Idea Virgin Atlantic (Galactic?) Shuttle Fleet

[Kevon Daye]

I've heard several suggestions thrown about that it would be a good idea for Virgin Atlantic to buy at least one shuttle form NASA after they retire them. It would be cool to have a skin or skins (what if they bought all the shuttles?) in Virgin livery.:RnR1:

 

[bwog]

I doubt NASA would let them buy even one of the shuttles.

Maybe a piece from Challenger though...

 

[T.Neo]

The debris from Challenger are the bits of shuttle least likely to go anywhere. AFAIK they are being stored in some old missle silo at the Cape.

I'm not sure about the debris from Columbia though, but it's also unlikely that NASA would sell them.

I also don't see how it would be useful for Virgin Galactic to have a shuttle orbiter...

 

[garyw]

The debris from Challenger are the bits of shuttle least likely to go anywhere. AFAIK they are being stored in some old missle silo at the Cape.

Correct. It's NASA property.

I'm not sure about the debris from Columbia though, but it's also unlikely that NASA would sell them.

Correct. Selling bits of Columbia or Challenger is EXTREMELY bad taste. Columbia debris is loaned out to accredited research sites only.

I also don't see how it would be useful for Virgin Galactic to have a shuttle orbiter...

It isn't. They do not have the experience, the infrastructure, the payloads, contacts or a million other things required to fly these vehicles. They would likely bankrupt the company trying to put that together.

 

[Hielor]

I'm not sure about the debris from Columbia though, but it's also unlikely that NASA would sell them.

When I was a co-op for USA back in spring 2008, there was a flight safety display that was visiting several NASA facilities around the 5-year mark from the Columbia tragedy. I saw it when it was in the lobby of building 30. The display included several pieces of debris from Columbia, along with pictures of what the part had looked like previously.

It was amazing how recognizable the pieces were even after their uncontrolled trip through the atmosphere. It was also very sobering, and I'm sure that it had a much stronger effect on people who had been working there longer than I.

 

[Andy44]

While all of this is interesting, the guy just wants a Virgin Galactic skin for the shuttle...