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NASA Sets 'Impossible' Ground Rules for Relocation of 'Flown Space Vehicle'

NASA has issued a draft Request for Proposals to move a flown space vehicle, a step lawmakers see as progress toward relocating the Space Shuttle Discovery from the Smithsonian to Houston. The agency’s RFP stresses that any shuttle must be transported intact, prohibiting disassembly and labeling the orbiter an “irreplaceable national asset.” Lawmakers, including Sen. John Cornyn, praised the move as a concrete step toward bringing Discovery home, while critics argue the “no‑disassembly” rule makes the task practically impossible. The document also references moving Orion capsules, which can be handled with existing USAF cargo jets, highlighting a stark contrast in logistical complexity.