Photo: NASA/Tony Landis
One lucky guy bought a vintage Airstream RV at a government auction and found out he coughed the money for one of the most iconic NASA vehicles. The Airstream Executive Air Coach was used as the Convoy Command Van for the Space Shuttle program.
A Government auction is usually the place where you can get interesting vehicles. When it comes to military surplus equipment, it’s not that easy, as it sometimes requires buyers to be American citizens, and many conditions may apply. This should be a clear indication that the vehicle listed is something special. The special requirements attached to a mysterious auction listed on GSA Auctions website have led a Twitter user to start a thorough investigation into the vehicle.
MacCallister Higgins found a 1989 Airstream Executive Air Coach listed on GSA Auctions website without any details regarding the vehicle. The auction mentions a string of security restrictions instead of the usual information meant to stir bidders’ interest. This makes it clear the van played a special role for the U.S. Government. Higgins unrolled a pretty sizeable thread on Twitter, proving that the vehicle sold at auction is indeed NASA’s Space Shuttle Convoy Command Van.
According to his findings, the Airstream was used for Space Shuttle landings at Edwards Air Force Base. Coincidentally, the Airstream’s parking spot mentioned in the listing is NASA’s Armstrong Flight Center, which shares a location with Edwards. The vehicle doesn’t appear to be in working condition because the auction states that the winner must use “a truck with a winch” to remove it from the property. Whoever bought the Airstream must be an American citizen, and they will be restricted from exporting the RV to another country, per the ITAR compliance procedures.
In the very well-researched thread, Higgins shows pictures of the van leading off convoys while towing the shuttle after landing at Edwards. The base was used as a backup landing location for the Shuttle program in 54 missions. Pictures on Higgins’ thread also show the Airstream’s interior adorned with mission patches. However, in the listing’s photos, the walls are devoid of classified equipment, which is natural. The Airstream attracted 19 bidders, with the highest offer at $21,061. This could be an excellent price for what appears to be NASA memorabilia but a lousy deal for a non-functional Airstream.
MacCallister Higgins found a 1989 Airstream Executive Air Coach listed on GSA Auctions website without any details regarding the vehicle. The auction mentions a string of security restrictions instead of the usual information meant to stir bidders’ interest. This makes it clear the van played a special role for the U.S. Government. Higgins unrolled a pretty sizeable thread on Twitter, proving that the vehicle sold at auction is indeed NASA’s Space Shuttle Convoy Command Van.
According to his findings, the Airstream was used for Space Shuttle landings at Edwards Air Force Base. Coincidentally, the Airstream’s parking spot mentioned in the listing is NASA’s Armstrong Flight Center, which shares a location with Edwards. The vehicle doesn’t appear to be in working condition because the auction states that the winner must use “a truck with a winch” to remove it from the property. Whoever bought the Airstream must be an American citizen, and they will be restricted from exporting the RV to another country, per the ITAR compliance procedures.
In the very well-researched thread, Higgins shows pictures of the van leading off convoys while towing the shuttle after landing at Edwards. The base was used as a backup landing location for the Shuttle program in 54 missions. Pictures on Higgins’ thread also show the Airstream’s interior adorned with mission patches. However, in the listing’s photos, the walls are devoid of classified equipment, which is natural. The Airstream attracted 19 bidders, with the highest offer at $21,061. This could be an excellent price for what appears to be NASA memorabilia but a lousy deal for a non-functional Airstream.
Ok, I’m not going to be able to buy and restore this due to logistics so I figured I’d throw it up on Twitter. Long story short, I found the @NASA Convoy Command Vehicle for the Space Shuttle program up for auction, with almost zero indication of what it is (link at end of ????) https://t.co/dqy7xVxVGX pic.twitter.com/hzmcWPr9hg
— MacCallister Higgins (@macjshiggins) September 12, 2022
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