WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today Congressman Steve Austria (R – Beavercreek), a member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice and Science which oversees all NASA funding, released the following statement after NASA’s announcement not to land a shuttle at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force (NMUSAF) at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio: 

"Obviously I am extremely disappointed in NASA's decision to overlook Ohio, the Midwest region, and the Air Force as a final home for a retired shuttle. However, I am immensely proud of the way the Air Force, the community, and the Ohio delegation came together and were united in this effort. The National Museum of the U.S. Air Force is truly a second-to-none facility, and we didn't just meet NASA’s criteria, we exceeded it. I am confident that we did everything we could to put our best foot forward and state our case for preserving a shuttle. There are still a lot of great opportunities for growth at WPAFB, and I look forward to working with the community and the Ohio delegation to continue to promote the Birthplace of Aviation and the critical role it played in the history of air and space flight."

Although no shuttles were announced to be housed at the NMUSAF today, NASA Administrator General Charles Bolden assured Congressman Austria that the six items the museum requested will be allocated to the museum. These include: Crew Compartment Trainer #1; Nose Cap Assembly; Thruster Primary; Model Skylab 1/96th Scale; and two shuttle tires.

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