Skip to main content

Adopt
an Artifact

Adopt Today

Adopt an Artifact This May

Celebrate the Year of Aviation!

This May, join us in honoring the Year of Aviation by Adopting an Aviation Artifact at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center!

It’s more than a donation—it’s your chance to adopt a piece of history and help preserve the legacy of flight for future generations. Every artifact has a story. With your support, those stories will continue to inspire.

Be a part of aviation history.
Adopt today and make a lasting impact.

Artifacts

A-12 Oxcart

F-14A Tomcat

Pathfinder

Shuttle Training Aircraft (STA)

Adoption Levels

$25 Adoption Kit

A personalized adoption certificate (PDF download only)
A photograph and history card of your adopted artifact (PDF download only)

Kits will be emailed for download.

$75 Adoption Kit

A personalized adoption certificate (8.5×11)
A photograph and history card of your adopted artifact
3-month trial to the Space Camp Explorers Club

Kits will be mailed 2 to 3 weeks after purchase.

$150 Adoption Kit

A personalized adoption certificate (8.5×11)
A photograph and history card of your adopted artifact
6-month trial to the Space Camp Explorers Club
Your name listed for two years on the Foundation’s Adopt an Artifact page
An entry to win two tickets to the Space Camp Hall of Fame dinner

Kits will be mailed 2 to 3 weeks after purchase.

$300 Adoption Kit

A personalized adoption certificate (8.5×11)
A photograph and history card of your adopted artifact
6-month trial to the Space Camp Explorers Club
Your name listed for two years on the Foundation’s Adopt an Artifact page
An entry to win two tickets to the Space Camp Hall of Fame dinner
An entry to win artifact and space themed goodies around the holiday

Kits will be mailed 2 to 3 weeks after purchase.

$500 Adoption Kit

A personalized adoption certificate (8.5×11)
A photograph and history card of your adopted artifact
8-month trial to the Space Camp Explorers Club
Your name listed for three years on the Foundation’s Adopt an Artifact page
An entry to win two tickets to the Space Camp Hall of Fame dinner
An entry to win artifact and space themed goodies around the holiday
Virtual meet and greet with a docent about your artifact
Virtual meeting from the Executive Director of the Foundation, Chair of Foundation Board,
and CEO of the Rocket Center providing annual update for the Center

Kits will be mailed 2 to 3 weeks after purchase.

$1,250 Adoption Kit

A personalized adoption certificate (8.5×11)
A photograph and history card of your adopted artifact
10-month trial to the Space Camp Explorers Club
Your name listed for four years on the Foundation’s Adopt an Artifact page
An entry to win two tickets to the Space Camp Hall of Fame dinner
An entry to win artifact and space themed goodies around the holiday
Virtual meet and greet with a docent about your artifact
Virtual meeting from the Executive Director of the Foundation, Chair of Foundation Board,
and CEO of the Rocket Center providing annual update for the Center
Behind the scenes tour for you and 4 guests
Invite to an additional private event

Kits will be mailed 2 to 3 weeks after purchase.

A-12 Oxcart was the successor to the U2 Spy plane and developed by the CIA. The Oxcart became operational in 1965. Single seat aircraft unlike the SR-71. In creating the Oxcart new cutting edge innovations took place in titanium fabrication along with new jet fuels and flight controls, electronic counter measures, along with the pilot life support system. Speed Mach 3.2 or just over 2200 miles per hour at 90,000 ft. Camera system on the A-12 was better than the 71 but the 71 could collect more data giving the 71 an advantage.

Thank you to these $150-plus Adopt an Artifact donors.

The Stout Family

In Honor of Elizabeth Garrett

In Honor of Myles Leazott

Warren Mason

Joshua Pietrzyk

Gautam Shah

Lee Smith

Kevin Flahaut

Rob Daily

Andrew Salas

This aircraft, an F-14A, Bureau Number 160661, was a part of Navy Fighter Squadron VF-51, aboard the USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70) on its maiden voyage and in VF-124 at Naval Air Station Miramar, CA, where it served as a training aircraft. This aircraft also participated in a NASA effort to improve F-14 maneuvering. The F-14 Tomcat was a supersonic, twin-engine, variable sweep wing, two-seat fighter designed for the US Navy. The F-14’s AWG-9 radar was a powerful Pulse-Doppler, multi-mode system that tracked up to 24 targets simultaneously, attacked six targets with its Phoenix AIM-54A missiles closed-circuit while continuing to scan the airspace.

Thank you to these $150-plus Adopt an Artifact donors.

