Adler Planeterium hoping the shuttle will ‘land’ in Chicago when it retires
By APTuesday, August 24, 2010
Adler wants the shuttle to ‘land’ in Chicago
CHICAGO — Chicago’s Adler Planetarium is hoping to land an honest-to-goodness space traveler.
The planetarium is among several institutions around the country hoping to be allowed to pay nearly $29 million for one of three space shuttles NASA is about to retire.
The way Adler’s president, Paul Knappenberger Jr. sees it, Adler deserves a shuttle because Chicago is a worldwide tourist destination in the middle of the United States.
Institutions in other states think they should get one because of their ties with the space program. Officials in Florida, for example, point out that the shuttle is launched from there. And Texas officials say that the Lone Star State is home to NASA’s mission control. Meanwhile, Ohio’s argument is that the Wright brothers were born there.
Information from: Chicago Tribune, www.chicagotribune.com
