Nebraska Museum Gets NASA Spacecraft

NEBRASKA CITY, Neb. - KETV.com

A NASA spacecraft designed to save lives has a new home in Nebraska.

The Johnson Space Center in Houston chose to house its experimental X38 crew return vehicle at the Strategic Air and Space Museum.

The spacecraft looks like something out of a science-fiction movie.

"I am just really into science and I just think it's really neat," said student Grant Draus, who got a look at the spacecraft in Nebraska City.

"It's just unusual to find a spacecraft out here in the middle of Nebraska," said Michael Millard.

The spacecraft was designed to help astronauts make an emergency trip back home in case of trouble on the International Space Station. The program was scrapped in 2002.

The X38 has sat in storage in Texas ever since but now has a home in Nebraska.

"The X38 re-entry vehicle never saw service in space and will now be taken to the Strategic Air and Space Museum to be restored," said the museum's Angela Smith. "They just decided they wanted to give us something really cool, so they found something really cool to give us and we're just grateful for them for doing that."

Nebraska astronaut Clayton Anderson was in Houston for the sendoff. His siblings in Nebraska were there for the arrival.

"I think it's pretty neat that it was sent off by an Anderson in Houston and that my sister and I were both here to receive it here in Nebraska," said Kirby Anderson.

The spacecraft is expected to go on display at the Strategic Air and Space Museum by Nov. 14.

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