Sacramento - Today, Assemblywoman Sharon Runner's (R-Lancaster) joint resolution requesting Palmdale, California as the new home of the retired Orbiter Atlantis passed the Legislature.  After passing its final stage on the Senate Floor unanimously, the resolution will now be transmitted as an official request to the President and leaders of Congress.” This is exciting news," Runner said. "The overwhelming bi-partisan support for making Palmdale the final resting place for Atlantis is tremendous. It truly shows California's acknowledgement that the Antelope Valley plays a critical role in the aerospace industry."

 

 Space Shuttle Atlantis carried out 21 space flights, including the Galileo planetary explorer mission in 1989.  The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) recently announced its intentions to stand down or inactivate the Orbiter Atlantis following mission STS-126, which is presently scheduled for April 2008. Palmdale is where every orbiter, Enterprise through Endeavour, was assembled and tested, including Atlantis; the facility continues to support the Space Shuttle Program with hardware fabrication and repair. Runner's Assembly Joint Resolution 52 calls for public display of Atlantis at a designated museum, which the Palmdale facility could easily assist with.

 

"The men and women of Plant 42 have a long history of dedication to the Space Shuttle Program," said Runner.  "Retiring the Atlantis in Palmdale will allow the hard working folks at Plant 42 to finish the great work they started when Atlantis was first assembled."

 

AJR 52 will now go to President Bush and Congress.