Space Shuttle Items For Sale Soon VIa GSA Auction

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Space Shuttle Items For Sale Soon VIa GSA Auction

Posted by timothy on Saturday September 22, 2012 @12:29AM from the prepare-the-sniping-software dept.

shortyadamk writes "According to the Government Services Administration auction page: 'Attention GSA Auctions bidders and interested participants. NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) Space Shuttle Program has retired and NASA has partnered with GSA Auctions to sell the many shuttle related items through a series of auctions in 2012.' The only catch is that you must be a U.S. Citizen and schedule a visit 48 hours ahead of time to pick up your item. I'm not really sure which piece of the shuttle I'd want the most... Those robotic arms are pretty sweet."

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Slashdotted the Gov? by mjvictory · 2012-09-22 00:36 · Score: 3, Interesting

I'm getting a "503 Retry request" error.
1. Re:Slashdotted the Gov? by Mattwolf7 · 2012-09-22 00:46 · Score: 4, Informative
  
  http://gsaauctions.gov/
  System Maintenance GSA Auctions is currently under System Maintenance.
  GSA Auction scheduled maintenance times are every Saturday 5AM CT to 8AM CT & every Sunday from 6AM CT to 10AM CT.
2. Re:Slashdotted the Gov? by Ramley · 2012-09-22 00:48 · Score: 2
  
  They're just making sure you actually *read* the article before commenting.
3. Re:Slashdotted the Gov? by bill_mcgonigle · 2012-09-22 10:18 · Score: 1
  
  GSA Auction scheduled maintenance times are every Saturday 5AM CT to 8AM CT & every Sunday from 6AM CT to 10AM CT.
  and my clients freak the heck out if we have 20 minutes of downtime once or twice a year...
  
  --
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  OUTSIDE_IP=$(dig +short my.ip @outsideip.net)
Why the US citizen requirement? by Anonymous Coward · 2012-09-22 00:39 · Score: 1

The rest of the world isn't made out of crackpot dictators, you know.
1. Re:Why the US citizen requirement? by Anonymous Coward · 2012-09-22 01:02 · Score: 0
  
  ITAR
2. Re:Why the US citizen requirement? by Anonymous Coward · 2012-09-22 01:11 · Score: 0
  
  No, only Wisconsin and Florida.
3. Re:Why the US citizen requirement? by Anonymous Coward · 2012-09-22 01:34 · Score: 0
  
  The correct spelling is "RETARD", duh.
4. Re:Why the US citizen requirement? by nospam007 · 2012-09-22 02:39 · Score: 2
  
  If you have to show ID, lots of US citizens won't be allowed as well.
5. Re:Why the US citizen requirement? by Anonymous Coward · 2012-09-22 04:43 · Score: 0
  
  Yes, I'm sure the intersection of folks that are buying space shuttle parts and those that have gone thier whole life without a photo id is super high. Oh the humanity!
6. Re:Why the US citizen requirement? by Solandri · 2012-09-22 05:35 · Score: 4, Informative
  
  The Shuttles were built with U.S. taxpayer dollars. Hence it's technically already owned by U.S. citizens. The auction is more to decide which citizen should get each piece, not to make back the cost of building the things.
7. Re:Why the US citizen requirement? by davester666 · 2012-09-22 11:53 · Score: 1
  
  Please return the arm we loaned you.
  Sincerely,
  Canada
  
  --
  Sleep your way to a whiter smile...date a dentist!
503 Retry request by Anonymous Coward · 2012-09-22 00:40 · Score: 0

GSA Auction scheduled maintenance times are every Saturday 5AM CT to 8AM CT & every Sunday from 6AM CT to 10AM CT.
Nothing new... by WestonFire22 · 2012-09-22 00:40 · Score: 4, Interesting

NASA has been selling off old Space Shuttle equipment for some time on the GSA auction site. I have seen computers, cables, tools, cameras, etc.. on there before.
whodathunkit? Of The Day by Crypto+Gnome · 2012-09-22 00:40 · Score: 1

Server crashed and died, overloaded (apparently). LoadBalancer replies "y'all come back now".

and NOBODY saw this coming?

--
Visit CryptoGnome in his home.
I know what I want by NoNonAlphaCharsHere · 2012-09-22 00:46 · Score: 3, Funny

Put me down for a pair of RS-25 engines. I want to see if I can improve the mileage on a Hummer H2.
1. Re:I know what I want by Anonymous Coward · 2012-09-22 01:38 · Score: 0
  
  I'd worry about the inadequate brakes first. imho :D
2. Re:I know what I want by dpilot · 2012-09-22 01:52 · Score: 2
  
  I know you're joking, but I read elsewhere that they very carefully mothballed the SSMEs for potential future use.
  
