When a NASA Shuttle Sailed to Houston

**AggieDad** · 06-12-2021, 04:47 PM - **7 Likes**

I have been cleaning out some old photo files (need some disk space) and I came across some pix I took back in 2012 when a NASA Shuttle was brought to Houston for the space museum, Space Center Houston. I thought some of you might enjoy seeing a little bit of how they moved this behemoth.

This shuttle – a demonstrator – was previously at the Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral, Florida. On May 24, 2012 they began the move to Johnson Space Center outside Houston. The shuttle was moved by barge around Florida and across the Gulf of Mexico. At Galveston, Texas it entered the Galveston Bay and on into the Houston Ship Channel. From the ship channel it moved into Clear Lake (really on inlet) to a dock very close to the Space Center. It arrived on June 1, 2012. These photos were taken the next day as they were preparing to off-load the shuttle from the barge to a 144 wheel (!) trailer for the one mile trip to the Space Center.

These were all taken with a Canon PowerShot SX30 IS – the originals are jpegs that were 3744 x 2104 pixels.

The Shuttle at the dock

Count em! 18 axles with 8 wheels per axle. 144 wheels.

Moving into place.

Almost there!

Everything in place. My wife, Linda, looking on.

Here is how it sits on the barge – all the way across the Gulf!

Another look underneath

Coming up Clear Lake on June 1 (not my photo - from the news media)

nosliwmit · 06-12-2021, 05:23 PM

You were very lucky to get to watch that! Thanks for sharing the photos.

**MikeNArk** · 06-12-2021, 06:04 PM

Time flies. Next time I'm in Houston, I need to visit the aerospace museum.

Ausable · 06-13-2021, 05:50 AM

Thank you for taking the time to document the process of moving that amazing space vehicle and for sharing it with us.

**pentageek** · 06-13-2021, 06:14 AM

Thank you for sharing - the move was outstanding engineering feat, and as we can see in your photos, also very interesting photographic opportunity.

**Aussie Matt** · 06-14-2021, 04:41 AM

On my bucket list trip to USA, besides the baseball, NBL etc etc tourist-ey stuff, the ONE thing I wanted was to watch a shuttle launch. I've missed that opportunity now.

That said, there are some great clips on YouTube, of the Space-X, falcon heavy, recorded with high quality audio, and with my good set of head phones... OMG, the noise is just out of this world.

Thanks for sharing.

**Michail_P** · 06-14-2021, 09:32 AM

A marvel that was...I still remember the toy.... Nice set. Thanks for sharing.

RoxnDox · 06-14-2021, 10:09 PM

Quite a process, isn't it? We watched something similar moving a B-52 bomber from runway to concrete posts up by the main gate (Offutt AFB, Bellevue NE).

Great series of shots you took, thank you for sharing!

**Rondec** · 06-15-2021, 02:21 AM

That's amazing. My family visited Cape Canaveral last year and saw the Atlantis there.

**DWS1** · 06-16-2021, 08:07 PM

I got to see the shuttle being piggy backed on a 747 from California to Florida.

**AggieDad** · 06-17-2021, 07:35 PM

Glad everyone enjoyed the photos. The next time you are in Texas, drop by and visit it at Space Center Houston.

Originally posted by DWS1

I got to see the shuttle being piggy backed on a 747 from California to Florida.

Back in the 1990s I also saw a Shuttle/747 piggyback while on the golf course. The sound of the plane was louder than it should have been as it was a lot lower than a regular commercial flight. We looked up and saw the piggy-back flying right over top of us.

**ChrisPlatt** · 06-19-2021, 03:15 PM

Around that same time I was shocked to see a Space Shuttle passing under the Gil Hodges Marine Parkway Bridge in Brooklyn.
The now-retired Enterprise was later installed for static display on the Intrepid Sea, Air, & Space Museum at Pier 86 in Manhattan.

My daughter and I spotted it while sitting in the parking lot of the Historic Aircraft Restoration Project at Floyd Bennett Field.
If I'd known it would be passing by I would have sought a better vantage point and gotten a photo...

Chris

Kendra59 · 06-19-2021, 07:55 PM

That was a really nice series of photos. I wish I could have been there...

