Space Shuttle Independence

Space Shuttle Independence, formerly known as Explorer, is a full-scale, high-fidelity replica of the Space Shuttle orbiter. It was built by Guard-Lee in , installed at in 1993, and moved to in 2012.
Wikipedia
Photo: Alexrudd, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Photo: Robert Linsdell, CC BY 2.0.
  • Type: Tourist attraction
  • Description: Space Shuttle replica on display at Space Center Houston
  • Also known as: “Explorer”, “Independence”, “Shuttle Independence”, and “Space Shuttle Explorer”

Places of Interest Nearby

Highlights include Space Center Houston and Johnson Space Center.

Museum
Photo: Wikimedia, CC BY-SA 2.0.
is a science museum that serves as the official visitor center of the NASA in Houston, Texas. It was designated a Smithsonian Affiliate museum in 2014. is situated 340 feet south of Space Shuttle Independence.

Research institute
Photo: NASA, Public domain.
The Lyndon B. is NASA's center for human spaceflight in , Texas, where human spaceflight training, research, and flight control are conducted. is situated 1 mile northeast of Space Shuttle Independence.

Building
Photo: Wikimedia, Public domain.
NASA's , also known by its radio callsign, Houston, is the facility at the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center in , Texas, that manages flight control for the United States human space program, currently involving astronauts aboard the International Space Station and the Artemis missions to the moon. is situated 3,600 feet northeast of Space Shuttle Independence.

Places in the Area

Nearby places include Nassau Bay and Clear Lake.

Village
Photo: Mike Fisher, CC BY 2.0.
is a city in , , United States, bordering the outermost southeastern edge of the city of . It is located in the Clear Lake Area near , directly adjacent to the Lyndon B.

Photo: Carol M. Highsmith, CC0.
is a district of . It is home to NASA's Johnson Space Center. The area's boating opportunities are considered second only to those of Miami. Fishing, swimming, hiking, and history are also popular activities in the area.

Photo: Wikimedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
is a city in the U.S. state of located in , within the Houston–The Woodlands–Sugar Land metropolitan area. Its population was 12,499 at the 2020 U.S. census.

Space Shuttle Independence

Latitude
29.55205° or 29° 33′ 7″ north
Longitude
-95.09721° or 95° 5′ 50″ west
Open location code
76X6HW23+R4
Open­Street­Map ID
way 894077622
Open­Street­Map feature
building=­museum
Open­Street­Map feature
tourism=­attraction
Wiki­data ID
Q994165
This page is based on OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons, and Wikipedia.
We’d love your help improving our open data sources. Thank you for contributing.

Satellite Map

Discover Space Shuttle Independence from above in high-definition satellite imagery.
© Stadia Maps, Airbus DS, CNES, PlanetObserver, and Copernicus

In Other Languages

From Asturian to Ukrainian—“Space Shuttle Independence” goes by many names.
  • Asturian: “Independence”
  • Bulgarian: “Иксплорър”
  • Chinese: “独立号航天飞机”
  • Dutch: “Explorer”
  • Dutch: “Independence”
  • Dutch: “Spaceshuttle Explorer”
  • German: “Independence (Raumfähre)”
  • German: “Independence”
  • Hebrew: “מעבורת החלל אקספלורר”
  • Hungarian: “Explorer űrrepülőgép”
  • Italian: “Space Shuttle Explorer”
  • Italian: “Space Shuttle Independence”
  • Japanese: “エクスプローラー”
  • Japanese: “スペースシャトル・インディペンデンス”
  • Polish: “Explorer”
  • Polish: “Independence”
  • Russian: “Индепенденс”
  • Russian: “Эксплорер (шаттл)”
  • Swedish: “Explorer”
  • Swedish: “Independence”
  • Ukrainian: “Експлорер (шатл)”
  • Ukrainian: “Експлорер”

Notable Places Nearby

Highlights include Shuttle Carrier Aircraft and White Room.

Nearby Places

Explore places such as Visitor Center and Gift Station.

Texas: Must-Visit Destinations

Delve into Houston, Austin, Dallas, and San Antonio.

Curious Places to Discover

Uncover intriguing places from every corner of the globe.