Intrepid Shuttle exhibit preview today....

Just came from the members preview. The exhibit is truly fantastic. The tent is lit up with blue spotlights and the shuttle itself is well illuminated. The walls are lined with TV screens and displays detailing the history and story of the shuttle program and how that particular model got to Intrepid. People can walk underneath the shuttle and there is a small platform to view it from an elevated angle. The wheel wells are lit up so you can see inside. And of course a small gift shop selling horrendously expensive models of the shuttle. All in all its worth the extra admission fee.....

If any of our shots were used do you think we could ask for reduced admission

BTW, How does her final wing tip repair look and were you able to get any pics from today's preview ?

Given the cramped confines of the tent taking any decent shots that encompass the entire orbiter is a problem. You won't be able to take the kind of pictures that were possible at the Smithsonian until they build the larger permanent facility across the street.


BTW the engine covers were not removed like in the Smithsonian, not to mention there's nowhere to sit down anywhere inside the tent. There was a large screen playing a short documentary on the shuttle and people were sitting on the floor :frown:

I know its been said already but the Cradle of Aviation is a far better aerospace museum....

I visited this afternoon. I was impressed. The structure is much more substantial than the tennis court bubble I envisioned.

The lighting is gorgeous. The pavilion is dark for the most part, with dark blue walls, but the shuttle has spotlights shining on it from above, as well as shining up from below the landing gear. The works inside of the gear bays is viewable in great detail.

One drawback, and it's a sort of annoying but maybe unavoidable due to the size of Intrepid's flight deck... as alberchico mentioned, the smallish space does not allow one to back up far enough to get the whole shuttle in a frame except maybe with a 10mm lens or an 8mm fisheye. The closest I came using my 18-55 was only possible by standing on a wheelchair elevator that I'm sure won't be accessible without getting a talkingto once the place officially opens tomorrow.

Photos coming soon.

I saw it fly over my head about a few hundred feet, I saw it hit the train trestle. I don't need to pay to see it again lol

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Originally Posted by Vinny Ohare

I saw it fly over my head about a few hundred feet, I saw it hit the train trestle. I don't need to pay to see it again lol

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Same here. I saw Enterprise at the Smithsonian, I saw Discovery at the Smithsonian. I don't need to go to Intrepid.

http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/ind...h=431451;image

this pic shows the layout of the tent the shuttle is housed in...


http://twitter.com/tamaragitt/status.../photo/1/large

this pic shows why you need a wide angle lens to get the whole thing in frame....


http://www.collectspace.com/news/news-071812a.html

here is a complete set of pictures of the exhibit....

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Originally Posted by alberchico

http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/ind...h=431451;image

this pic shows the layout of the tent the shuttle is housed in...


http://twitter.com/tamaragitt/status.../photo/1/large

this pic shows why you need a wide angle lens to get the whole thing in frame....


http://www.collectspace.com/news/news-071812a.html

here is a complete set of pictures of the exhibit....

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Awesome photo's. This looks better than I thought it would. I am a bit surprised they didnt take the engine cover off. I thought that was just used for ferrying aboard the SCA.

My guess would be that removing it would have taken more time possibly delaying the opening or more likely they didn't have anywhere to store it....

BTW does anyone know if the cockpit is still intact or were all the instruments ripped out long ago ?

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Originally Posted by puckstopper55

I am a bit surprised they didnt take the engine cover off. I thought that was just used for ferrying aboard the SCA.

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Not sure what the deal is, but there is a rendering of Enterprise in its permanent building that shows it with the cover off.

Here are my shots:

Photos: Space Shuttle Enterprise on Display at Intrepid Museum

http://www.nycaviation.com/newspage/...eview/nasa.jpg

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Originally Posted by alberchico

BTW does anyone know if the cockpit is still intact or were all the instruments ripped out long ago ?

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According to the collectspace.com link posted above:

"Most of Enterprise's flight deck instruments were stripped out decades ago, but as seen through a window, some of the switch panels are still installed. Visitors cannot enter the shuttle, though conservators do have access to the closed crew cabin and payload bay.