It’s a bird, it’s a plane, no — it’s the space shuttle replica Independence being lifted to its permanent home atop Space Center Houston’s historic space shuttle carrier aircraft (SCA)!
The free public event Rise of Independence will mark another chapter in the ongoing story of Space Center Houston’s future world-class exhibit. At 8 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 14, a team of skilled engineers and planners in partnership with the center will lift the massive shuttle by crane (weather permitting).
The ceremony preceding the lift begins at 7:15am CST/8:15am EST. Watch it live below:
Broadcast live streaming video on Ustream
The nonprofit Space Center Houston still needs to raise the last $2.2 million of its $12 million capital campaign in order to complete this important exhibit and preserve the historic SCA. Honor the remarkable story of the shuttle program by giving at SpaceCenter or text “Shuttle747” to 41444 to donate today. Every amount makes a difference.
The SCA and Shuttle Attraction will be an unprecedented, international landmark exhibit that will open in 2015, stand over eight stories tall and feature interactive exhibits for the public to explore. Visitors will be able to enter both vehicles, mounted in the classic carry configuration – an experience unavailable anywhere else in the world. The experiential exhibit will feature the remarkable history of the shuttle program and its role in shaping current NASA initiatives to explore asteroids, the moon, Mars and beyond.
Stay tuned to NYCAviation for additional coverage, including article, photo gallery and live tweeting @NYCAviation!