The City of Downey, California, has taken the first step in preserving its rich aerospace legacy by relocating a full-size space shuttle mockup to a new display location. The Inspiration orbiter, which has sat in pieces for over a decade, is now being restored and will soon be on public exhibit at the Columbia Memorial Space Center. This move not only celebrates Downey’s history in the space industry but also aims to inspire the next generation of engineers, scientists, and visionaries.
From Maintenance Yard to Public Display: Downey’s Aerospace Heritage Comes Alive
The Inspiration orbiter, a full-size space shuttle mockup, has been a silent witness to Downey’s rich aerospace history for over a decade. Divided into four flatbed trucks, including the crew cabin, parts of the payload bay, and the aft section with its three main engines, the mock shuttle has finally hit the road, making its way to a nearby facility on Bellflower Boulevard. This move marks the first step toward exhibiting the model at the Columbia Memorial Space Center, where it will be restored and displayed for the public to enjoy.
Ben Dickow, the president and executive director of the Columbia Memorial Space Center, expressed his enthusiasm, saying, ‘I had a dream that I would pull a space shuttle with a golf cart down the street… and [now it has] happened.’ This relocation is not just about moving a piece of hardware; it’s about inspiring the next generation of scientists, engineers, and visionaries. As Dickow eloquently stated, ‘There are going to be some kids who walk through this thing when it’s out on display … and a spark is going to go off and they’re going to become an engineer or a scientist or a lawyer or a poet.’
Preserving Aerospace Legacy: Downey’s Commitment to its Aerospace Heritage
The City of Downey has long been a hub of aerospace innovation and research, and the relocation of the Inspiration orbiter is a testament to the city’s commitment to preserving this legacy. The Downey site was the home of crucial programs such as the Navajo missile, Little Joe Rocket, Apollo capsules, and space shuttle orbiters.
Mario Trujillo, the mayor of Downey, expressed his pride in the city’s aerospace heritage, stating, ‘This is a legacy. What a magical, historical day. I’m going to remember this. This is one of those deep memories that you’re going to have, when we moved this beautiful, beautiful piece of aerospace history. And I just couldn’t be more proud to be your mayor.’
The city’s goals for the Inspiration orbiter include the preservation and showcasing of its aerospace heritage, as well as the creation of learning opportunities for future generations. The $800,000 restoration project and the construction of a dedicated 29,000-square-foot (2,700 square meters) two-story building at the Columbia Memorial Space Center will ensure that the Inspiration orbiter is properly preserved and displayed for the public to enjoy.
This investment in the city’s aerospace legacy is a testament to Downey’s commitment to inspiring the next generation of scientists, engineers, and visionaries, ensuring that the spark of curiosity and wonder ignited by the space shuttle lives on.
From Mockup to Masterpiece: The Transformation of the Inspiration Orbiter
The Inspiration orbiter has a fascinating history that spans decades. Initially built in 1972, two years before NASA finalized the design of the winged spacecraft, the mockup was used by North American Rockwell (now Boeing) to sell NASA on its concept and as a fit check tool for instruments and payloads being built for the space-worthy vehicles.
Over time, the mockup lost one of its wings and part of its vertical stabilizer (tail), but it continued to serve as a showcase piece for visiting politicians and other guests until the Downey plant closed. It was then that the Inspiration orbiter became city property and was put into storage, only to be rediscovered in 2012.
The public then had the opportunity to name the orbiter, which led to it being christened the Inspiration. After a brief exhibition under a tent at the Columbia Memorial Space Center, the Inspiration was moved to a maintenance yard for storage, where it has sat in pieces for more than a decade.
Now, with the relocation to a nearby facility and the $800,000 restoration project underway, the Inspiration orbiter is poised to undergo a transformation. Once the restoration is complete, the 122-foot-long by 35-foot-tall (37 by 11 m) mockup will be displayed in a dedicated 29,000-square-foot (2,700 square meters) two-story building at the Columbia Memorial Space Center, where it will serve as a testament to Downey’s rich aerospace heritage and a source of inspiration for generations to come.
