Lots of Big Stuff For Sale at KSC
NASA seeking to lease or sell space-shuttle facilities, Orlando Sentinel
“The process is mostly secret, because NASA has agreed to let bidders declare their proposals proprietary, keeping them out of the view of competitors and the public. NASA has at various times published official notices seeking proposals and spelled out that the proposals should be space-related, though the agency will consider alternative uses under certain circumstances. But information about who wants to do what may not come until agency officials actually select finalists for negotiations.”
Keith’s note: Odd how NASA hasn’t bothered to issue any overt procurement notices on this. Why can’t they list what is for sale on their website so everyone can see?
Maybe your (Nasa) office is on the list Keith..
I do not work at NASA (anymore). My last office is now being rented by DISA (I think).
They are not keeping 39A for SLS? Seems odd no?
Yes … this is a little odd.
If they did that then their buddies in industry might have more competition interested in things and wouldn’t be able to get such sweetheart deals. Maybe?
In this NASA/politics world of indecision and acute changes, I suspect that NASA officials would much prefer to lease than sell many of these facilities, and short-term leases with extension options would be best. What happens if there’s a technology breakthrough (or an outbreak of sanity) and suddenly we need exactly what’s been sold off two years previously at fraction of what it would cost to replace? I wouldn’t be surprised if this was really an initiative of the go-betweens who stand to make a profit through commission, rather than a NASA move.
I think you are right about the leasing activity. I know that the VAB is being completely refurbished. I also read that one of the huge crawlers is being refurbished with the other one just kept in a state of repair for backup. I also read that the mobile launch stand is being reconfigured for the SLS. Supposedly the mobile launch stand just buckles down on top of one of the old shuttle launch pads so that may mean that one of the shuttle launch pads is surplus. Currentlly the landing strip is surplus HOWEVER the US Air Farce is rumored to be interested in moving its x-37b vehicle recovery function to that landing strip. I also read that launch control staffing for the SLS is being greatly pared down from what is was for the shuttle. So evidently the huge launch control area at Kennedy may be surplus too. We’ll have to wait and see how this works out.
Thanks Ralphy; good info. As far as the landing strip goes, I’d venture to suggest that ANY real estate in the neighborhood can’t really be considered surplus. If either/or gov or commercial space ever really takes off (sorry), then every square foot in the area is going to be extremely valuable.
An article about sponsorships to supplement NASA budgets? I get irked by such suggestions, “With NASA’s budget unlikely to see a boost anytime soon, legislators and
policymakers are left looking for a financial fix. Enter one option:
selling private sponsorships to future NASA projects or vehicles.”
http://www.politico.com/sto…
We are not going back… we are watching the agency infrastructure being dismantled before our eyes… I don’t think this is sinking in to the extent that it should…we are not going back.