In Honor of Joseph Corso

In Memory of Gerald Powers

Taylor Ford

William “Hotdog” and Tosha Hudson

Wes Kelley

Brian Kirkland

In Honor of Joint Task Force 15

In Honor of James May

In Honor of Mark Zinck

In Honor of Makayla Shane

Daniel Thompson

Kaeden Vallejo

In Honor of Lucas Young

Robert McDermott

S.D.B. Consultants, LTD

Zachary Colescott

Cassandra Reid

Mason Nall

Emily Costigan

John “Goose” Guzior

Christopher Malone

George Adornato

Gretchen Green

Andrew Salas

Holton Jackson

The Pathfinder was constructed at the Marshall Space Flight Center in 1977 as an Orbiter Simulator. It was designed to be a stand-in for the Orbiter Enterprise, which was to be involved in extensive ground testing at the center. In early 1978, the Pathfinder was hoisted to the top of Marshall’s 4OO-foot tall Dynamics Test Stand in “dry runs” for the Mated Vertical Ground Vibration Tests planned for Enterprise. It was destined to become part of the world’s only launch configuration (full stack) shuttle display. In May of 1988 Pathfinder was placed on top of the External Tank in Shuttle Park.

Thank you to these $150-plus Adopt an Artifact donors.

John Cannon

Michael Cosner

In Honor of Olivia Saraceni

In Honor of Tyler Dobson

In Honor of Renee and Lauren Driver

In Honor of the Eckard Family

Kevin Ficek

Veronica Foreman

In Memory of Crew of Columbia’s STS 107

Kyle and Kim Freundl

James Gamble

In Honor of Olivia Hammond

Brian Kirkland

In Honor of Jack Ellis

David McKinley

Scott Mickle

Jimmy Powell

In Honor of Grace Roberts

Tim Rosener

Peter Ryan

Patricia Sallin

Keith Schonrock III

Robert Shaw

In Memory of Quentin Soprano

In Memory of Joshua Stokes

In Honor of Bruce Thomas

In Honor of Sarah Grace Walder

C & M Property Holdings LLC

Solar Eclipse Timer

Kevin Flahaut

Jacqueline Brody

Brian Dicken

Christopher Lane

Jonathan Hinds

Moses Chen

Charles Woodward

Sharon Timmons

Jennifer Clouse

Frederick Lawrence

John Freeze

Gretchen Green

In Memory of David A. Belcher

Carole Graham

Christina Hansen

In Honor of Space Camp Counselors Everywhere!

Doug Hibbard

Pilot astronauts trained for landing the Space Shuttle Orbiter by using ground-based simulations, however, this did not prepare them for the forces of an unpowered approach and landing. NASA needed to be able to mimic the physical experience of an Orbiter on approach. The Gulfstream II’s left-hand seat was adapted to closely resemble a Shuttle’s flight deck with the same features and hand controls a Shuttle commander would use during a mission. Several passenger seats in the back of the aircraft were replaced by a bank of Shuttle-simulating computers. The STA flies at the same speeds, dive angle, and approach trajectory as the Shuttle. To accomplish the “falling brick” feeling, they would lower the main gear of the STA and put the engines in reverse thrust. Prior to a Shuttle mission, a commander was required to complete 1,000 STA landings.

Thank you to these $150-plus Adopt an Artifact donors.

Nokomis Deckard

Olivia Saraceni

Elaine Ciaccio

Scott Harbour

Gretchen Green

Jeremy Hooper

Frequently Asked Questions

What does it mean to preserve, conserve or restore artifacts?

Taking actions that anticipate or prevent deterioration, maintaining an item in its original condition, or returning the deteriorated item to its original or near-original condition.
Will my donation go to conserve a specific artifact?

Yes. You will have the option to choose which artifact you would like to adopt in the drop-down menu.
Can I view any of the artifacts?

Yes. Several are currently on display in our permanent exhibition areas. However, some artifacts are currently offline or in a work/storage area. To check the online status of an artifact, please email [email protected].
Will I get a letter for tax purposes?

You will immediately receive an email confirmation and our team will send a tax receipt/confirmation letter within two weeks of receipt of your donation.
Can I adopt in someone else’s name?

Yes. An artifact can be adopted in honor of or in memory of someone, or you can surprise someone with an adoption gift!

10% of each donation goes into an endowment to continue to invest in our artifacts for generations to come.

5¢ of every dollar donated goes to executing and sustaining the program.

Have questions about Adopt an Artifact?

Reach out if you have a question or suggestion about the Adopt an Artifact program.

Ways
to Give

Donate

Support every aspect of our mission with your support.

Capital Campaign

Have a lasting impact with the Make Space for Tomorrow Campaign.

Adopt an Artifact

Adopt a piece of history while supporting the mission.

Scholarships

Send a child to Space Camp with a memorial or in honor gift.

Sponsorships

Enjoy great event benefits with your sponsorship.

Donate with Crypto

We accept donations in Bitcoin and over 100 more cryptocurrencies.

Endowment

Contribute to our endowment to set a foundation for tomorrow’s vision.

Planned Giving

Support the next generation of scientists, astronauts, and engineers.