Space shuttles for sale – $42million o.n.o.

Paul Raven @ 18-12-2008

space shuttle on runwayStart scrimping and saving, US citizens, because 2010 will present you with an opportunity to purchase a piece of space memorabilia without peer – a used space shuttle. [image by D'amico Rodrigo]

Also, you’ll need to ally yourself with the right sort of organisation: a science museum, perhaps, or a university. NASA won’t sell them to any old interested party with $42 million in used banknotes, you see… or at least, that’s the plan at the moment while they scout for potential buyers. If there aren’t many interested parties, maybe your independent bid will be taken more seriously.

So why not go for it? The buying price includes the cost of stripping out all the toxic and hazardous materials, as well as flying it to a US airport of your choice – worry-free bargains like this are one of the upsides to the economic slump, I guess.


Postpone shuttle’s retirement?

Tobias Buckell @ 19-12-2007

That’s what one politician wants, saying NASA should keep flying the shuttle to avoid depending on Russia to fly astronauts up.

That could be a disaster, much better to take that average cost of $450 million per shuttle launch and offer $450 billion to the first private company to launch someone to the space station by, say 2011.

Or better yet, for eye-catchiness, take the cost of 2 shuttle launches and round up slightly. $1 billion ought to turn heads, don’t you think?


NASA Liveblogs their shuttle landings

Tobias Buckell @ 07-11-2007

In addition to being able to finding NASA TV to watch the shuttle land, you can also check out NASA’s liveblog of the shuttle landing right here.