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Visitors Marisa Garcia and Kevin Tamez of San Antonio, Texas, have fun learning how wind affects the load of the shuttle when mounted on top of the shuttle carrier aircraft in the interacitve wind tunnel display inside Space Center Houston’s newest exhibit Independence Plaza.
Guests interact with one of seven hands-on exhibits inside the historic shuttle carrier aircraft (SCA) NASA 905. This exhibit demonstrates the challenges NASA overcame to get the SCA and shuttles off the ground by allowing guests to practice mating and de-mating the two in a scale model.
Guests touring the payload bay of the shuttle replica Independence admire an actual flown artifact from STS-49, a satellite rescue mission in which three people from the same spacecraft walked in space at the same time.
Visitors Odel Thomas of Houston, Texas, and Gayland Garcia of Amityville, New York, look through the airlock from the mid-deck of the shuttle replica Independence which is part of the nonprofit Space Center Houston’s newest exhibit, Independence Plaza. See where a shuttle would dock with the International Space Station and learn about the legacy of the Space Shuttle Program.
Students from Uckfield Community Technology College in the United Kingdom and Mickey Leland College Preparatory Academy for Young Men in Houston interact with one of seven hands-on exhibits inside the shuttle carrier aircraft NASA 905. This exhibit demonstrates demonstrates one of many challenges NASA overcame to get the shuttle carrier aircraft and shuttle off the ground and allows guests to practice mating and de-mating the two in a scale model.
Students from Uckfield Community Technology College in the United Kingdom and Mickey Leland College Preparatory Academy for Young Men in Houston watch a short video celebrating the Space Shuttle Program inside the shuttle carrier aircraft NASA 905.
When Independence Plaza opens Jan. 23, guests will be able to tour the inside of the massive shuttle carrier aircraft NASA 905. The exhibits inside walk guests through the Space Shuttle Program and the history of the shuttle carrier aircraft project including NASA 905s history.
The new international landmark Independence Plaza is now boarding. It is the world’s only shuttle replica mounted on a shuttle carrier aircraft and the only place where visitors can enter both vehicles.
The new international landmark Independence Plaza is now boarding. It is the world’s only shuttle replica mounted on a shuttle carrier aircraft and the only place where visitors can enter both vehicles.
Visitors will see the number of ferry flights completed by the historic shuttle carrier aircraft NASA 905 printed on the exterior of the plane. NASA 905 completed a majority of the missions delivering NASA space shuttles to their final locations.
Not only will guests see Space Center Houston’s newest international landmark when Independence Plaza opens Jan. 23, but also guests will see a prime example of NASA’s sense of humor. On the portion of the shuttle carrier aircraft that connects to space shuttles, guests will see a message printed in small blue and red lettering: “Attach orbiter here. Note: Black side down.”
The Independence Plaza steel tower takes visitors up an elevator and into both the high-fidelity shuttle replica Independence and the first shuttle carrier aircraft, NASA 905.
The Independence Plaza steel tower is six stories tall. Connecting the shuttle carrier aircraft and shuttle replica to the tower required years of planning and innovation.
The nonprofit Space Center Houston opens the new international landmark Independence Plaza on Jan. 23. It is the world’s only shuttle replica mounted on a shuttle carrier aircraft and the only place where the public will be able to enter both.
When Independence Plaza opens on Jan. 23, guests will be able to move freely around the grounds of Independence Plaza including underneath the shuttle carrier aircraft.
Years in the making, the extraordinary day themed “Mission Accomplished” welcomed visitors from all over the world to be a part of the historic opening of Independence Plaza presented by Boeing.
Richard Allen Jr., president and CEO for Space Center Houston, kicked off the opening remarks and spoke about the new Independence Plaza and how it will inspire children to think about a possible career in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
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