The Getaway Special

Role
Painter
Titel
Getaway Special -Young & Crippen
Technique
oil on canvas
Launch
12.04 1981

Getaway Special

To whom this may concern:

Referring to the response from Johnson Space Center, I ask you to furnish me with precise details on purchasing a „Getaway Special“.

I am a US citizen residing in Munich, Germany where I work as an Art Director and painter. After reading about NASA´s Space Shuttle program and that „getaway specials“ can be bought by private citizens, I have become increasingly enthusiastic about sending a painting into space as Art Experiment.

I would therefore like to apply for a reservation and ask you to send me all information – terms – conditions – price lists relating to this particular project.

Thank you for being so cooperative and I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,
André Curry
Munich, April 5th 1982

The NASA Small Self-Contained Payload or ‚Getaway Special‘ program, allowing small experimental payloads to be flown on the Space Shuttle at low cost, is presented. The program allows any responsible person, organization or educational institution able to enter into a contract with NASA to fly a self-contained research and development payload compatible with spacecraft requirements and of weight less than 200 lb and volume less than 5 cu ft on the Space Shuttle, subject to space availability. Charges, based on package volume, range from $3000 to $10,000 in 1975 dollars, with a $500 deposit required as earnest money. NASA, in turn, will supply the shuttle flight and return, planning and technical information, the cylindrical container in which the payload is carried, control signals from the crew station, electrical power to the payload if available, elementary crew support, prelaunch testing or servicing and postflight information. Procedures for program participation are outlined.

– NASA

Getaway Special

Sophisticated Style

Space Shuttle Launch April 1981