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Restore the Rocket City Spaceline

Adopt a Panel of the Space Shuttle Pathfinder

The Pathfinder Puzzle consists of 500 3D printed pieces that will be connected together to form the outer shell of the orbiter.

The panels representing the exterior shell of the Space Shuttle will be attached  to the existing historical Pathfinder test artifact’s steel armature and finished to themed entertainment standards for aerospace replicas. This Shuttle will be reinstalled atop the existing rocket booster stack on display.

Help us restore the Pathfinder piece by piece by naming a piece of the Pathfinder Puzzle today!

Gift Levels & Benefits

Virtual Piece of the Pathfinder

$5,000 Benefits

  • Name listed on the Space Shuttle Pathfinder page located on the U.S. Space & Rocket Center Education Foundation
  • Name listed on signage at the exhibit
  • VIP invitation to the Space Shuttle Pathfinder launch ribbon cutting
  • Commemorative gift of shuttle foam that encased the external tank
  • Memberships/tickets
    • Corporate: Ten (10) general admission guest passes. Plus one (1) free admission to a movie or INTUITIVE Planetarium show. 
    • Individual: Gemini Membership
  • Invitation to a special-behind-the-scenes museum/camp briefing
  • Annual report
Donate Today

$10,000 Benefits

  • Name listed on the Space Shuttle Pathfinder page located on the U.S. Space & Rocket Center Education Foundation
  • Name listed on signage at the exhibit
  • VIP invitation to the Space Shuttle Pathfinder launch ribbon cutting
  • Commemorative gift of bolt used in securing the original space shuttle covering
  • Memberships/tickets
    • Corporate choice of:
      • Two corporate membership card. Each card admits the cardholder plus five (5) guests free for one year. Includes free general admission to more than 250 participating ASTC Passport Science Centers worldwide or
      • Ten (10) general admission guest passes. Plus one (1) free admission to a movie or INTUITIVE Planetarium show. 
    • Individual: Gemini Membership
  • Personal museum staff-led tour with advance notice
  • Invitation to a special-behind-the-scenes museum/camp briefing
  • Annual report
Donate Today

$25,000 Benefits

  • Name listed on the Space Shuttle Pathfinder page located on the U.S. Space & Rocket Center Education Foundation website
  • Name listed on signage at the exhibit
  • VIP invitation to the Space Shuttle Pathfinder launch ribbon cutting
  • Commemorative gift that includes a bolt used in securing the original space shuttle covering and a piece of foam from the external tank
  • Memberships/tickets
    • Corporate choice of:
      • Two corporate membership cards. Each card admits the cardholder plus five (5) guests free for one year. Includes free general admission to more than 250 participating ASTC Passport Science Centers worldwide or
      • Twenty (20) general admission guest passes. Plus one (1) free admission to a movie or INTUITIVE Planetarium show. 
    • Individual: Mars Membership
  • VIP tour for up to 10 guests lead by a docent (advance notice required)
  • Invitation to a special-behind-the-scenes museum/camp briefing
  • Annual report
Donate Today

Pay or pledge by December 31, 2024 to be included on signage.

Pathfinder Timeline

1977

TEST ARTICLE BUILT

Originally unnamed, the orbiter on display was the dynamic test article built at the Marshall Space Flight Center. It is approximately the same size, shape and weight of a flight orbiter
1977-1981

USING THE PROTOTYPE

Shipped by barge to the Kennedy Space Center the mock-up was used for ground crew testing in the Vehicle Assembly Building, Orbiter Processing Facility, and Shuttle Landing Facility.
APRIL 21, 1981

MISSION SUCCESS

Successfully completing its mission checking roadway clearances, crane capabilities and fits within structures without requiring use of the more delicate and expensive Enterprise, the Pathfinder was put into storage around the time NASA launched the first Shuttle mission on April 12, 1981.

