US President Donald Trump's nominee for NASA administrator, Jared Isaacman, is "committed to move the Space Shuttle Discovery to Houston," according to the office of Senator John Cornyn (R-TX).
The statement came following a meeting between Isaacman and Cornyn, in which the pair discussed NASA's role in keeping the US ahead of China, returning humans to the Moon, and "continuing to bolster NASA's Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Houston, Texas, as the human space flight center of excellence and innovation."
Isaacman, the off-again, on-again nominee for NASA administrator, should be confirmed in the role soon, unless the Commander in Chief changes his mind once again. Isaacman will be charged with implementing NASA's budget, which includes a provision to relocate the Space Shuttle Discovery from its current resting place at the Smithsonian in Virginia to near JSC in Houston.
Trump's budget reconciliation law, the so-called One Big Beautiful Bill, does not explicitly mention Discovery, just a "space vehicle" that "has flown into space" and "carried astronauts." By that measure, even the Apollo 10 capsule currently on display in London's Science Museum could be a contender. However, Cornyn has his eyes firmly set on Space Shuttle Discovery, and Isaacman has committed to relocating the vehicle.
The role of NASA administrator is unlikely to be enviable as the agency faces hard choices due to a constrained budget. The job is complicated further by the requirement to relocate Space Shuttle Discovery "in one piece" from Virginia to Texas for $85 million (including the construction of a facility to house the vehicle). As YouTuber and space enthusiast Scott Manley put it: "I would not want the job of NASA administrator because I'd have to deal with boneheaded things like the stupid shuttle law."
The retired orbiter has been the subject of controversy over the last few months. On the one side are Cornyn and his supporters, who want Space Shuttle Discovery relocated to right a perceived historical wrong, and on the other are those who disagree and would prefer the veteran vehicle be left alone.
The cost has also been the subject of fierce debate. While Cornyn's team has insisted that $85 million should be plenty, NASA and the Smithsonian estimated that the move alone would cost between $120 million and $150 million and require some dismantling of the vehicle.
The war of words is set to continue for a while longer. With the relocation still present in the budget reconciliation package, Isaacman is set for an interesting first few months should he be confirmed as NASA administrator. ®
Source: The register