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The Smithsonian says Space Shuttle Discovery will remain in Chantilly despite a Senate-backed proposal directing NASA to move the historic orbiter to Houston.
The federal budget bill narrowly approved by the Republican-led U.S. Senate on July 1 includes $85 million for transporting Discovery and constructing a facility for it at NASA’s Johnson Space Center. But Smithsonian officials maintain that NASA no longer owns the shuttle and therefore cannot relocate it.
“Our position is that the Discovery is staying right where it is,” National Air and Space Museum Director Chris Browne said on July 2.
NASA transferred Discovery to the Smithsonian in April 2012, a little more than a year after its final flight on March 9, 2011. The agreement granted the Smithsonian ownership “in perpetuity,” Browne said, making the spacecraft part of the institution’s collection rather than federal property.
Discovery first launched in 1984 and completed more missions than any other space shuttle orbiter. Since 2012, it has been displayed in the James S. McDonnell Space Hangar at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center.
Museum officials said preserving Discovery’s material history was central to acquiring it. They described the shuttle as part of a national collection that allows future generations to study aviation and spaceflight history while viewing the artifact free of charge.
Texas senators renew Houston’s claim
The relocation provision originated with legislation introduced in April by Republican Sens. John Cornyn and Ted Cruz of Texas. They argued that Houston deserved the shuttle because of the city’s central role in the space shuttle program.
Cornyn said political favoritism during the Obama administration prevented “Space City” from receiving the recognition it deserved.
Discovery has meanwhile become a centerpiece of the Udvar-Hazy Center, which attracts as many as 1 million visitors annually. Fairfax President and CEO Barry Biggar called the museum both an invaluable cultural asset and an important economic driver for Fairfax County.
Virginia’s Democratic senators, Tim Kaine and Mark Warner, opposed the proposed move. Kaine characterized it as a major waste of taxpayer money.
Estimated cost far exceeds Senate allocation
The Smithsonian estimates that relocating Discovery would cost about $325 million, including $50 million to $55 million for transportation and the expense of building a suitable facility. A broader estimate provided to Congress placed the total between $300 million and $400 million.
The Senate bill allocates $85 million for the project and requires at least $5 million to be used for transportation, well below the Smithsonian’s estimate for moving the shuttle alone.
Kaine also criticized the possibility that visitors would have to pay admission to see Discovery in Houston. The Udvar-Hazy Center offers free admission, although parking costs $15. Space Center Houston, operated by the nonprofit Manned Space Flight Education Foundation, charges adults between $30 and $40, with somewhat lower prices for children and seniors.
Kaine filed an amendment on June 30 that would have blocked the transfer and removed its funding from the budget, but the effort failed.
The Senate passed the broader package 51-50, with Vice President J.D. Vance breaking the tie. The measure combines tax cuts and increased immigration-enforcement spending with reductions to Medicaid, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and other safety-net programs. NASA also faces substantial budget cuts.
The legislation returned to the House of Representatives, where Republican leaders were trying to secure enough support to meet President Donald Trump’s requested Fourth of July deadline.