JUNE 1983 — AUGUST 1984

GREAT SPACE SHUTTLE EXPOSITION

The America-Japan Society, Inc. obtained the wood and steel mockup at a cost of US$1 million and hired Teledyne Brown Engineering to refurbish it to more closely resemble an actual Space Shuttle. It was named Pathfinder and displayed at the Great Space Shuttle Exposition in Tokyo.

FEBRUARY 1988

EXTERNAL TANK AND SOLID ROCKET BOOSTERS

An external tank (MPTA-ET), which had been used for propulsion tests and two filament-wound Solid Rocket Booster casings, which had been designed for polar-orbit launches from Vandenberg Air Force Base were provided by NASA to accompany Pathfinder

MAY 1988

PATHFINDER INSTALLATION

Pathfinder installed atop fuel tank and boosters at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center.

1999

SRB FORWARD ASSEMBLIES REMOVED

In 1999, NASA removed the forward assemblies from each SRB attached to the Pathfinder stack. Although the SRBs are recovered and reused after each flight, several of the forward assemblies had been damaged or lost over the history of the Space Shuttle program necessitating requisition of those attached to the Pathfinder stack as spares.

2008

FIRST EVIDENCE OF DETERIORATION

Corrosion caused the “belly pan,” the floor section near the vehicle’s nose, to drop from a mounting bracket onto the external tank. The damaged area was part of the fiberglass and plywood added to the mockup before its exhibition in Japan. This was the first evidence of a deterioration of the wood and fiberglass covering.

2020

SAVE AMERICA’S TREASURES

The U.S. Space & Rocket Center receives a “Save America’s Treasures” grant for $500,000 for restoration of the artifact.
JANUARY 2021 — FEBRUARY 2021

DISASSEMBLY BEGINS

Disassembly of the wings, vertical stabilizer, and the engines from the orbiter begins.
FEBRUARY 8, 2021

PATHFINDER LOWERED

The test article was lowered from atop the fuel tank for the first time since May 5, 1988. Once on the ground the remainder of the deteriorated wood and fiberglass covering was removed exposing the Pathfinder steel structure.
JANUARY 12, 2022

CONCRETE PILLAR REPAIRS

A full study was done on the structural integrity of the concrete supporting the Shuttle stack. The study included visual inspection, sounding inspection (Impact Echo), checking electrical continuity, and Ground penetrating radar scans. There is evidence of minor water intrusion into the concrete throughout the pillars causing mostly surface delamination with a few areas of more significant water damage.
MARCH 2022 — MAY 2022

EXTERNAL TANK REPAIRS

The foam on the External Tank will be completely removed from the tank using sponge jet blast media. Upon removal of the foam, an inspection will be made of the tank itself for structural integrity before a new foam layer and protective coating is applied.
MARCH 2022 — MAY 2023

ORBITER COVER DESIGN AND FABRICATION

A new cover for the Pathfinder artifact will be designed and fabricated to attach to the Pathfinder artifact. The cover design will utilize additive manufacturing processes with materials used to ensure a long life as an outdoor display.
JUNE 2022 — AUGUST 2022

SOLID ROCKET BOOSTER REPAIRS

The paint will be stripped using the same sponge jet technology used for removing the foam. Once the paint is removed, the boosters will be re-painted. Additionally connecting pins will be replaced and retaining bands around the segment joints will be fabricated and replaced.
OCTOBER 2022 — JANUARY 2023

PATHFINDER FRAME REPAIRS

Near the rear of the frame there are areas with significant water intrusion and rusting that will be addressed. There are also a couple of steel support beams that have buckled over time that will be repaired or replaced.

Contact us to learn how you can help support the growth of Space Camp and the U.S. Space & Rocket Center.

Brenda Carr

Brenda Carr

Executive Director
Email Brenda
Call Brenda
Emily Pietrzyk

Emily Pietrzyk

Assistant Director of
Donor & Alumni Relations
Email Emily
Call Emily