Fifty years to the day of the first manned space orbit and 30 years to the day Columbia blasted off on the first shuttle mission, the Sunshine State celebrated the news that space shuttle Atlantis will be coming home to stay.
NASA announced Tuesday that Atlantis would have its permanent retirement home at Florida's Kennedy Space Center.
While news that the Discovery would be housed at the Smithsonian and the Enterprise orbiter would be sent to New York came as no surprise, NASA Administrator Charles Bolden revealed Tuesday that the Atlantis orbiter would head back to the Sunshine State while the Endeavour will be going to the California Science Center in Los Angeles.
Despite the Obama administrations support for an orbiter to be sent to the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force in Ohio, the Buckeye State was forced to settle for a nose cap assembly and crew compartment trainer. While cities around the country, including Houston and Seattle, launched aggressive campaigns to lure an orbiter, they proved unsuccessful.
"We want to thank all of the locations that expressed an interest in one of these national treasures," said Bolden Tuesday. "This was a very difficult decision, but one that was made with the American public in mind. In the end, these choices provide the greatest number of people with the best opportunity to share in the history and accomplishments of NASA's remarkable space shuttle program. These facilities we've chosen have a noteworthy legacy of preserving space artifacts and providing outstanding access to U.S. and international visitors."
The two Republicans who represent the Space Coast in Congress praised Bolden, who had the final say, on his decision.
While it is disappointing to see our shuttle fleet retire, I am excited to welcome home the space shuttle Atlantis which is scheduled to make its 33rd and final launch [in June], and the shuttle programs culminating launch this summer, said U.S. Rep. Bill Posey, a Rockledge Republican and a former KSC worker.
Since 1985, Atlantis has performed such missions as launching satellites, deploying the Magellan probe to Venus and the Galileo probe to Jupiter; ferrying crew and cargo to Space Station Mir and the International Space Station; and performing the final servicing of the Hubble Space Telescope," Posey added
The Space Coast's other congressional delegate, Sandy Adams, was equally effusive.
I am thrilled Floridas Kennedy Space Center will be home to the orbiter Atlantis, said Adams, R-Orlando, in a statement. On the 30th anniversary of NASAs space shuttle program, it is fitting that Kennedy Space Center, which has been the center of shuttle activity, would be the place of retirement for the orbiter Atlantis,"
Republican U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio also weighed in.
Thirty years ago today, the United States launched its first space shuttle mission from Kennedy Space Center, demonstrating our countrys commitment to space exploration and our future, said Rubio. The past 30 years have been marked by American leadership in space, as our scientists expanded the reach and real-world impact of human discovery.
On this anniversary, it is only fitting that the orbiter Atlantis is being retired at Kennedy Space Center, the location of every single shuttle launch," added Rubio. This announcement is a testament to all of the hard-working men and women along the Space Coast, and the remarkable accomplishments they have achieved over the past 30 years.
"For Floridians and visitors from around the world, the orbiter at Kennedy Space Center will serve as an enduring symbol of the limitless potential of American ingenuity and leadership in the world. While this is welcome news for Florida, I am nonetheless concerned about the overall impact NASAs retreat from manned space exploration will have on scientific progress, our economy and national security.
The Atlantis will have one final mission -- the last one for any of the space shuttles -- taking off on June 28 for a 12-day orbit of the earth. Then the Atlantis will return home -- to the Sunshine State.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or at (850) 727-0859.
Reach Kenric Ward at kward@sunshinestatenews.com or at (772) 801-5341.
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