“Mars Via Pier 86” (Editorial, April 19) gives many compelling reasons for NASA to award one of the three soon-to-be-retired space shuttles to the Intrepid Air & Space Museum.

NASA should further consider the great contributions that New York made to the design and manufacture of the space shuttle.

The original concept and design of the space-shuttle system, including the reusability features, were done by Grumman Aerospace Corporation in Bethpage.

Although another contractor was selected to manufacture it, Grumman was selected as the prime subcontractor and manufactured all of the space shuttle’s enormous wings.

Peter Burch, Hanover, Md.