NASA Launches Space Artifact Loan Program

How would a landing gear tire from a space shuttle look on display in your school's library? Pretty sharp, right? It could happen, thanks to NASA's new artifact loan program.

A joint effort of NASA and the space shuttle program, the new Artifact Loan Opportunities Program allows schools, museums, planetariums, and other civic groups borrow NASA space program artifacts for education and outreach purposes.

The first artifacts available are main landing gear tires from space shuttles. The space shuttle tires, including some flown on missions, are available to applying organizations that NASA determines best meet the agency's education and public outreach goals. The shuttle tires and future available artifacts represent all the years of NASA's explorations and discoveries in space.

Organizations interested in requesting loaned artifacts may not be associated with NASA, and may include, but are not limited to, museums, schools, and civic groups. NASA requests only that the long-term loan of the shuttle tires and other artifacts be used to educate, inspire or inform the public about NASA's scientific and technological achievements through art, sculpture, furniture, building structures, exhibits or other innovative uses of the artifacts.

The deadline for submitting proposals on this initial phase of the NASA Artifact Loan Opportunities Program opportunity is June 11, 2008.

Also See:
Send Your Name to the Moon
NASA Plans Elevators to Space
NASA on Watch for Earth-threatening Asteroids