Nearly $1 million in state budget for rocket repair

Jan. 29—The state budget has almost $1 million set aside to refurbish the landmark NASA rocket near Elkmont that an Alabama Tourism official has called for removing, but that money may not be enough to repair the rocket even if it's deemed salvageable.

State Rep. Danny Crawford said $980,000 of taxpayers' money was set aside in the state's fiscal 2023 general fund budget for the rocket at the Alabama welcome center that's under renovation off Interstate 65 just south of the Tennessee line.

"The money was to take it down so that it could be refurbished, if possible," Crawford said. "It's been needing (to be) painted and stuff like that, but it has to come down to do everything properly."

Crawford said a line item was made for the funds in the budget.

"That line item is directly tied to whatever the issue that you have so it doesn't require any bills authorizing anything," he said. "The line item, when it's passed, it is authorized and put into that account."

Lee Sentell, Alabama Tourism Department director, said earlier this month that it was time to replace the rusting Saturn 1B rocket that towers over its surroundings and place another symbol of north Alabama at the welcome center.

"It's time for it to go," Sentell said. "That was never intended to be anywhere that long."

A member of Sentell's staff said Thursday that he was no longer commenting on the rocket.

Crawford said members of the local delegation petitioned for the funds to be set aside in the state budget for the rocket's restoration.

"At that time ... Mac McCutcheon was our speaker (of the Alabama House of Representatives) so when we convinced him of the need he saw it and got it in the budget," he said.

Crawford said the rocket must be taken down regardless of its fate.

"You can take it down where it can either be salvaged, refurbished if it's possible; it's a terribly expensive ordeal," he said. "The structure is such that it'll have to be taken down extremely careful, hope it doesn't collapse. If it does, then you've got nothing to work with."

The welcome center near Elkmont has been closed for demolition and construction of a replacement center that the Alabama Department of Transportation hopes is completed by the second half of 2024.

Seth Burkett, ALDOT north region spokesman, said the department had a hand in the rocket's placement.

"ALDOT provided the site for the rocket to be displayed at the welcome center, beginning in 1979," he said. "The rocket is on loan from NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center to the U.S. Space and Rocket Center, which is responsible for its maintenance."

Other options

The rocket is a Saturn 1B and is 168 feet high and 22 feet in diameter. Crawford said it would be a year-long project to refurbish it. However, he said there are cheaper options than trying to refurbish the rocket.

"One is a replica of that Saturn rocket, same size and dimensions. ... It will last forever, it doesn't have to worry about rust," Crawford said. "The history of the Saturn, the only way we can preserve it would be to look at a replica and that'll be about $3 million to $3.5 million."

The replica would be made of some type of plastic, Crawford said. He said another option would be to use a vehicle from NASA's current Artemis project to return astronauts to the lunar surface, but that would cost about $5 million or $7 million if it needs refurbishing.

Crawford said if the Saturn 1B rocket is able to be refurbished but costs more than $980,000 or if one of the other choices is an option, officials would look to private and aerospace industries for the remaining funds needed.

"We could raise the money from people who (were) very active in the Saturn program. Boeing and the other people who are there, we would go to them and see how much we could raise," he said. "We might could raise enough to do it, we might be short, then we would see what we could get from the state to finish the project."

Crawford said all the options are terribly expensive.

"We will try to do as much outside funding as possible and the least amount of taxpayers' money as possible," he said. "We have the ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) money that the federal government passed down and we're trying to figure out how we could capture some of that. We're looking at all different ways of funding."

Sentiment for keeping rocket

Crawford said he hopes the rocket is able to be refurbished.

"We need to get that icon back up," he said. "That's very important to the community, the state, and people from all over the country traveling this way."

Crawford said if it is not possible for the original rocket to be put back up, an iconic item that has the same visual effect needs to be put in its place.

Ardmore Mayor Billy Shannon said he would love to see the rocket refurbished if it is financially feasible.

"I'd hate to see it go because it's such an important part of where we live and our history as far as north Alabama's concerned," he said. "But if (removal is) what's got to be done, then I think that we ought to embrace this opportunity to allow the citizens of Alabama to voice their thoughts and ideas for maybe our next great landmark."

If the rocket must be replaced, Shannon said, he would like to see a landmark displayed that ties in with the impact north Alabama has had on space exploration.

The rocket is in Limestone County Commissioner Daryl Sammet's District 1. He said from the figures he has seen he does not believe refurbishing the rocket is within reason. Sammet said he would be interested to see what a replica would look like.

"It's a landmark. Everybody looks for it when you come into Alabama and it shows what we represent," he said. "It puts us in perspective as far as how far we've come along (with space exploration)."

Sammet said he does not have a preference for what should replace the rocket.

"Just so it's tall and can be seen," he said.

Athens Mayor Ronnie Marks said if the funding stream is available, he would like to see the rocket refurbished.

"That's a decision for county and state level ... but I surely hope that they will do something to maintain its presence," he said. "It is such a historic, iconic place to come into the state of Alabama on Interstate 65. That rocket has seen millions and millions of folks."

Marks said if the rocket is replaced, he would like to see something space related, but it at least needs to be something that attracts people.

Burkett said ALDOT will not make any decisions about the rocket.

"ALDOT has been proud to display the Saturn 1B rocket at our welcome center for nearly 44 years, but we defer to the judgment of NASA and the U.S. Space and Rocket Center," he said. "We remain receptive to remaining part of the conversation with them, as well as local leaders and tourism officials, regarding what role the welcome center can play in a suitable replacement for the rocket."

—erica.smith@decaturdaily.com or 256-340-2460.