Intrepid Sea Air Space Museum Close to Landing Space Shuttle For Its Collection

Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) thinks that the Intrepid Sea Air Space Museum is close to landing one of the three remaining space shuttles once they are retired at the end of the shuttle program. It's believed that the Smithsonian is one of the other institutions that will obtain a shuttle, but nothing has been finalized.

The senior lawmaker said a number of sources have told him the floating museum on Manhattan's West Side has the inside track in the fight to land one of NASA's iconic rockets.

"I believe we are in good shape," Schumer said. "It's not a done deal, but the arguments we have made about why the shuttle belongs in New York are resonating."

The Daily News has championed the cause of bringing a space shuttle to the Intrepid. More than 20 other institutions around the country are vying for Discovery, Endeavour and Atlantis. The Smithsonian in the nation's capital is said to be the front-runner for Discovery.

Schumer said New York has stiff competition for the other shuttles from at least two other cities, which he refused to name.

NASA originally vowed to make a decision on the shuttles in July and now says it will decide by the end of the year.

NASA has set up some pretty stringent requirements for the institutions seeking the shuttles - including climate controlled facilities to ensure that the shuttles are properly conserved. That eliminates many museum facilities who don't have deep pockets or the access to deep pockets.