Smithsonian Considers Display Of Shuttle Debris

But families of lost Challenger, Columbia crews must approve, curator says

The Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum may incorporate debris from space shuttles Columbia and Challenger in its new gallery dedicated to the soon-ending shuttle program. The Washington, D.C., display will only go forward however, if the families of the shuttles' fallen astronauts and NASA agree with the museum's plans.

The solemn artifacts, which were recovered in the wake of the loss of shuttle Challenger 25 years ago last week and the loss of Columbia eight years ago on Feb. 1, would be used to teach the public about the conditions that led to the two tragedies, according to curator Valerie Neal, who spoke exclusively with CollectSpace.com.

"We now have an exhibit environment, the new 'Moving Beyond Earth' exhibit, where we will address each of the tragedies," Neal said. "So, having an artifact related to them would be appropriate. It would be part of a story and it wouldn't be just an object that people would stare at and say, 'Wow, that's part of the tragedy.' But it would it be an object that they could learn something from."

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