Space Shuttles For Sale

NASA is holding the ultimate gadget sale: the space shuttle. After the completion of the International Space Station, the shuttles will be decommissioned and sent to the highest bidder. Could this be your chance to become a private astronaut?

The American space agency was hoping to sell the shuttles for $42 million but they couldn’t find a buyer. Now, with the discount, it appears they may be flying off the proverbial shelf.

There are three shuttles available but the Smithsonian has already called dibs on Discovery, which leaves Endeavour and Atlantis still on the auction block. There’s also speculation that the Enterprise, a shuttle prototype, may also be for sale even though it currently resides at the Smithsonian.

If you can’t afford the shuttle (or maybe you’ve already built your own spaceworthy craft), you an also get the main engine for the low price of free. That’s right, NASA is giving it away. Originally, NASA was hoping to get $400,000 to $800,000 but no one bit.

Even if you don’t want to build a space vessel, I guess you could attach the engine to a land vehicle in a bid to enter the Darwin Awards.

Alternatively, we can all agree the best owners for this equipment would be the Mythbusters.

Potential buyers have until Feb. 19 to bid.

[New York Times via New Scientist blog]