  --
  The living have better things to do than to continue hating the dead.
3. Re:I know what I want by Anonymous Coward · 2012-09-22 05:34 · Score: 0
  
  I just want a single space shuttle tile... so I can make the ideal pipe.
4. Re:I know what I want by ls671 · 2012-09-22 18:06 · Score: 1
  
  Which kind of tile would you rather have since you want a single one ?
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Shuttle_thermal_protection_system#Tile_types
  
  --
  Everything I write is lies, read between the lines.
5. Re:I know what I want by cmr-denver · 2012-09-24 16:57 · Score: 1
  
  While you can't get an RS-25, you can get some X-34s. From http://gsaxcess.gov/NASAWel.htm: Prescreening Period 14: Start Date - 9/4/2012; Internal prescreening ends - 9/25/2012; External prescreening ends - 10/16/2012 (Includes items from Shuttle, Hubble, and other programs along with X-34 engine nozzles, early Space Shuttle prototype models, X3 solar mirrors, and various Space Shuttle components) New!
Where the money is by Crypto+Gnome · 2012-09-22 00:48 · Score: 2

People are morbid creatures, the BEST money is in pieces of Columbia which returned to earth.

I'd reckon selling individual shuttle tiles would also get you a large bucket of money (collectively speaking).

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1. Re:Where the money is by Anonymous Coward · 2012-09-22 02:49 · Score: 0
  
  O-rings
2. Re:Where the money is by Anonymous Coward · 2012-09-22 04:30 · Score: 1
  
  People are also passionate creatures, which is why that's illegal.
Those robotic arms by Anonymous Coward · 2012-09-22 00:50 · Score: 1

are Canadian, but can only be sold to US citizens.
Those robotic arms... by damn_registrars · 2012-09-22 00:52 · Score: 4, Informative

... are Canadian. But of course, you knew that.

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Damn_registrars has no butt-hole. Damn_registrars has no use for a butt-hole.
1. Re:Those robotic arms... by trout007 · 2012-09-22 02:17 · Score: 4, Informative
  
  And they took them all back.
  
  --
  I love Jesus, except for his foreign policy.
2. Re:Those robotic arms... by DNS-and-BIND · 2012-09-22 03:56 · Score: 1
  
  Well duh. How could anyone miss it, being clearly labeled 'Canada' with a flag right there? You know, it's funny, Canadians are among the most anti-nationalists out there. As an American, I hear the criticism long and loud. Nationalism and patriotism are bullshit. Nonetheless...how is it that Canadians are first and foremost when it comes to trumpeting their own flag-waving nationalism? I just have a hard time understanding it.
  
  --
  Shutting down free speech with violence isn't fighting fascism. It IS fascism!
3. Re:Those robotic arms... by Dominic+Shrimp · 2012-09-22 04:49 · Score: 1
  
  It's not so much that we're proud to be Canadian, but that we proud to not be USAn.
4. Re:Those robotic arms... by Solandri · 2012-09-22 05:31 · Score: 3, Informative
  
  And they don't work on Earth (except underwater if you strategically attach floats). The actuators don't have enough torque for the arm to lift its own weight. Weight not being a factor in orbit.
5. Re:Those robotic arms... by osu-neko · 2012-09-22 08:43 · Score: 3, Interesting
  
  The problem you're having is binary thinking. It does not follow from a belief that someone is too nationalistic that you must eschew nationalism entirely. Upgrade from a bit-brain to something capable of more nuanced thought, and you'll have no trouble understanding that there's nothing contradictory in such opinions. You'll also understand that "too much salt is bad for you" diesn't mean "salt is bad for you" and other common problems that trip-up people with poor reasoning skills, and probably realize most of the "hypocrites" you've labeled as such in the past were not even the slightest bit hypocritical...
  
  --
  "Convictions are more dangerous enemies of truth than lies."
6. Re:Those robotic arms... by Anonymous Coward · 2012-09-23 05:49 · Score: 1
  
  Saying that is kind of like Arizonians saying they are proud not to be Californians. In case you are unfamiliar with it Arizona is that state everyone speeds through to get to California.
What would a ./ter buy? by K.+S.+Kyosuke · 2012-09-22 00:58 · Score: 1

Probably one of those IBM AP-101 beauties, right?

