Pathfinder shuttle to return to U.S. Space & Rocket Center after restoration

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. ( WHNT ) — The Pathfinder Shuttle will return atop the external tank at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center after restoration.

The shuttle will take around three days to reinstall at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center . From August 28 – August 30, crews will reassemble the newly remodeled ship on the external tank.

In August 2020, the U.S. Space & Rocket Center received a $500,000 Save America’s Treasures grant from the National Park Service for a restoration project.

After 33 years of being on display, the Pathfinder shuttle had some wear and tear because of exposure to the elements. The shuttle was lifted down from the tank in January 2021 to begin the restoration process.

Restoration started in 2022 to return the shuttle to its original length after it was modified to be put on display. This process involved reinforcing the frame with cold-formed steel to accommodate the new printed panels. The panels served as the canvas to paint the shuttle’s details.

On August 28, the process to reassemble the shuttle will begin. Around 7:30 a.m., crews will work to rig the two Liebherr cranes and around 8 a.m., crews will begin weight testing the cranes to make sure it is ready and stable. Once that is complete, the main body will be lifted and installation will start.

On August 29, the wing is scheduled to be lifted and assembled with one crane and two lifts. Work is set to start around 7:30 a.m. with prepping for the wing rigging. The port wing will be lifted first and then positioned on the shuttle. Next will be the bolt wing and the starboard wing. Once they are all in place crews will bolt the wings to the shuttle.

On August 30, the main engine bells will be placed on the tank with one crane and three lifts. Work will start around 7:30 a.m. by lifting bell number one and will use 80 fasteners to attach it to the frame. The same process will be used for bell number two and number three.

The Pathfinder Shuttle’s story starts in 1977 at the Marshall Space Flight Center with the construction of Orbital Vehicle-098. It was later named Pathfinder. Pathfinder served as a test article for the first space shuttle, Enterprise.

It played a critical role in testing aspects of the Space Transportation System including heavy lifting, transportation and ground crew training procedures.

In the early 1980s, Pathfinder underwent modifications. Its structure was updated with steel, plywood and fiberglass to resemble a flight orbiter for the Great Shuttle Exposition in Tokyo.

Following its international debut, Pathfinder returned to the U.S. in May 1988, finding a permanent home at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center.

For over three decades, it stood proudly as the only full-stack exhibit in the world, showcasing the orbiter alongside the Main Propulsion Test Article, prototype solid rocket boosters, and space shuttle main engines.

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