06-12-2021, 04:47 PM - 7 Likes	#1
AggieDad Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Houston, TX Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,456	When a NASA Shuttle Sailed to Houston I have been cleaning out some old photo files (need some disk space) and I came across some pix I took back in 2012 when a NASA Shuttle was brought to Houston for the space museum, Space Center Houston. I thought some of you might enjoy seeing a little bit of how they moved this behemoth. This shuttle – a demonstrator – was previously at the Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral, Florida. On May 24, 2012 they began the move to Johnson Space Center outside Houston. The shuttle was moved by barge around Florida and across the Gulf of Mexico. At Galveston, Texas it entered the Galveston Bay and on into the Houston Ship Channel. From the ship channel it moved into Clear Lake (really on inlet) to a dock very close to the Space Center. It arrived on June 1, 2012. These photos were taken the next day as they were preparing to off-load the shuttle from the barge to a 144 wheel (!) trailer for the one mile trip to the Space Center. These were all taken with a Canon PowerShot SX30 IS – the originals are jpegs that were 3744 x 2104 pixels. The Shuttle at the dock Count em! 18 axles with 8 wheels per axle. 144 wheels. Moving into place. Almost there! Everything in place. My wife, Linda, looking on. Here is how it sits on the barge – all the way across the Gulf! Another look underneath Coming up Clear Lake on June 1 (not my photo - from the news media)

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06-12-2021, 05:23 PM	#2
nosliwmit Pentaxian Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Pacific Northwest Photos: Gallery Posts: 913	You were very lucky to get to watch that! Thanks for sharing the photos.

06-12-2021, 06:04 PM	#3
MikeNArk Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2019 Location: Conway, Arkansas Posts: 15,222	Time flies. Next time I'm in Houston, I need to visit the aerospace museum.

06-13-2021, 05:50 AM	#4
Ausable Senior Member Join Date: May 2019 Posts: 149	Thank you for taking the time to document the process of moving that amazing space vehicle and for sharing it with us.

06-13-2021, 06:14 AM	#5
pentageek Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2016 Posts: 420	Thank you for sharing - the move was outstanding engineering feat, and as we can see in your photos, also very interesting photographic opportunity.

06-14-2021, 04:41 AM	#6
Aussie Matt Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Aug 2020 Location: Adelaide, South Australia: Don't tell anyone how good it is, please. Photos: Albums Posts: 103	On my bucket list trip to USA, besides the baseball, NBL etc etc tourist-ey stuff, the ONE thing I wanted was to watch a shuttle launch. I've missed that opportunity now. That said, there are some great clips on YouTube, of the Space-X, falcon heavy, recorded with high quality audio, and with my good set of head phones... OMG, the noise is just out of this world. Thanks for sharing.

06-14-2021, 09:32 AM	#7
Michail_P Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2019 Location: Kalymnos Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,006	A marvel that was...I still remember the toy.... Nice set. Thanks for sharing.

06-14-2021, 10:09 PM	#8
RoxnDox Pentaxian Join Date: May 2007 Location: Gig Harbor, Washington, USA, Terra Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,494	Quite a process, isn't it? We watched something similar moving a B-52 bomber from runway to concrete posts up by the main gate (Offutt AFB, Bellevue NE). Great series of shots you took, thank you for sharing!

06-15-2021, 02:21 AM	#9
Rondec Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Gladys, Virginia Photos: Gallery Posts: 27,663	That's amazing. My family visited Cape Canaveral last year and saw the Atlantis there.

06-16-2021, 08:07 PM	#10
DWS1 Site Supporter Join Date: Aug 2018 Location: Arkansas, USA Posts: 1,169	I got to see the shuttle being piggy backed on a 747 from California to Florida.

06-17-2021, 07:35 PM	#11
AggieDad Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Houston, TX Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,456 Original Poster	Glad everyone enjoyed the photos. The next time you are in Texas, drop by and visit it at Space Center Houston. Originally posted by DWS1 I got to see the shuttle being piggy backed on a 747 from California to Florida. Back in the 1990s I also saw a Shuttle/747 piggyback while on the golf course. The sound of the plane was louder than it should have been as it was a lot lower than a regular commercial flight. We looked up and saw the piggy-back flying right over top of us.

06-19-2021, 03:15 PM	#12
ChrisPlatt Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Rockaway Beach NYC Posts: 7,696	Around that same time I was shocked to see a Space Shuttle passing under the Gil Hodges Marine Parkway Bridge in Brooklyn. The now-retired Enterprise was later installed for static display on the Intrepid Sea, Air, & Space Museum at Pier 86 in Manhattan. My daughter and I spotted it while sitting in the parking lot of the Historic Aircraft Restoration Project at Floyd Bennett Field. If I'd known it would be passing by I would have sought a better vantage point and gotten a photo... Chris

06-19-2021, 07:55 PM	#13
Kendra59 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2021 Location: Kelowna, BC, Canada Posts: 187	That was a really nice series of photos. I wish I could have been there...