Following earlier reports that NASA had paused plans to relocate Space Shuttle Discovery from the Smithsonian, the outcome of the FY2026 budget process has added new clarity to how Congress expects the agency to move forward. We covered this story HERE. Advocacy group KeepTheShuttle says the latest funding decisions reinforce what lawmakers have been signaling for months: that Discovery should not be dismantled or moved under the current proposal.
KeepTheShuttle welcomed the passage of H.R. 6938, which funds both NASA and the Smithsonian for fiscal year 2026, and thanked allies in the House and Senate who supported its position throughout the past year. While the legislation leaves intact the original $85 million relocation authorization included in the OBBBA, Congress declined to approve any additional funding tied specifically to moving Discovery. That choice is significant, given that both NASA and the Smithsonian have publicly estimated that dismantling and transporting the shuttle would cost well beyond the authorized amount, likely falling between $120 million and $150 million. We covered this aspect HERE. According to KeepTheShuttle, lawmakers were fully aware of those figures when the budget was finalized.
The group said the message from Congress is straightforward. NASA is expected to meet the requirement to transfer a spacecraft to Space Center Houston, but without pursuing what it describes as an expensive and destructive process to move Discovery itself. Recent comments from NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman appear to align with that view. Isaacman noted that any relocation would be shaped by available funding and the need to protect the vehicle, and suggested that an Artemis program capsule could be transferred instead, an option that would remain within budget and avoid risks to Discovery.
Despite the positive momentum, KeepTheShuttle emphasized that the situation is not yet settled. NASA has not formally announced which spacecraft will be transferred, and the OBBBA allows up to 12 months for the relocation to be completed. The group also pointed to remarks made on January 15 by Senator John Cornyn, a longtime proponent of moving Discovery, who said efforts to bring the shuttle to Houston were continuing. KeepTheShuttle said it will continue monitoring developments on Capitol Hill, including the possibility of new legislation tied to the 2026 budget. The organization added that it remains engaged with allies at the federal, state, and local levels as it works to ensure that Space Shuttle Discovery remains intact and stays at the Smithsonian. For more information on KeepTheShuttle, click on this link: keeptheshuttle.org.
