Hurricanes, Transporters and Grand Openings: Busy Week for Retired Space Shuttles

By Nancy Atkinson - November 5, 2012 at 2:08 PM UTC | Space Exploration
AtlantisVAB02.jpg

Atlantis is seen in the Vehicle Assembly Building Highbay 4 for the last time before she was rolled to her final home at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor's Center. Credit: John O'Connor/nasatech.net

Last week was a busy one for the retired space shuttles, and here's a gallery of images of what's been happening lately: Atlantis was the last shuttle ever to be in the Vehicle Assembly Building, and was transported over to the Kennedy Space Center Visitor's Complex this weekend where it will be put on permanent display. Last week the California Science center's Samuel Oschin Space Shuttle Endeavour Display Pavilion officially opened, And unfortunately, shuttle Enterprise suffered some damage during Hurricane Sandy.

Enterprise damaged during Hurricane Sandy. Credit: AP

Enterprise, which is now at the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum in New York City sustained minor damage to its tail (a.k.a vertical stabilizer), after the fabric pavilion that protected the shuttle was torn by winds. A top piece of the tail came off, said a museum spokesperson. Enterprise will be repaired at the earliest opportunity, the Intrepid museum said, and also the rest of the museum remains closed because of storm damage.

"Enterprise remains safely in place and partially covered by the fabric of the damaged pavilion, which was left in place as a protective measure," said museum director Susan Marenoff-Zausner.

Enterprise never flew in space but was used for atmospheric drop tests. It was formerly at the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum in Washington D.C., was switched out for

shuttle Discovery

-- the only shuttle to not have any action last week, except for the thousands of visitors that regularly visit her.

Space shuttle Atlantis is transported along Kennedy Parkway at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on its 10-mile journey to the Kennedy Visitor Complex where it will be put on public display. Credit: NASA/Tony Gray

Space shuttle workers at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, watch as the space shuttle Atlantis is transported to the Kennedy Visitor Complex. Credit: NASA/Tony Gray

Flag waving children welcome space shuttle Atlantis as it approaches Space Florida's Exploration Park. Credit: NASA/ Tony Gray

If you'd like to see some awesome high-resolution full panoramas of Atlantis in the VAB, check out this page at the nasatech.net website.

Guest walk around space shuttle Endeavour after the grand opening ceremony for the California Science center's Samuel Oschin Space Shuttle Endeavour Display Pavilion, Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2012, in Los Angeles. Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls

Endeavour's Grand Opening Ceremony. Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls

Nancy Atkinson

Nancy Atkinson

Nancy Atkinson is a space journalist and author with a passion for telling the stories of people involved in space exploration and astronomy. She is currently retired from daily writing, but worked at Universe Today for 20 years as a writer and editor. She also contributed articles to The Planetary Society, Ad Astra (National Space Society), New Scientist and many other online outlets.

Her 2019 book, "Eight Years to the Moon: The History of the Apollo Missions,” shares the untold stories of engineers and scientists who worked behind the scenes to make the Apollo program so successful, despite the daunting odds against it. Her first book “Incredible Stories From Space: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at the Missions Changing Our View of the Cosmos” (2016) tells the stories of 37 scientists and engineers that work on several current NASA robotic missions to explore the solar system and beyond.

Nancy is also a NASA/JPL Solar System Ambassador, and through this program, she has the opportunity to share her passion of space and astronomy with children and adults through presentations and programs. Nancy's personal website is nancyatkinson.com