Rendering of Space Shuttle at Intrepid – Image Courtesy Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum
Reporting Peter Haskell
NEW YORK (WCBS 880) - NASA is expected Tuesday to decide where its three retired and retiring Space Shuttles will go.
WCBS 880′s Peter Haskell with Sen. Chuck Schumer
If one the them were to be housed on the West Side of Manhattan at the Intrepid, museum officials estimate they would bring in more than a million visitors a year.
They say that in and of itself, should make the Intrepid an attractive candidate since one of NASA’s top criteria for where to send the shuttles is where they would garner the most eyeballs.
“We have the most tourists. More people will see it than any other [city],” said Sen. Chuck Schumer.
Plus, Schumer says it’s a natural fit since the Intrepid has a history with NASA.
“The intrepid has a relationship. They picked up the capsules before,” said Schumer.
There is already a plan to build a glass hangar to house the shuttle next to the aircraft carrier.
Each of the winning bidders would have to pay NASA $29 million to cover preparation and transfer costs.
