Unusual Sight: Space Shuttle Speeding Across the Ocean

By Nancy Atkinson - June 1, 2012 at 12:56 PM UTC | Space Exploration
shuttle-barge-1.jpg

[/caption]

Astronaut

Greg Johnson

posted a few unusual pictures on Twitter this morning: "Steve Robinson and I were flying the T-38 and noticed this unusual sight in the gulf. Not something you see every day." Johnson Tweeted.

The space shuttle on barge is a high fidelity replica model named "Explorer," which was originally at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor's Center. Since KSC will be housing a 'real' shuttle, Atlantis, Johnson Space Center will get the replica. Astronaut Johnson snapped another image, below

[caption id="attachment_95588" align="aligncenter" width="580" caption="Side view of the shuttle replica 'Explorer' in the Gulf of Mexico. Credit: Gregory Johnson"]

[/caption]

"Here's another view from the side," Johnson said. "The shuttle mockup is enroute to Clear Lake (JSC). It arrives this afternoon."

Explorer was moved out from Kennedy's Visitor Center in December 2011 to make way for Space Shuttle Atlantis, and left on the barge on May 24 (see article and images from Ken Kremer

here)

. It wound its way around Florida and along the Gulf Coast to get to the Houston area.

On Sunday, June 3, the replica shuttle will arrive at Space Center Houston where it eventually will become part of a unique display. This weekend (June 1-3) Space Center Houston is hosting a free public "Shuttlebration Weekend."

Atlantis will be towed to the KSC Visitor Complex in November 2012. The Visitor Complex is constructing a permanent new display hall for Atlantis which is slated to open in 2013.

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