the gate to the runway at the control tower there. Imagine the looks of people on the bus, seeing that sitting there! |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 52128
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 04-29-2016 07:58 PM
quote:
Originally posted by p51:
Why'd they go to the trouble of wheeling it out onto the runway, was it to get photos of it sitting there?
LVX System (and Beyel Brothers) are using an apron off to the side of the runway as a workspace to perform the upgrades to Inspiration. It will be there for the next year as the work is completed. |
SpaceAngel
Member Posts: 465
From: Maryland
Registered: May 2010
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posted 04-30-2016 05:22 AM
I'm a little baffled on what the plans call for the "Inspiration" space shuttle on the SLF. |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 52128
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 04-30-2016 09:24 AM
The SLF apron (concrete parking space) is being used as a work area, that's all. It will be where the modifications are made to Inspiration so that it becomes a traveling exhibit. |
Ronpur
Member Posts: 1260
From: Brandon, Fl
Registered: May 2012
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posted 04-30-2016 04:28 PM
Would it be visible on the KSCVC tour that goes to the SLF? |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 52128
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 04-30-2016 04:59 PM
I asked LVX System this question and they deferred to the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex for the answer. (If the tour goes by the midpoint of the runway, I don't see how visitors would not see Inspiration.) |
Ronpur
Member Posts: 1260
From: Brandon, Fl
Registered: May 2012
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posted 04-30-2016 05:28 PM
The KSCVC site does not mention the SLF on the Explore tour anymore. Maybe it doesn't even go there. Anyway, I will find out May 15. |
Ronpur
Member Posts: 1260
From: Brandon, Fl
Registered: May 2012
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posted 05-17-2016 06:25 PM
The Explore tour does not go to the shuttle runway any more. So no way to see Inspiration on a public tour. |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 52128
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 03-23-2024 06:54 PM
Eight years later, "Inspiration" may be headed for Minnesota. Downtown St. Cloud could become the new landing spot for a full-scale, NASA-built model of the Space Shuttle.Felicity-John Pederson, the inventor who now owns the Inspiration, confirmed to Axios that his hometown has emerged as the most serious contender to host it. State Sen. Aric Putnam, DFL-St. Cloud, told Axios the plan to bring the Inspiration to Minnesota is "not a done deal." Putnam shared a rendering on X of a facility that could house Inspiration, located near the soon-to-be-built Great River Children's Museum. So, this could be downtown St Cloud. With a real space shuttle right next to our new children's museum. The governor mentioned this project in the media today. I've been working on it with some friends for a while now. It sounds wild — it might happen, but it would be awesome.  |
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