The Bring the Space Shuttle Home Act requires the Discovery space shuttle to be transferred from the Smithsonian Institution’s Udvar-Hazy Center to NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston within 18 months of enactment. The Administrator and Smithsonian must jointly develop a transfer plan, including a timeline and cost estimate, and submit it to Congress within 90 days.
After the transfer, title must move from the Smithsonian to NASA within one year, with a public exhibition near JSC. Following that, the Administrator must transfer title to a nonprofit entity designated to maintain the shuttle for public display within 5 miles of JSC.
The bill authorizes necessary appropriations to carry out these provisions.
At a Glance
What It Does
The bill mandates a staged transfer: (1) relocate the Discovery shuttle from the Smithsonian to JSC within 18 months; (2) create and submit a joint plan with timeline and costs within 90 days; (3) transfer title from Smithsonian to NASA within 1 year of the initial transfer; (4) mount the shuttle for public exhibition near JSC, with JSC oversight until a nonprofit assumes custody; (5) place title with a designated nonprofit for ongoing exhibition near JSC once transfers are completed.
Who It Affects
NASA’s Johnson Space Center, the Smithsonian Institution, a nonprofit entity designated by NASA, and the public (including local students and educators) who will access the exhibit near JSC.
Why It Matters
It creates a clear, auditable path for preserving a high-profile national artifact, locating it near the NASA center responsible for its preservation, and anchoring long‑term education and public access through a dedicated nonprofit.
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What This Bill Actually Does
The act sets a concrete plan to move the Discovery shuttle from its current home at the Smithsonian’s Udvar-Hazy Center to NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. It requires the NASA Administrator and the Smithsonian to work together to draft a transfer plan with an estimated timeline and costs, and to deliver that plan to Congress within 90 days of enactment.
Once moved, title to the shuttle would transfer from the Smithsonian to NASA within one year. Public exhibition of the shuttle would occur at a site no more than five miles from JSC, with JSC overseeing the display until the shuttle’s title is transferred to a nonprofit entity that will maintain the exhibit near JSC.
The act authorizes funding as needed to implement these steps.
The Five Things You Need to Know
The shuttle must be relocated within 18 months of enactment.
NASA and Smithsonian must submit a joint transfer plan to Congress within 90 days.
Title to the shuttle must transfer to NASA within one year after the initial transfer.
Public exhibition must be near Johnson Space Center, within 5 miles, with JSC oversight.
A nonprofit entity designated by the Administrator will ultimately hold title and maintain the exhibit near JSC.
Section-by-Section Breakdown
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General transfer requirement
Not later than 18 months after enactment, under the Administrator, the Discovery shuttle shall be transferred from the Smithsonian Institution’s Udvar-Hazy Center to NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. This provision sets the primary relocation obligation and location for the artifact.
Plan development and congressional submission
The Administrator and Smithsonian must jointly develop a transfer plan, including an estimated timeline and cost, and submit the plan to Congress not later than 90 days after enactment. This creates accountability and a documented path for implementation.
Transfer of title to NASA
Not later than one year after the shuttle’s transfer under subsection (a), the Smithsonian must transfer title to NASA. This establishes the legal shift in ownership from the Smithsonian to the space agency responsible for the shuttle’s ultimate disposition.
Public exhibition and oversight
Upon transfer, the shuttle must be placed on public exhibition near the Johnson Space Center to support STEM learning. NASA’s Johnson Space Center will oversee the display until the shuttle is transferred to a nonprofit entity.
Role of nonprofit entity
After title transfer, NASA must transfer ownership to a nonprofit entity designated by the Administrator, with the condition that the nonprofit maintain the shuttle on public exhibition within 5 miles of JSC. This creates a long-term stewardship structure for ongoing access.
Appropriations authorization
The bill authorizes the Administrator to receive such sums as may be necessary to carry out this section, in addition to amounts authorized by other Acts, and allows the President to request supplemental requirements if needed. This provides funding flexibility for relocation and display costs.
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Explore Science in Codify Search →Who Benefits and Who Bears the Cost
Every bill creates winners and losers. Here's who stands to gain and who bears the cost.
Who Benefits
- Johnson Space Center (NASA): gains an on-site, high-profile artifact that enhances visitor experiences and STEM outreach near JSC.
- Smithsonian Institution: fulfills a structured transfer with congressional oversight, potentially reducing long-term storage or display costs and aligning public access goals with the artifact’s interpretation.
- Designated nonprofit entity: gains title and long-term stewardship rights, enabling fundraising and a stable public exhibit near JSC.
- Houston-area students and educators: gain enhanced local access to a major national artifact, supporting local STEM education and public engagement.
- General public and visitors: benefit from improved access to a nationally significant artifact within their region.
Who Bears the Cost
- Smithsonian Institution: upfront costs of planning, logistics, and deaccessioning/shipping of the shuttle.
- NASA/Johnson Space Center: relocation, exhibit setup, ongoing maintenance, and governance costs.
- Designated nonprofit entity: ongoing costs of maintaining and operating the exhibit under the nonprofit model.
- Taxpayers and federal budget: potential costs associated with the appropriations necessary to implement the transfer and ongoing exhibit maintenance.
- Constituents concerned with artifact stewardship: risk of organizational transition and the need for robust nonprofit governance and fundraising to sustain the exhibit.
Key Issues
The Core Tension
The central dilemma is whether the artifact’s best public value is achieved through Smithsonian custody and a national display program or through a near-JSC display managed by a dedicated nonprofit, given the funding, governance, and maintenance challenges inherent in a long-term public exhibit near a specific installation.
The bill creates a staged, overseen process to move a national artifact from a DC-area Smithsonian facility to a Texas-based NASA center, then into nonprofit stewardship. This raises tensions between centralized custodianship (the Smithsonian) and decentralized, near-site public access (the JSC area), all while balancing budget constraints and long-term sustainability of the exhibit.
Practical risks include cost overruns, timeline slips, and the nonprofit’s ability to maintain consistent public access and interpretation over time. The lack of a mandatory funding line means appropriations will depend on future congressional action, which could affect timing and scope.
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