Nonprofit Organizes 175-Foot Dome to Encase Space Shuttle Replica

The nonprofit Inspiration Space Port is developing a year-round attraction centered around a space shuttle mockup in central Minnesota. Plans include suspending the Shuttle Inspiration in a 300-foot wide, 175-foot tall dome covered in LED panels for visibility. Visitors will be able to explore the shuttle with interactive displays and flight simulators. Chief architect Cliff Dew emphasizes that the goal is for families to engage directly in space exploration. A mobile exhibit, the Shuttle Bus Ambassador, is also planned to reach various community locations. The project is in the planning phase, with more details to be announced. The shuttle, which never flew, arrived in St. Cloud in June 2024 after being saved from possible scrapping.