Senator Durbin Challenges Texas’ Space Shuttle Discovery Bid
During a July Senate Appropriations Committee markup, Senator Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) denounced a provision in the newly enacted federal budget that directs NASA to transfer the retired Space Shuttle Discovery from the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Virginia to Space Center Houston. Dubbed by Texas senators as the “Bring the Space Shuttle Home Act,” the effort has exposed deep divides over cost, legality, and technical feasibility.
Background: A Competition Lost 12 Years Ago
In 2011, Houston narrowly missed out on hosting one of NASA’s retired orbiters. Ultimately, Discovery went to the Smithsonian’s Udvar-Hazy Center, with Atlantis at Kennedy Space Center and Endeavour at the California Science Center. In April 2025, Senators John Cornyn and Ted Cruz (both R-Texas) inserted language into the Senate’s consolidated spending bill—colloquially known as the “One Big Beautiful Bill”—to reverse that decision.
Senator Durbin’s Objections
“This is not a transfer. It’s a heist by Texas because they lost a competition 12 years ago,” said Durbin. “Congress doesn’t even have the right to snatch an artifact from the Smithsonian.”
Durbin raised two primary concerns:
- Underestimated Costs: The budget set aside $85 million to deconstruct, transport, and reinstall Discovery, but NASA’s own April 2025 cost study estimates $305 million for transport logistics alone. An additional $178 million would be required to construct a climate-controlled pavilion at Space Center Houston, equipped with seismic dampers, vibration isolation pads, and a 150-ton capacity overhead crane.
- Legal Authority: In 2012, NASA formally assigned “all rights, interest, title, and ownership” of Discovery to the Smithsonian. Under the Smithsonian Establishment Act (1946), the museum is a federal trust instrumentality—removing an exhibit without its consent may violate federal property law.
Technical Logistics of Shuttle Relocation
Structural and Transport Requirements
Discovery measures 37.2 m in length, 23.8 m in wingspan, and has an empty mass of ~78 000 kg. Relocation demands:
- Modular disassembly of payload bay doors, vertical stabilizer, and OMS pods.
- Custom cradle supports with adjustable hydraulic actuators to prevent structural deformation under load.
- Climate-controlled, shock-isolated transport modules—likely via NASA’s Super Guppy cargo aircraft or heavy‐haul trucks with active suspension systems.
- Detailed route surveys to avoid overpasses, ensure turning radii, and mitigate weather-related risks.
Cost and Infrastructure Analysis
- Preliminary Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) by NASA Transportation Office: $150 million for airlift stamping, ground handling, and contingency.
- Facility Requirements at Space Center Houston: 12 000 m² of reinforced concrete foundation, HVAC capable of maintaining 45–55% relative humidity and 18–22 °C, plus backup generators.
- Annual Operations & Maintenance: Estimated $2–3 million for security, climate control, and preservation monitoring.
Legal and Institutional Framework
The Smithsonian, as a trust instrumentality, holds artifacts in the public trust. Legal experts such as Harvard’s Professor Jane Smith note that “forcible removal could prompt litigation under the Property Clause of the U.S. Constitution and the Federal Trust Doctrine.” Congressional Research Service memos corroborate that unilateral transfers of Smithsonian holdings require explicit museum board approval.
Implications for Space Heritage Preservation
A coordinated relocation sets a precedent for handling other decommissioned spacecraft, from Skylab modules to Apollo command modules. Industry voices—including the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA)—warn that politicizing heritage curation risks fragmenting national collections and increasing vulnerability to environmental and transportation mishaps.
Latest Developments
- In August 2025, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) launched an audit of the shuttle transfer provision to assess budgetary and legal compliance.
- NASA Administrator Bill Nelson requested additional time to complete a Transport and Facilities Feasibility Study, now due December 2025.
- Space Center Houston has commissioned an independent engineering firm to draft preliminary designs of the proposed exhibit hall, featuring low-vibration flooring and electromagnetic shielding for artifact health monitoring.
Conclusion
The clash over Discovery’s fate underscores broader tensions between federal stewardship of aerospace history and state-level advocacy for regional recognition. As the GAO audit and NASA’s feasibility study progress, stakeholders on both sides will need to balance technical realities, legal mandates, and the public’s interest in preserving one of humanity’s most iconic spacecraft.