posted March 08, 2005 12:04 PM               

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If you hear the deep rumble of a “chopper” motorcycle around Johnson Space Center in the near future, it might be the Space Shuttle Tribute Bike, a project of a group of JSC employees teaming up with the Discovery Channel’s popular “American Chopper” television show.

The Space Shuttle Tribute Bike, to be built by Orange County Choppers (OCC) of New York, will be funded solely through donations from NASA workers and individual space program supporters. Current plans are to have the bike finished by the end of April, in time to make an appearance at Kennedy Space Center for Return to Flight activities in May.

Chopper fever has been sweeping the nation in the past few years. A group here at JSC, led by Electrical Systems Flight Controller Gary Dalrymple (Barrios), came up with the idea to honor all those who make the Space Shuttles fly. Originally conceived as a tribute to the STS-107 crew, the project morphed into one that recognizes all those who work in the program -- from astronauts to program staff to the hands-on workers at various NASA centers.

“This is our way of saying it’s our Space Shuttle and we love it,” Dalrymple said.

The committee has developed a Web site to provide information on the progress of the bike.

The committee also sees the bike project as a great way to educate the public and excite new audiences about space exploration. They chose to have a chopper-style motorcycle built because a chopper symbolizes the hands-on, uniquely American style that is reflected in the work ethic that built the space program.

Once built, the bike may join other NASA exhibits at functions appealing to bikers such as the Sturgis Rally or Daytona Bike Week. The bike may also tour the country and be displayed at exhibitions and at other NASA centers.

“It is intended to be owned by NASA employees who have a personal investment in the space program and who often have personal relationships with the astronauts who fly the Shuttle,” Dalrymple said.

With the Shuttle’s retirement set for 2010, the bike will serve as a reminder of the Shuttle’s years of service on projects like the International Space Station and the Hubble telescope, and the people who worked to turn those ideas into reality.

The Space Shuttle Tribute Bike Project committee is planning a maiden voyage for the chopper, starting from Ames Research Center in California and riding to KSC, visiting NASA centers along the way. Anyone may join the ride at any point along the way as long as they follow two rules: the Space Shuttle Tribute Bike must always be in the lead, and all riders must follow traffic laws to ensure safety.

The Discovery Channel plans to air two one-hour episodes of American Chopper that will show OCC building the Space Shuttle Tribute Bike.

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posted March 08, 2005 07:29 PM               

They were all class acts....and they all signed for free!

posted March 09, 2005 11:31 AM               

Wonder what shape the gas tank will be... what they will incorporate on the bike.

I would like to see the gas tank have the shape of the shuttle. The NASA meatball emblem on the gas cap painted to its color.

posted May 05, 2005 08:13 PM               

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Although the whole team will have input, Paul Jr. will be in charge of designing the concept for the Shuttle Bike, which they will begin building next week. He hopes to have a piece of Shuttle memorabilia to use as his focal point, like a rear tire that was part of the vehicle's landing gear.

"I would love to have a piece of memorabilia to incorporate into the bike," Paul Jr. said. "I would make everything work around it."

He said that another idea is to add some space-based technology to the Shuttle Bike that is not typically seen on a chopper, such as LCD screens or even a global positioning system. However they decide to build it, it will be reminiscent of the Space Shuttle in chopper form.

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posted August 24, 2005 10:49 AM               

Tail rudder think could of been larger.

The wings could of been cut as a foot pad and larger.

Maybe replace STS-114 emblem with the memorial emblem of the three crew who died?

posted August 24, 2005 11:46 AM               

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Originally posted by John K. Rochester:
..we need 2 SRB bikes built to ride alongside

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posted August 24, 2005 05:39 PM               

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Originally posted by lunarrv15:
The wings could of been cut as a foot pad and larger... What's with the rear fat tires?

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The bike is Discovery, not Columbia. It celebrates the spirit of the space program and draws our attention to Return-to-Flight, what is ahead, the few remaining years this fabulous flying machine has left. That is a tribute of its own.

posted August 24, 2005 05:42 PM               

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Originally posted by Robert Pearlman:
The only advance word of this event (that at least I am aware of) was in the JSC employee daily e-bulletin. There wasn't a press release or other public notice to my knowledge.

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Yea, I am off-site and have to go to a series of websites to read JSC Today. Still bummed...

posted August 25, 2005 11:06 AM               

Their best work gets a very entertaining TV show and I look forward to this one.

$100,000 is by no means out of line; they've done more expensive work.

posted August 25, 2005 11:15 AM               

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Originally posted by snf13:
Wings would make it virtually impossible to shift and stabalize the bike with your legs when stopped.

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posted August 29, 2005 12:11 PM               

That guy on the bike is my old boss - he is one of the two or three on the committee who can actually drive a motorcycle and got to ride to and from Space Center Houston. Lucky dog!

I also got some interesting scoop on the move from Columbia tribute to celebrating the spirit of the Space Program and the Space Shuttle. One of the Columbia families had issue with OCC and in general the families were basically "tributed out". So the focus shifted to Return to Flight and the workers on the ground that get the Space Shuttle flying.

I have some major detail photos I will post on a website later.

posted October 01, 2005 06:27 PM               

Space Shuttle Tribute Bike 1

The OCC heads to the Johnson Space Center in Houston to get some inspiration for a NASA-themed bike. The bike will be a tribute to the space shuttle program and a memorial to the two crews that were lost in space.

On Air (ET):
OCT 03 2005 @ 10:00 PM
OCT 04 2005 @ 02:00 AM

Space Shuttle Tribute Bike 2

The guys of OCC take off to Cape Canaveral to watch the launch of the space shuttle Discovery for more research in building the NASA-themed bike. Back in the shop, Jr. continues to work on the bike while Sr. and Mikey build a model space shuttle together.