--
Ezekiel 23:20
1. Re:What would a ./ter buy? by Anonymous Coward · 2012-09-22 01:17 · Score: 0
  
  I have been wanting one of those pens or maybe a mattress
2. Re:What would a ./ter buy? by Anonymous Coward · 2012-09-22 01:41 · Score: 0
  
  Urine recyling unit - so you don't need to leave the basement to pee / get water.
Ah, the Canadarm by Anonymous Coward · 2012-09-22 01:31 · Score: 0

can't even lift its own weight on Earth....
huh? by Charliemopps · 2012-09-22 02:19 · Score: 1

Leave it to our federal government to pay for their own auction site when Ebay already exists. They wont ship any of it so that basically counts out 99.9% of buyers. I'd have paid $10 for some random piece of hardware I could say came from the space program, but I sure as hell am not flying to Florida to pick it up. Oh well.
1. Re:huh? by confused+one · 2012-09-22 03:16 · Score: 4, Informative
  
  GSA was doing auctions decades before Ebay existed.
2. Re:huh? by Dogtanian · 2012-09-22 03:53 · Score: 2
  
  I'd have paid $10 for some random piece of hardware I could say came from the space program
  Yes, they should definitely be using eBay to target big spenders like you :-) Never mind, I'm sure your $10 will get you a couple of packs of officially-endorsed freeze-dried ice cream...
  
  --
  "Slashdot - News and Chat Sites Deviant". (Click "homepage" link above for details).
3. Re:huh? by Anonymous Coward · 2012-09-22 03:57 · Score: 0
  
  You act like eBay has some right to profit for every auction, and particularly every government auction. They don't, though I will admit the way corporations whine these days you'd think that causing them to not make automatic easy money is some kind of crime or something.
4. Re:huh? by Anonymous Coward · 2012-09-22 04:37 · Score: 0
  
  What this does is eliminate most of the lookie-loos like you, in favor of the real bidders.
  You can get your $10 piece of crap from the shuttle program on eBay... after the big boys buy their job lots and divide them up.
  Oh, and you'll pay $30 for it. It's the capitalist way (that's not a criticism).
5. Re:huh? by drkim · 2012-09-22 17:51 · Score: 1
  
  They wont ship any of it...
  I'm not asking for shipping. I just want them to point that SSME in my direction and fire it off...
6. Re:huh? by ls671 · 2012-09-22 18:34 · Score: 1
  
  You have to be careful about what you wish for...
  
  --
  Everything I write is lies, read between the lines.
Government = hamfisted. Guided missiles to Iran by raymorris · 2012-09-22 03:02 · Score: 2, Interesting

Our government is inherently hamfisted. If they sell rocket stuff to other countries, Iran will buy guided missiles. Government is incapable of common sense, so they need broad policies.
robotic arms by Anonymous Coward · 2012-09-22 03:40 · Score: 0

The robotic arm that comes to mind is the Canada arm but it only works in space. It doesn't have enough power to lift its own weight in gravity much less lift any payload. I'm sure there are other robotic arms though they are probably designed to work in zero gravity as well.
Make this myth real by istartedi · 2012-09-22 04:14 · Score: 1

You could be the real rocket car man.

--
For all intensive purposes, "whom" is no longer a word. That begs the question, "who cares"?
YARD SALE!!!! by MossStan · 2012-09-22 04:43 · Score: 1

Does anyone else find it disconcerting that our government is having the equivalent of a yard sale?

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It is what it is.
This Would Do, Pig by Toad-san · 2012-09-22 04:43 · Score: 1

This would do.
http://www.aerospaceguide.net/rocketengines/ssme.gif
I'm sure they sell liquid hydrogen and oxygen around here somewhere!
Wow! by Anonymous Coward · 2012-09-22 08:12 · Score: 0

I can't wait to see what they have to sell. http://www.healthnerdhere.com
go for the small stuff by pbjones · 2012-09-22 08:59 · Score: 2

big stuff gets locked away in private collections and museums, small stuff gets traded and it's 'value' grows.

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There was an unknown error in the submission.
those robot arms are canadian by Anonymous Coward · 2012-09-22 11:36 · Score: 0

and thanks we do make good stuff...
Radio gear by Anonymous Coward · 2012-09-22 12:07 · Score: 1

I would love to nab a radio and repurpose it for the ham bands. Yes, the crypto modules would be removed, but it sure would be fun to get on the air with some of that gear.
Me? by kiriath · 2012-09-22 17:37 · Score: 1

I want a toilet. Do those even work in gravity?
1. Re:Me? by ls671 · 2012-09-22 18:42 · Score: 2
  
  Yes, but you have to set upside down, i.e. attach it to the ceiling.
  
  --
  Everything I write is lies, read between the lines.
2. Re:Me? by kiriath · 2012-09-23 11:58 · Score: 1
  
  Brilliant, I have always wanted a toilet on the ceiling!
Party Fund? by codepunk · 2012-09-22 22:08 · Score: 1

I think the GSA is looking to replenish their party fund.

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Oh boy... by ToddInSF · 2012-09-23 08:59 · Score: 1

Late 70's tech. Thanks, but I think I'll pass !