Science
fromArs Technica
1 day agoNASA issues draft request for moving space shuttle Discovery-or Orion capsule
Contractors must ensure proper rigging and preservation for spacecraft relocation, treating them as irreplaceable national assets.
The Space Shuttle was never designed to be dismantled. In addition to its frame and internals, the vehicle is covered with delicate ceramic tiles, capable of withstanding the heat of re-entering the Earth's atmosphere, along with thermal blankets. Then there are the cables and connectors underneath. If it must be moved and legal hurdles such as ownership are overcome, then dismantling it and accepting damage to an irreplaceable artifact is unavoidable.