HEMPHILL, TX – A titanium fuel tank designed and built for the Space Shuttle as a part of the Orbital Maneuvering System (OMS) will soon go on display at the Patricia Huffman Smith NASA Museum ‘Remembering Columbia’ in Hemphill, Texas.
On loan from the Rich Overbeck History of Space Exploration Collection, the tank is reported to have been designed for use on the Space Shuttle Challenger and would have contained hypergolic liquid fuel for maneuvering in orbit and retro burns for Shuttle reentry.
Previously acquired from Edwards Air Force Base for use on the set for Alien: Resurrection, Dallas resident Rich Overbeck recently purchased it for his private collection. A member of the National Space Society of North Texas and alumnus of the Texas Space Grant Consortium’s Liftoff program, Overbeck employs his collection in teaching the history and future of NASA and spaceflight at Good Shepherd Episcopal School in Dallas during his annual production, “Space Week.”
Rich and his wife, Lorna (Ellison) Overbeck, have roots in the Hemphill area. When the Patricia Huffman Smith NASA Museum affirmed interest in displaying the Space Shuttle fuel tank, Overbeck says he withdrew all other offers.
“As the Patricia Huffman Smith NASA Museum is specifically focused on the Space Shuttle program, and given our affinity for our friends and family in the area, there was no other choice for us. Certain items in my collection are best shared with a larger community to help further education and fuel the desire for greater space exploration projects. This tank is certainly one of those items.”
Ken Ruffin, VP of the National Space Society of North Texas and Board of Advisors and former President of the National Space Society, remarked, “Community education is a focus for our organization, and Overbeck’s generosity and involvement in community efforts exemplify our goals of promoting space travel, exploration and eventual colonization.”
The artifact will go on display in the ‘Remembering Columbia’ museum’s main gallery later this Spring. Additional details on the unveiling of the new exhibit will be released at a later date.
The Patricia Huffman Smith NASA Museum ‘Remembering Columbia’ tells the story of the Space Shuttle Columbia from its first mission to its final flight, as well as reveals the efforts of East Texas citizens during the recovery of the shuttle and the STS-107 crew. Learn more at www.NASAColumbiaMuseum.com.
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Patricia Huffman Smith NASA Museum 'Remembering Columbia' 